Set and setting of psychedelics for therapeutic use in psychiatry: A systematic review
Journal of Psychopharmacology May 12, 2025 Clémentine Estric, Thomas Duron, Sarah Kabani et al. 10 citations
Psychedelics show promise for treating psychiatric disorders, but how participants are prepared (set) and the environment where the drug is taken (setting) vary widely across studies. This systematic review examined 27 articles covering 25 clinical trials with 763 participants. Participant selection and creating a safe environment were consistently reported, but other elements like monitor training (52% of studies), controlling visual distractions (64%), and ensuring a pleasant environment (68%) were less consistently described. Psilocybin was the most studied psychedelic (47% of trials). The lack of standardization in set and setting limits comparability and reproducibility, and harmonizing these aspects would improve future research.