Predictors of therapeutic response to psychedelic-assisted therapy: A systematic review.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) May 1, 2026 Grace Viljoen, Henrik Walter, Antonia Bendau et al. 3 citations
A systematic review of 54 studies found that the intensity of the acute psychedelic experience, particularly mystical-type experiences, is the most frequently reported predictor of therapeutic response in psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental disorders, though this was not consistent across all disorders or time points. Factors related to set, setting, and dose were associated with the likelihood and intensity of these experiences. The review included adult populations with substance-use disorders, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and existential distress, as well as naturalistic samples.