Journal of Humanistic Psychology
October 24, 2016
David B. Yaden, Khoa D. Le Nguyen, Margaret L. Kern et al.
125 citations
Religious, spiritual, or mystical experiences triggered by psychedelic substances are rated as more intensely mystical and produce a reduced fear of death, a greater sense of purpose, and increased spirituality compared to similar experiences arising through other means. These findings held even after controlling for gender, education, socioeconomic status, and religious affiliation. The results support the view that psychedelic-induced experiences are genuinely mystical and generally positive in outcome.
Psychology of Religion and Spirituality
July 27, 2015
David B. Yaden, Johannes C. Eichstaedt, H. Andrew Schwartz et al.
68 citations
People who report having had mystical experiences use language that is more socially and spatially inclusive—words like 'close,' 'we,' and 'with'—and fewer overtly religious terms such as 'prayed,' 'Christ,' or 'church' compared to those who have not had such experiences. This pattern emerged from quantitative linguistic analysis of 777 participants' written accounts of their most significant spiritual or religious experience. The findings suggest that mystical experiences, though often described as ineffable, can be meaningfully communicated, and that language analysis offers a way to study them.
Stress and Health
March 15, 2019
G. Slemp, Hayley K. Jach, A. Chia et al.
45 citations
Contemplative interventions such as mindfulness and meditation reduce psychological distress in employees, producing small to moderate effects that persist at follow-up. A meta-analysis of 119 studies (6,044 participants) found that the type of intervention and control group influenced results. Publication bias likely inflates estimated effects, especially in uncontrolled single-sample studies; adjustments lowered overall effects. The authors conclude that while these interventions are effective, proactive strategies are needed to prevent overestimation of benefits and misapplication in workplaces.