Lifetime MDMA use and associations with meaning in life in the context of childhood trauma
Scientific Reports February 10, 2026 Michelle Olofsson, Kasim Acar, Otto Simonsson et al.
Lifetime MDMA use was not significantly associated with meaning in life overall, but a significant interaction emerged: among Swedish adults with a history of childhood trauma, those who had ever used MDMA reported higher meaning in life than those who had not. Meaning in life was measured using the presence subscale of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. The findings suggest MDMA use may relate to psychological resilience in trauma-exposed populations, though further longitudinal and experimental research is needed to test causal direction.