Baseline Resilience as a Predictor of Ayahuasca Acute Effects and Moderator of the Relationship between Acute Effects and Psychospiritual Outcomes
Psychedelic Medicine May 9, 2026 Yitong Xin, Alan K. Davis, Susan Yoon et al.
People with higher psychological resilience before an ayahuasca retreat reported more intense acute challenging experiences, such as nausea or emotional distress. Resilience also moderated how those challenging experiences related to later meaning-making: among participants with higher baseline resilience, the link between acute difficulty and a subsequent search for meaning in life was stronger. The findings suggest that resilience may help individuals transform difficult psychedelic moments into psychospiritual growth, pointing to the value of incorporating resilience-building into retreat preparation and integration programs.