MDMA-assisted psychotherapy with adolescents suffering from PTSD: Do or don’t? a qualitative study with youth, parents, and clinicians
Drug Science, Policy and Law January 1, 2023 Anoek S Van Vugt, Josjan Zijlmans, Ramon Lindauer et al. 2 citations
Adolescents, parents, and clinicians initially held unfavorable views of MDMA, but after a standardized explanation of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, all but one participant supported exploring this treatment for adolescents with PTSD. The study used focus groups with 9 trauma-exposed adolescents and young adults, 4 parents of traumatized children, and 6 trauma clinicians. All groups emphasized the need for further research before clinical trials. The findings suggest that providing clear information can shift attitudes toward openness to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as a potential treatment for adolescent PTSD.