Journal of Psychedelic Studies
April 27, 2023
Kevin O. St. Arnaud, Donald Sharpe
6 citations
Among 684 international online participants, classic psychedelics were the most common substances used for spiritual or entheogenic purposes. Entheogenic classic psychedelic users scored higher on measures of spiritual seeking, self-transcendence, psychological well-being, and psychospiritual development compared to both non-entheogenic users and non-users. The findings suggest entheogenic spirituality can be understood as a practice of spiritual seeking or implicit mysticism—a quest for self-transcendence and personal growth.
Brain Behav
November 1, 2025
Jake Payne, Oliver Robinson, Kevin O. St. Arnaud et al.
3 citations
Classic psychedelics may produce lasting positive effects on mood, cognition, and personality, but how these effects vary by age is unclear. Emerging adulthood (ages 18-29) is a critical developmental period marked by transition to independence and common psychedelic experimentation. This integrative review proposes a framework for how psychedelic use could positively influence development during this stage, including changes in personality trait openness, belief systems, self-insight, and social concern. The authors outline pathways for orthogenetic, veridical-epistemic, eudaimonic, relational, and ethical developmental trajectories. They also identify future research directions and key challenges for studying psychedelics' developmental impact in emerging adulthood.