Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health
June 4, 2025
Sarah Forsberg, Amanda E Downey, Lindsey D Bruett et al.
5 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy is gaining interest for treating mental health conditions in adolescents, but safe and effective delivery requires careful consideration of caregiver involvement. Caregivers are essential in adolescent mental health treatment, supporting recovery and disrupting illness-maintaining patterns, while also needing resources to manage caregiving challenges. This review synthesizes evidence from adolescent mental health treatments, PAT best practices, and family systems theory to propose a framework for integrating caregivers into adolescent PAT. The family system is a critical setting that may shape PAT efficacy, analogous to the therapeutic setting (set and setting). Recommendations are provided for incorporating caregivers into PAT protocols to maximize safety and efficacy.
Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health
September 16, 2023
Florian Vock, Lydia Johnson-Ferguson, Laura Bechtiger et al.
3 citations
Sexual minority youth (SMY) and heterosexual youth differ in substance use rates, with SMY-females showing higher use of cannabis, ecstasy/MDMA, and hallucinogens at age 17, and also tobacco and stimulants by age 20. SMY-males reported lower tobacco and cannabis use at age 17 but higher ecstasy/MDMA and hallucinogen use at age 20. Psychosocial factors such as internalizing symptoms, self-control, and peer influences partly explain these differences. The findings highlight the need for targeted prevention, especially for SMY-females early in life.
Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health
February 24, 2026
David Sjöström, Emma Claesdotter-Knutsson, Petri Kajonius
Adolescents aged 18–24 who use classical psychedelics report more adverse outcomes—including confusion, fear, and negative personality change—than adults aged 25 and older, even after accounting for personality traits. Positive effects such as meaningfulness, mystical-type experiences, and relationship improvements do not differ between age groups. Neuroticism explains more of the variation in adverse outcomes than age does. The findings suggest that while adolescents may gain similar positive benefits from psychedelics as adults, they may be more vulnerable to negative effects, highlighting the need for further longitudinal research on developmental stage and individual differences.