Update of the Altered States Database (ASDB): 2024-12-31
PsyArXiv March 14, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/wkpjc_v1
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe Altered States Database (ASDB) is an open data initiative that collects questionnaire data on subjective experiences from pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness. Updated annually, the 2024 update added data from a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines. Of 470 screened items, 28 journal articles were included, reporting on several scales: 12 used the 11-ASC, 11 the 5D-ASC, 10 the MEQ30, 3 the HRS, and 1 the PCI. The ASDB now contains data from 28 pharmacological and 18 nonpharmacological consciousness-modifying techniques, covering 225 journal articles and 978 datasets from 25,131 participants. The database is freely accessible online.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Systematic literature review |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25,131 |
| Population | Participants in studies of altered states of consciousness |
| Key finding | The ASDB now includes data from 28 pharmacological and 18 nonpharmacological consciousness-modifying techniques, encompassing 225 journal articles and 978 datasets from 25,131 participants. |
Abstract
The Open Data initiative Altered States Database (ASDB) collects psychometric questionnaire data on the subjective experiences of pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness. The ASDB is updated annually and can be utilized by both researchers and non-scientists to access information or conduct further analyses. The current update adds data published in the year 2024, sourced from a systematic literature review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 470 items were screened, resulting in 28 included journal articles, of which twelve report on the 11-Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale (11-ASC), eleven on the 5D-ASC, ten on the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30), three on the Hallucinogen Rating Scale (HRS), and one on the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI). In total, the ASDB now encompasses data from 28 pharmacological and 18 nonpharmacological consciousness modifying techniques (CMT) (plus control substances/techniques), incorporating 225 journal articles and 978 single datasets from 25.131 participants across datasets. The ASDB can be accessed on https://asdb.info and on Open Science Framework (OSF; https://osf.io/8mbru).