Client treatment preferences in psychedelic-assisted therapy for depression in participants with depressive symptoms
Alyssa B. Oliva, Mitch Earleywine, Fiona Low, Brianna R. Altman, Joseph A. De Leo
Journal of Psychedelic Studies July 11, 2024 DOI: 10.1556/2054.2024.00334
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIn a survey of 635 adults in the United States, the importance people place on having a therapist of the same gender or same race differs by the type of therapy and by the participant's own race and gender. For both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), racial and ethnic minority participants and female participants rated a same-gender practitioner as more important than did White or male participants. A same-gender CBT therapist was rated as more important than a same-gender PAT guide.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 635 |
| Population | US adults recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Therapeutic fit Patient choice Therapist selection Provider matching Patient preferences |
| Key finding | Importance ratings for a same-gender practitioner varied by race and gender, with racial and ethnic minority and female participants rating it highest, while same-gender CBT therapists were rated as more important than same-gender PAT guides. |
Abstract
AbstractBackground and AimsResearch on psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), a promising treatment option for major depression, has not revealed if potential clients show preferences about the demographic characteristics of providers comparable to those common in other forms of psychotherapy. Previous work suggests that honoring comparable client preferences can enhance therapeutic outcomes. This study aims to investigate the importance ratings for a same-gender and a same-race therapist in both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and PAT.MethodsParticipants (N = 635) responded between December 2020 and January 2021 on Amazon's Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform. Participants rated the import of provider characteristics, including having a provider who is the same-gender or the same-race, for a CBT therapist and a PAT guide.ResultsImportance ratings for a same-gender practitioner varied by both race and gender; racial and ethnic minority and female participants had the highest importance ratings for a same-gender practitioner. A same-gender CBT therapist was more important than a same-gender PAT guide. Importance ratings for a same-race practitioner did not differ by therapy type or gender and only varied by race; racial and ethnic minority participants rated a same-race practitioner as more important than White participants.ConclusionsAccommodating client preferences appears important, particularly for members of racial, ethnic, and gender minority groups. A concerted effort to train diverse CBT therapists and PAT guides to meet this demand seems justified.