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Cited by 65Psychedelics and Drug StudiesPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsAttachment and Relationship Dynamics

Psilocybin-Assisted Group Therapy and Attachment: Observed Reduction in Attachment Anxiety and Influences of Attachment Insecurity on the Psilocybin Experience

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Stauffer, Christopher S, Anderson, Brian T, Ortigo, Kile M., Woolley, Joshua·2021·ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
DOI 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00169PMC PMC8033604
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Abstract

Attachment insecurity is determined early in life, is a risk factor for psychopathology, and can be measured on two separate continuous dimensions: attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Therapeutic changes toward more secure attachment correlate with reduction in psychiatric symptoms. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy has demonstrated promise in the treatment of psychopathology, such as treatment-resistant depression and substance use disorders. We hypothesized that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy would reduce attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, thus increasing attachment security. We also hypothesized that baseline measures of attachment insecurity, which can reflect a diminished capacity for trust and exploration, would inform the quality of the psilocybin session. Participants were male long-term AIDS survivors with moderate-severe demoralization (n = 18). Using the Experiences in Close Relationships scale, we measured attachment insecurity at baseline as well as immediately, and 3 months, after completion of a brief group therapy course, which included a single midtreatment open-label psilocybin session conducted individually. Clinically important aspects of the psilocybin session were assessed using the revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire and the Challenging Experience Questionnaire the day following psilocybin administration. Self-reported ratings of attachment anxiety decreased significantly from baseline to 3-months post-intervention, t(16) = −2.2; p = 0.045; drm = 0.45; 95% CI 0.01, 0.87. Attachment avoidance did not change significantly. Baseline attachment anxiety was strongly correlated with psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experiences, r(15) = 0.53, p = 0.029, and baseline attachment avoidance was strongly correlated with psilocybin-related challenging experiences, r(16) = 0.62, p = 0.006. These findings have important implications for the general treatment of psychopathology as well as optimizing psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as a broadly applicable treatment modality.

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Crossref · 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00169

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  • Patients who exhibit apprehension, preoccupation, or baseline attachment avoidance appear to be more likely to have challenging experiences following administration of a psychedelic drug.

    “patients who exhibit apprehension, preoccupation, or baseline attachment avoidance appear to be more likely to have challenging experiences following administration of a psychedelic drug”

    From Psychedelics and Other Psychoplastogens for Treating Mental Illness. (2021) · cites this paper as [282]

  • Psilocybin increases emotional empathy, attachment security and other prosocial effects.

    “supporting evidence that psilocybin increases emotional empathy, attachment security and other prosocial effects, which has been observed previously [61,62].”

    From Psilocybin‐assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder: A pilot open‐label safety and feasibility study. (2025) · cites this paper as [61]

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Authors
Stauffer, C. S., Anderson, B. T., Ortigo, K. M., & Woolley, J.
Affiliations
  • San Francisco VA Medical Center (US)
  • San Francisco General Hospital (US)
  • Center for Existential Exploration , , ,
Corresponding author
Stauffer, Christopher S
ORCID
Venue
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Published
2020-12-09
Volume
4
Issue
2
Pages
526-532
ISSN
2575-9108 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1021/acsptsci.0c00169
PMC
PMC8033604
OpenAlex
W3112557491
Cited by
65
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 6
FWCI
2.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Heffter Research Institute
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (IK2CX001495)
  • George Sarlo Foundation
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R25 MH060482)
  • River Styx Foundation
  • Saisei Foundation
  • Usona Institute
  • Carey Turnbull
  • Stupski Foundation
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Keywords
psilocybin-assisted therapy, insecure attachment, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, group therapy, demoralization, mystical experience, challenging experiences, Experiences in Close Relationships, psychedelic therapy

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