The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms

“Values of SRMR and RMSEA<0.1, and CFI>0.90 (Browne and Cudeck, 1993; Hu”

“Factorial invariance was assessed in a series of multiplegroup confirmatory factor models using the cfa function in the lavaan toolbox in R (Rossell, 2012), with maximum likelihood estimation.”

“Values of SRMR and RMSEA<0.1, and CFI>0.90 (Browne and Cudeck, 1993; Hu”

“change between modeling steps) indicates noninvariance (Chen, 2007).”

“…research on psychedelics has revived their investigation as therapeutic agents (Bogenschutz et al., 2015; Carhart-Harris et al., 2012, 2016a; Griffiths et al., 2016; Grob et al., 2011; Johnson et al., 2014; Ross et al., 2016) and tools to understand psychosis (Schmid et al., 2015;…”

“, 2011) and anxiety secondary to a life-threatening cancer diagnosis (Griffiths et al., 2016; Ross et al., 2016), and recent large-sample surveys have demonstrated a lower risk for psychological distress and suicidality in those who have endorsed having consumed a classic hallucinogen in the past (Hendricks et al.”

“…States (APZ) questionnaire) have been widely used in behavioral and neuroimaging research of pharmacologically (Gouzoulis-Mayfrank et al., 2005; Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Vollenweider et al., 1998) as well as non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness (Hübner, 2007;…”

“…al, 2015; Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011) or spiritual (Kometer et al., 2015) experiences, changes in self-referential processing or “ego dissolution” (Carhart-Harris et al., 2014; Tagliazucchi et al., 2016), altered social processing (Preller et al., 2016), visual imagery (Kaelen et al., 2016),…”

“Recent empirical work has shown the potential value of psilocybin as a treatment for depression (Carhart-Harris et al., 2016a; Grob et al., 2011) and anxiety secondary to a life-threatening cancer diagnosis (Griffiths et al.”

“Guidelines have been described to minimize adverse reactions in controlled settings (Johnson et al., 2008), and incidence of lasting symptoms (including psychosis) related to administration of classic hallucinogens in controlled settings is quite low (Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Strassman, 1984;…”

“The recent resurgence of empirical research on psychedelics has revived their investigation as therapeutic agents (Bogenschutz et al., 2015; Carhart-Harris et al., 2012, 2016a; Griffiths et al., 2016; Grob et al., 2011; Johnson et al., 2014; Ross et al., 2016) and tools to understand psychosis…”

“…used in behavioral and neuroimaging research of pharmacologically (Gouzoulis-Mayfrank et al., 2005; Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Vollenweider et al., 1998) as well as non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness (Hübner, 2007; Kjellgren et al., 2004; Walach and Kaseberg, 1998).”

“…States (APZ) questionnaire) have been widely used in behavioral and neuroimaging research of pharmacologically (Gouzoulis-Mayfrank et al., 2005; Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Vollenweider et al., 1998) as well as non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness (Hübner, 2007;…”

“Approximately 30% of participants in each of three highly controlled experimental studies (total sample: 69 participants and 204 sessions – Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Johnson et al., 2014) involving a high dose of psilocybin (0.”

“…change (Carhart-Harris et al., 2016b; Lebedev et al., 2016; MacLean et al., 2011), positive mental health outcomes (Hendricks et al., 2015; Johansen and Krebs, 2015), and enduring positive changes in attitudes, mood and behavior (Griffiths et al., 2008, 2011) occasioned by these compounds.”

“, 2015), personality change (Carhart-Harris et al., 2016b; Lebedev et al., 2016; MacLean et al., 2011), positive mental health outcomes (Hendricks et al.”

“…(Strassman, 1995; Strassman et al., 1994) and the various forms of Dittrich’s Altered States of Consciousness questionnaires (Dittrich, 1975, 1998; Studerus et al., 2010), including the Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale (OAV) and the Five-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness…”

“, 2016) and mystical experience (Barrett et al., 2015) are positively associated with well-being, it is not completely clear that the items of the ‘death’ subscale of the CEQ (“Profound experience of your own death” and “Feel as if dead or dying”) are collinear with either mystical experience or ego dissolution.”

“A more detailed description of the complete methods, measures, and initial findings of the online survey can be found in the original report (Carbonaro et al., 2016).”

“…Rating Scale (HRS) (Strassman, 1995; Strassman et al., 1994) and the various forms of Dittrich’s Altered States of Consciousness questionnaires (Dittrich, 1975, 1998; Studerus et al., 2010), including the Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale (OAV) and the Five-Dimensional Altered…”

“4%) of those participants reported prolonged symptoms (Studerus et al., 2011).”

“…2006, 2011) or spiritual (Kometer et al., 2015) experiences, changes in self-referential processing or “ego dissolution” (Carhart-Harris et al., 2014; Tagliazucchi et al., 2016), altered social processing (Preller et al., 2016), visual imagery (Kaelen et al., 2016), changes in emotional experience…”

“Participants have also attributed positive change in well-being to their psilocybin experience, and this change in well-being has been shown to correlate positively with mystical experience (Garcia-Romeu et al., 2015) and egodissolution (Nour et al.”

“While the experience of ego dissolution (Nour et al., 2016) and mystical experience (Barrett et al.”

“…used questionnaire instruments assessing the subjective effects of classic hallucinogens are the Hallucinogen Rating Scale (HRS) (Strassman, 1995; Strassman et al., 1994) and the various forms of Dittrich’s Altered States of Consciousness questionnaires (Dittrich, 1975, 1998; Studerus et al.,…”

“, 2016) and tools to understand psychosis (Schmid et al., 2015; Vollenweider et al., 1998, 2007).”

“, 2016), and recent large-sample surveys have demonstrated a lower risk for psychological distress and suicidality in those who have endorsed having consumed a classic hallucinogen in the past (Hendricks et al., 2015; Johansen and Krebs, 2015).”

“…of the importance of set (participant psychological state) and setting (interpersonal and physical environment), acute adverse effects of psychedelics may generally be minimized and successfully managed in research contexts (Johnson et al., 2008; Metzner et al., 1965; Studerus et al., 2012).”

“…change (Carhart-Harris et al., 2016b; Lebedev et al., 2016; MacLean et al., 2011), positive mental health outcomes (Hendricks et al., 2015; Johansen and Krebs, 2015), and enduring positive changes in attitudes, mood and behavior (Griffiths et al., 2008, 2011) occasioned by these…”

“, 2016), changes in emotional experience (Kaelen et al., 2015; Kraehenmann et al., 2015), personality change (Carhart-Harris et al.”

“…acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT; contained in the sacramental beverage ayahuasca) share a primary pharmacological site of action at the serotonin 2a (5HT2a) receptor, and display striking similarities in their subjective effects (Halberstadt, 2015; Nichols, 2016).”

“…et al., 2016), changes in emotional experience (Kaelen et al., 2015; Kraehenmann et al., 2015), personality change (Carhart-Harris et al., 2016b; Lebedev et al., 2016; MacLean et al., 2011), positive mental health outcomes (Hendricks et al., 2015; Johansen and Krebs, 2015), and enduring…”

“…of Consciousness Inventory (Pekala, 1986), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (Belleville, 1956), the States of Consciousness Questionnaire (Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011), and the Addiction Research Center Inventory (Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Haertzen, 1966; Riba et al., 2001).”

“Clinical literature and anecdotal reports indicate that paranoia is a subjective experience frequently represented in challenging experiences with classic hallucinogens (Cohen, 1960; Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Strassman, 1984).”

“, 2008), and incidence of lasting symptoms (including psychosis) related to administration of classic hallucinogens in controlled settings is quite low (Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Strassman, 1984; Studerus et al., 2011).”

“…of Consciousness Inventory (Pekala, 1986), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (Belleville, 1956), the States of Consciousness Questionnaire (Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011), and the Addiction Research Center Inventory (Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Haertzen, 1966; Riba et al., 2001).”

“The recent resurgence of empirical research on psychedelics has revived their investigation as therapeutic agents (Bogenschutz et al., 2015; Carhart-Harris et al., 2012, 2016a; Griffiths et al., 2016; Grob et al., 2011; Johnson et al., 2014; Ross et al., 2016) and tools to understand psychosis…”

“…(and the preceding Abnormal Mental States (APZ) questionnaire) have been widely used in behavioral and neuroimaging research of pharmacologically (Gouzoulis-Mayfrank et al., 2005; Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Vollenweider et al., 1998) as well as non-pharmacologically induced altered states of…”

“…Tagliazucchi et al., 2016), altered social processing (Preller et al., 2016), visual imagery (Kaelen et al., 2016), changes in emotional experience (Kaelen et al., 2015; Kraehenmann et al., 2015), personality change (Carhart-Harris et al., 2016b; Lebedev et al., 2016; MacLean et al., 2011),…”

“An accepted clinical definition of “paranoia” is “unfounded fears that others intend harm to the individual” (Freeman et al., 2015).”

“, 2016), altered social processing (Preller et al., 2016), visual imagery (Kaelen et al.”

“, 2006, 2011) or spiritual (Kometer et al., 2015) experiences, changes in self-referential processing or “ego dissolution” (Carhart-Harris et al.”

“…has revived their investigation as therapeutic agents (Bogenschutz et al., 2015; Carhart-Harris et al., 2012, 2016a; Griffiths et al., 2016; Grob et al., 2011; Johnson et al., 2014; Ross et al., 2016) and tools to understand psychosis (Schmid et al., 2015; Vollenweider et al., 1998, 2007).”

“…or “ego dissolution” (Carhart-Harris et al., 2014; Tagliazucchi et al., 2016), altered social processing (Preller et al., 2016), visual imagery (Kaelen et al., 2016), changes in emotional experience (Kaelen et al., 2015; Kraehenmann et al., 2015), personality change (Carhart-Harris et al.,…”

“Many other instruments were either used or developed to assess various aspects of subjective experience of hallucinogens, including the Linton-Langs questionnaire (Linton and Langs, 1962), the Abramson questionnaire (Abramson, 1960), the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (Pekala, 1986), the Minnesota Multiphasi…”

“No items from the MEQ43 were included in the present analysis.”

“…two most widely used questionnaire instruments assessing the subjective effects of classic hallucinogens are the Hallucinogen Rating Scale (HRS) (Strassman, 1995; Strassman et al., 1994) and the various forms of Dittrich’s Altered States of Consciousness questionnaires (Dittrich, 1975, 1998;…”

“…exceedingly rare ( 0.001% of healthy individuals, and 0.002% of individuals undergoing therapy), however this summary must be viewed tentatively, given numerous limitations including, for example, that none of the reporting investigators had conducted follow-up with their patients (Novak, 1997).”

“However, the review noted that emergency department reports (e.g. McCabe, 1977; Taylor et al., 1970) are limited by uncertainty of substance ingested and unknown mental state of the patient prior to putative ingestion of a psychoactive substance.”

“…used in behavioral and neuroimaging research of pharmacologically (Gouzoulis-Mayfrank et al., 2005; Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Vollenweider et al., 1998) as well as non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness (Hübner, 2007; Kjellgren et al., 2004; Walach and Kaseberg, 1998).”

“…performing a series of multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses, adding more constraints in each sequential model for parameters to be equal across groups and then testing to see whether model fit improves or degrades across sequential models (Kline, 2005; Lomax, 1983; Widaman and Reise, 1997).”

“…were either used or developed to assess various aspects of subjective experience of hallucinogens, including the Linton-Langs questionnaire (Linton and Langs, 1962), the Abramson questionnaire (Abramson, 1960), the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (Pekala, 1986), the Minnesota…”

“Additional categories of challenging experience have been suggested in the literature, such as the experience of karmic or “astral” experiences, experience of “kundalini” energy, or the experience of such phenomena as age regression (McCabe, 1977).”

“…used in behavioral and neuroimaging research of pharmacologically (Gouzoulis-Mayfrank et al., 2005; Griffiths et al., 2006, 2011; Vollenweider et al., 1998) as well as non-pharmacologically induced altered states of consciousness (Hübner, 2007; Kjellgren et al., 2004; Walach and Kaseberg, 1998).”

“…aspects of subjective experience of hallucinogens, including the Linton-Langs questionnaire (Linton and Langs, 1962), the Abramson questionnaire (Abramson, 1960), the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (Pekala, 1986), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (Belleville, 1956), the…”

“Recent work has sought to develop and validate a measure that is sensitive to difficult or challenging psychedelic experiences (Barrett et al., 2016; Carbonaro et al., 2016) and there is some evidence that the intensity of such experiences is predictive of positive long-term outcomes, whereas the duration of struggle…”

“, 2006) (although acute panic can occur (Barrett et al., 2016; Carbonaro et al., 2016)), yet there is increasing evidence that anxiety can be significantly reduced for a prolonged period after a therapeutically mediated psychedelic drug experience (Gasser et al.”

“More specifically, whereas we saw a trend relationship between challenging experience under a psychedelic and less of an increase in psychological well-being 2 weeks later, others have found evidence that challenging experiences can be therapeutically beneficial (Barrett et al., 2016; Carbonaro et al., 2016).”

“The Challenging Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) (Barrett et al., 2016) contains 30 items leading to a total score and seven subscales scores (i.”

“Email: leor.roseman13@imperial.ac.uk outcomes, thus suggesting that CE might be counter-therapeutic and perhaps even iatrogenic (Barrett et al., 2016; Carbonaro et al., 2016; Haijen et al., 2018; Roseman et al., 2017), although there are some contradictory findings in this regard, suggesting a more…”