Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40351574›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychology2025

The phenomenology of psilocybin: transformative insights for research and clinical practice.

Antonio Metastasio, Elisabeth Prevete, Sofia Venturini, Andrea Garofalo, Beatrice Cecconello, Nicola De Pisapia, Ornella Corazza

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Antonio MetastasioDepartment of Clinical, Pharmacological and Biological Sciences, College Lane, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom.
Elisabeth PreveteDepartment of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, Rome, Italy.
Sofia VenturiniDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
Andrea GarofaloDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
Beatrice CecconelloDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
Nicola De PisapiaDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
Ornella CorazzaDepartment of Clinical, Pharmacological and Biological Sciences, College Lane, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Considering the increasing evidence supporting psilocybin's efficacy in therapeutic settings, it is essential to deepen our understanding of its subjective meanings and effects to enhance its integration into psychotherapy. Current knowledge is primarily based on psychometric assessments or unstructured personal reports, leaving a gap in the qualitative analysis of subjective psychedelic experiences and the resulting changes. Objective: This study aimed to describe the subjective psychedelic experience with psilocybin in a structured, objective, and non-judgmental way ( Methods: A phenomenological qualitative approach, integrating interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and the dynamic analysis (PHD) method, was used to analyze self-reported psilocybin experiences. Participants who met the inclusion criteria of being healthy adults and who had experienced psilocybin without any other substances were recruited through convenience sampling. Semi-structured interviews explored dimensions such as emotions, bodily sensations, perception of time and space, relationships, values, and enduring transformation. Data were analyzed using thematic coding. Results: Ten interviews were carried out with voluntary participants. All the interviewees reported enhanced emotional and interpersonal sensitivity, increased empathy, a deeper connection to others, and a heightened ability to resolve personal issues as well as long-lasting insights into their lives and values. Participants also showed profound changes in behavior, attitudes, and interests, indicative of the potential for psilocybin to catalyze significant personal growth and development. Conclusion: This study highlights the transformative potential of psilocybin experiences and their relevance to psychotherapeutic practices. By employing phenomenological methods, we offer a structured understanding of these states, which could be used in future to provide guidance for their integration into therapy by giving a better insight into psychedelic experience.

Indexed as

lived experiencesphenomenologypsychedelicspsychopathologypsylocibinqualitative approach

Identifiers

PMID40351574
PMCPMC12061882

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.