A prospective ecological momentary assessment study of an ayahuasca retreat: exploring the salutary impact of acute psychedelic experiences on subacute affect and mindfulness skills in daily life
The study examined the acute and sub-acute effects of Ayahuasca use on affect and mindfulness skills among 36 participants attending a 4-day retreat.
Researchers used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and collected real-time data three times a day for five days before and after the retreat to reduce recall bias and enhance ecological validity.
The findings indicated significant improvement in participants’ condition post-retreat, including reduced negative effects, increased positive effects, and enhanced mindfulness skills in daily living.
The study found that acute experiences during the ceremony, such as transcendence of time and space, emotional breakthrough, and even challenging experiences (like grief or physical suffering), predicted higher levels of positive affect in the days following the retreat.
However, these acute experiences were not linked to the observed improvements in negative effects or mindfulness skills, and these improvements were not dependent on the participants’ experience or prior knowledge.
The study suggests that Ayahuasca use, with controlled preparation and setting, may lead to salutary psychological outcomes.
