Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy as an early resource for bereavement: a non-randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Abstract Preliminary evidence suggests that ayahuasca may alleviate severe grief symptoms. This three-arm, sequentially allocated, open-label study examines the therapeutic changes associated with ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy (A-MR) compared to meaning reconstruction therapy alone (MR) and a no-treatment control (NT). A total of 84 adults experiencing severe grief within 12 months of losing a first-degree relative were allocated to A-MR (n = 28), MR (n = 28), or NT (n = 28). Grief severity, prolonged grief disorder symptoms, post-traumatic growth, and quality of life were assessed at baseline, after the intervention, and 3 months post-intervention. Ayahuasca was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported. All groups showed significant grief severity reduction (A-MR: p < .0001, d = 2.44; MR: p < .0001, d = 1.84; NT: p < .002, d = 0.74). Greater reductions were observed in the A-MR compared to MR (p = .012, d = 0.86) and NT (p = .0008, d = 1.07). A-MR was also associated with significant improvements in prolonged grief symptomatology, post-traumatic growth, and quality of life, with medium-to-large effect sizes. This is the first controlled prospective study to provide preliminary support for A-MR as a safe and potentially effective intervention for severe grief, though replication in larger randomized trials is required.