# Baseline Mood and “Relational Triad” Predict Acute Qualities of Psychedelic Experience

## TL;DR

Baseline mood and psychological factors like mindfulness and spirituality predict the quality of psychedelic experiences.

## Contribution

Shows how baseline psychological states and relational factors influence acute psychedelic experiences.

## Key findings

- Baseline depression and anxiety predict more challenging psychedelic experiences.
- Baseline wellbeing predicts more mystical and fewer challenging experiences.
- Mindfulness and spirituality are linked to mystical experiences, while social connectedness reduces challenging ones.

## Abstract

Background: The quality and valence of psychedelic experiences are influenced by a range of psychological and contextual factors. This study examines baseline mood and the “relational triad”—comprising social connectedness, mindfulness, and spirituality—as potential predictors of the quality of naturalistic psychedelic experiences. Methods: Data were drawn from the Predicting Responses to Psychedelics dataset, a longitudinal study tracking 654 individuals planning to take a psychedelic substance. Participants completed self-report measures at five time points, before and after ingestion. Baseline mood (depression, anxiety, and wellbeing) and relational triad factors were assessed at Timepoint 1, while acute psychedelic experience quality was measured at Timepoint 3 using validated scales (MEQ-30, CEQ, and ASC). Results: Mystical and challenging experiences were weakly but positively correlated. Baseline depression and anxiety were predictive of more challenging experiences but not of mystical-type experiences, while baseline wellbeing predicted more mystical and less challenging experiences. Mindfulness and spirituality were positively associated with mystical experiences, while social connectedness and mindfulness were inversely associated with challenging experiences. Conclusions: These findings extend previous research by demonstrating that baseline psychological and relational factors shape the nature of psychedelic experiences.