Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review

Background: Clinical trials are currently investigating the potential of substance-assisted psychotherapy (SAPT) as treatment for several psychiatric conditions. The potential therapeutic effects of SAPT may be influenced by contextual factors including preparation prior to and integration after th...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Thal, Sascha B, Wieberneit, Michelle, Sharbanee, Jason, Skeffington, Petra M, Baker, Paris, Bruno, Raimondo, Wenge, Tobias, Bright, Stephen J
Format: Journal Article
Published: SAGE 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02698811221127954
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/89464
_version_ 1848765225972531200
author Thal, Sascha B
Wieberneit, Michelle
Sharbanee, Jason
Skeffington, Petra M
Baker, Paris
Bruno, Raimondo
Wenge, Tobias
Bright, Stephen J
author_facet Thal, Sascha B
Wieberneit, Michelle
Sharbanee, Jason
Skeffington, Petra M
Baker, Paris
Bruno, Raimondo
Wenge, Tobias
Bright, Stephen J
author_sort Thal, Sascha B
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Clinical trials are currently investigating the potential of substance-assisted psychotherapy (SAPT) as treatment for several psychiatric conditions. The potential therapeutic effects of SAPT may be influenced by contextual factors including preparation prior to and integration after the substance-assisted therapy sessions. Aims: This systematized review outlines recommendations for current practice in preparatory sessions in SAPT including safety measures and screening procedures, preparation of set and setting, session contents, methods, and roles, prerequisites, and appropriate conduct of therapists. Methods: A systematized review of the literature was conducted based on PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE (OVID), PsycINFO (OVID), and Cochrane Library were searched and clinical trials, treatment manuals, study protocols, case studies, qualitative studies, descriptive studies, theoretical papers, reviews, book chapters, and conference proceedings published until February 1, 2022 were retrieved. Results: The final synthesis included k = 83 sources. Information about safety measures including screening of participants, set and setting, contextual-, physiological-, and psychological preparation, roles, competencies, prerequisites, and characteristics of the therapists, and the establishment of a therapeutic relationship were summarized and discussed. Conclusion: It is concluded that there is a consensus in the literature about the importance of adequate preparation before the administration of psychoactive substances in SAPT. However, the extent and approaches for these sessions vary across different models and there is a need for timelier and more rigorous qualitative and quantitative investigations assessing different approaches and techniques for the optimal preparation of clients in SAPT.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T11:31:53Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-89464
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T11:31:53Z
publishDate 2022
publisher SAGE
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-894642022-11-02T03:55:17Z Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review Thal, Sascha B Wieberneit, Michelle Sharbanee, Jason Skeffington, Petra M Baker, Paris Bruno, Raimondo Wenge, Tobias Bright, Stephen J 5203 - Clinical and health psychology Background: Clinical trials are currently investigating the potential of substance-assisted psychotherapy (SAPT) as treatment for several psychiatric conditions. The potential therapeutic effects of SAPT may be influenced by contextual factors including preparation prior to and integration after the substance-assisted therapy sessions. Aims: This systematized review outlines recommendations for current practice in preparatory sessions in SAPT including safety measures and screening procedures, preparation of set and setting, session contents, methods, and roles, prerequisites, and appropriate conduct of therapists. Methods: A systematized review of the literature was conducted based on PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE (OVID), PsycINFO (OVID), and Cochrane Library were searched and clinical trials, treatment manuals, study protocols, case studies, qualitative studies, descriptive studies, theoretical papers, reviews, book chapters, and conference proceedings published until February 1, 2022 were retrieved. Results: The final synthesis included k = 83 sources. Information about safety measures including screening of participants, set and setting, contextual-, physiological-, and psychological preparation, roles, competencies, prerequisites, and characteristics of the therapists, and the establishment of a therapeutic relationship were summarized and discussed. Conclusion: It is concluded that there is a consensus in the literature about the importance of adequate preparation before the administration of psychoactive substances in SAPT. However, the extent and approaches for these sessions vary across different models and there is a need for timelier and more rigorous qualitative and quantitative investigations assessing different approaches and techniques for the optimal preparation of clients in SAPT. 2022 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/89464 10.1177/02698811221127954 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02698811221127954 SAGE fulltext
spellingShingle 5203 - Clinical and health psychology
Thal, Sascha B
Wieberneit, Michelle
Sharbanee, Jason
Skeffington, Petra M
Baker, Paris
Bruno, Raimondo
Wenge, Tobias
Bright, Stephen J
Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review
title Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review
title_full Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review
title_fullStr Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review
title_full_unstemmed Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review
title_short Therapeutic (Sub)stance: Current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—A systematized review
title_sort therapeutic (sub)stance: current practice and therapeutic conduct in preparatory sessions in substance-assisted psychotherapy—a systematized review
topic 5203 - Clinical and health psychology
url https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02698811221127954
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/89464