Personality and Drug Use (PDU)

September 27, 2022 updated by: Psychedelic Data Society
This is an observational, naturalistic study that aims to assess whether people with different histories of recreational or therapeutic illicit substance use (or no history at all) will differ in terms of their personalities.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The study aims to assess the association between the use of various substances (including psychedelic and non-psychedelic drugs) and personality profiles. Specifically, the study will investigate if people with different histories of drug use differ in personality profiles. As psychedelics were found to influence changes in personality over time, the investigators sought to measure both the current personality profile (via the Big Five Inventory-44 (BFI)) and perceived retrospective changes in personality (via a self-constructed Retrospective Personality Scale (RPS). To investigators' knowledge, no study has explored the diversity of substance use histories in relation to individual current and retrospective personality traits and aggregate personality profiles.

The investigators aim to survey a large number of participants from all around the world, using a mobile app-based survey. The remote character of the study will increase its accessibility and diversity, which are common shortcomings in the psychedelic line of research. Additionally, a remote and anonymous study setup with no face-to-face interactions might help overcome any potential concerns participants may have regarding the sharing of sensitive information (e.g., reports on illicit substance use). To increase scientific transparency and for educational purposes (comparing personalized results with the aggregated results of participants with similar socio-demographic profiles), investigators plan to share personalized results summaries with participants of the study, which might be an additional motivating factor for study completion. In conclusion, this large-scale, low-budget, naturalistic, retrospective, observational study aims to shed light on the aforementioned gap in the literature and lay a foundation of evidence for further research.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

1000

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults (age of 18 or above) of full mental and legal capacities.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18 years of age or older
  • full legal and mental capacity
  • access to a smartphone with internet to fill in the study measures (available for iOS and Android)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • lack of proficiency in English
  • visual impairments (not able to use mobile devices)
  • illiteracy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Case-Control
  • Time Perspectives: Retrospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Depressants-only Group

A group of participants who reported using in their past drugs identified as depressing compounds only (both recreational and prescribed usages are included). Depressing compounds are considered, in the context of the current study, substances that decrease the overall activity of the central nervous system. Specifically, in the current study this group included reports on the following substances:

Benzodiazepines Opiates (recreational use of heroin, opium, hydrocodone, oxycodone, oxymorphone, codeine, fentanyl) Prescription opioids
Other: Usage of drugs
Self-reported past usage of drugs belonging to different chemical groups.
Cannabinoids Group

A group of participants who reported using in their past cannabinoids compounds only (both recreational and prescribed usages are included). Specifically, in the current study this group included reports on the following substances:

THC (cannabis, marijuana) CBD Medical Cannabis (both THC and CBD)
Other: Usage of drugs
Self-reported past usage of drugs belonging to different chemical groups.
Substance-naive Group
A group of participants who reported no past experience with any of the substances listed in the current study nor reported using other substances (excluding alcohol and nicotine). Participants will be assigned to this group if and only if they choose the "None of the above" option from the Substance Use Survey (item 1).
Group: Psychedelics-only Group

A group of participants who reported using in their past psychedelic substances only (both classical and non-classical psychedelics are included). Specifically, in the current study this group included reports on the following substances:

Psilocybin (magic mushrooms, truffles) LSD (acid) Mescaline (peyote, San Pedro) Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) Ayahuasca 5-MeO-DMT 3-MMC Ibogaine Salvia Phenethylamines (2C family)
Other: Usage of drugs
Self-reported past usage of drugs belonging to different chemical groups.
Group: Stimulants-only Group

A group of participants who reported using in their past drugs identified as stimulating compounds only (both recreational and prescribed usages are included). Stimulating compounds are considered, in the context of the current study, substances that increase the overall activity of the central nervous system. Specifically, in the current study this group included reports on the following substances:

Cocaine Crack Amphetamines Methamphetamines Prescription stimulants (e.g., Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta)
Other: Usage of drugs
Self-reported past usage of drugs belonging to different chemical groups.
Psychedelic and Non-psychedelic Substances Group

A group of participants who reported using in their past drugs identified as psychedelics and stimulants and/or depressants (both recreational and prescribed usages are included). In this group participants will be included who reported using at least one non-psychedelic drug additionally to a psychedelic one. Specifically, the following options were provided:

Psychedelic compounds:

Psilocybin (magic mushrooms, truffles) LSD (acid) Mescaline (peyote, San Pedro) Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) Ayahuasca 5-MeO-DMT 3-MMC Ibogaine Salvia Phenethylamines (2C family)

Non-psychedelic compounds:

THC (cannabis, marijuana) CBD Medical Cannabis (both THC and CBD) MDMA (ecstasy) Ketamine Cocaine Crack Amphetamines Methamphetamines Prescription stimulants (e.g., Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta) Benzodiazepines Opiates (e.g., heroin, opium, hydrocodone, oxycodone, oxymorphone, codeine, fentanyl) Prescription opioids
Other: Usage of drugs
Self-reported past usage of drugs belonging to different chemical groups.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in scores on Big Five Inventory (BFI-44)
Time Frame: Measured twice: once referring to participants' personality from a period of their youth (18-21 years old) and the second time: the current moment, how they perceived their personality in general terms.
The study will collect measures of past (youth) and current BFI scores. A separate score will be reported for each of the 5 personality traits measured by the inventory. Each score is computed by averaging the items associated with a given domain. Scores for each domain vary from 1 to 5, with higher scores meaning that a given trait is more present and noticeable in personality of the person that provided the answers.
Measured twice: once referring to participants' personality from a period of their youth (18-21 years old) and the second time: the current moment, how they perceived their personality in general terms.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in scores on Retrospective Personality Scale (RPS)
Time Frame: Measured twice: once referring to participants' personality from a period of their youth (18-21 years old) and the second time: the current moment, how they perceived their personality in general terms.
The study will collect measures of past (youth) and current RPS scores. A separate score will be reported for each of the 2 personality domains: positive and negative. Each of the 20 items is scored on a 3-point scale, using the following encoding: -1 (=Less), (=Without change), 1 (=More). Mean scores of 10 items for each of the domains (positive and negative) form the total score. Score Interpretation: For the positive domain, the mean score of 0 indicates no changes in personality, whereas the positive mean score (larger than 0) indicates positive changes in personality and scores below 0 point out negative changes. The reverse interpretation is true for the negative domain, with a mean score of 0 indicating no changes.
Measured twice: once referring to participants' personality from a period of their youth (18-21 years old) and the second time: the current moment, how they perceived their personality in general terms.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Psychedelic Data Society

Collaborators

Maastricht University
Quantified Citizen Technologies Inc.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kim PC Kuypers, PhD, Maastricht University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Anticipated)

November 1, 2022

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

November 1, 2023

Study Completion (Anticipated)

November 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 18, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 23, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

August 26, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 28, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 27, 2022

Last Verified

August 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 21017 Personality and Drug Use

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Yes

IPD Plan Description

The study will be pre-registered on the Open Science platform, where study details will be shared and regularly updated. This will be an open access project, meaning that all collected data and data analysis will be made available for all interested parties (via OSF platform). Additionally, we will share the individual summary reports with all participants who completed the study. The report will be accessible via a mobile app used to collect the study data.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

The raw data and clinical study report will be made available within 12 months from the end date of data collection.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Open access

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • Study Protocol
  • Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP)
  • Informed Consent Form (ICF)
  • Clinical Study Report (CSR)
  • Analytic Code

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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