Proceedings of the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research

Background: The use of psychedelics or psychoactive substances to treat mental health
conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, is increasingly on demand. There is an
urgent need to explore innovative therapeutic approaches. Alternative treatment
options have reportedly been used to reduce OCD symptoms, though conducted research is
scarce and dispersed, needing to be mapped and identified. Objective: To better understand
the extent and type of evidence available, regarding the obsessive-compulsive disorder
treatment with psychedelics. Moreover, the examination of how research is conducted on
the field, how well geographic areas are represented and the methodologies used are also to
be considered. Methods: JBI and PRISMA ScR guidelines were followed. PubMed, Web of
Science, Springer, ScienceDirect and APA PsycNet were consulted from May to June 2023.
Rayyan was used for screening. Four studies met the inclusion criteria, showing high
heterogeneity. Data extraction and result synthesis were done and results were analysed.
Results: This review included four papers conducted between 2013 and 2023. The studies
examined the use of cannabis, nabilone, and psilocybin for OCD treatment. Sample sizes were
small, ranging from one to 14 participants. The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) was commonly used for assessment. Dosages varied from 1 mg to around 800 mg.
Conclusions: The studies analysed varied in adherence to reporting guidelines. Psilocybin
showed promising results, while cannabis and nabilone did not. The limited number of studies
and small sample sizes restrict the conclusions. More rigorous research is needed with
standardized assessment tools, dosages, and administration. Further investigation is required
to establish guidelines for using psychedelics in OCD treatment.