(PS4-72) The Relationship Between Attitudes on Psychedelics and Microaggressions in Hispanic College Students

Abstract Text: With the current research interest in psychedelic drugs for therapeutic applications (Barnett et al., 2022), it is important to understand public perceptions of these substances and the factors that shape attitudes toward their use. Attitudes toward psychedelics are influenced by social and cultural contexts (Yockey & King, 2021), as well as prior use (Corrigan et al., 2022), yet little research has examined how experiences of discrimination, particularly microaggressions, contribute to these perceptions. Limited studies have revealed associations between psychedelic experiences and reduction in racial trauma symptoms (Haeny et al., 2023; Williams et al., 2021). The present study explores the relationship between attitudes toward psychedelics and microaggressions in a predominantly Hispanic college student sample.

Predominantly Hispanic college students (n=517; Mage= 21.06 years, SD = 4.37; 71% female, 85.3% Hispanic) were recruited via SONA, a web-based recruiting system. After providing informed consent, participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Attitudes on Psychedelics Questionnaire (APQ), and the Revised 28-Item Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale (R28REMS). Three linear regressions using APQ subscales of legal use, effects, and openness assessed associations between psychedelic attitudes and perceived microaggressions, while controlling for sex, age, and Hispanic ethnicity.

All three models were statistically significant (Legal Use [F(8,507), = 4.88, R2 = .071, p < .001]; Effects [F(8,507), = 4.76, R2 = .070, p < .001]; Openness [F(8,507), = 4.65, R2, p < .001]. Perceptions of legal use of psychedelics were positively associated with media microaggressions (β=.102, p=.022). Views of psychedelic effects were negatively associated with perceived microinvalidations (β=-.109, p=.043). Openness to psychedelics was positively associated with media microaggressions (β=.099, p=.026).

Given the growing recognition of psychedelics for mental health treatment (Yao et al., 2024), the positive associations between media microaggressions and both legal use and openness subscales suggest that Hispanic individuals who experience negative portrayals of their ethnic group in media may view these substances as potential tools for self-healing and coping with the psychological distress linked to microaggressions. Prior research has shown that racial microaggressions can precipitate adverse mental health outcomes in minoritized ethnic groups (Samek et al., 2024), and our findings coincide with studies demonstrating use of other substances as coping mechanisms for microaggressions in minority populations (Zapolski et al., 2024). Furthermore, that perceptions on psychedelic effects were negatively associated with microinvalidations suggests that people who view psychedelics positively might belong to more progressive or inclusive social circles that are less likely to engage in microinvalidations. Prospective studies should further investigate the use of psychedelics as a coping mechanism for racial trauma across various ethnic groups and explore ways of including diverse perspectives in psychedelic research.