An exploratory study published in Discover Mental Health reports that individual psychological traits, referred to as set, were the strongest correlates of altered self-awareness experiences during ayahuasca ceremonies. The research, led by Rafael S. Rodrigues and colleagues, recruited 483 participants who completed an online survey before and after attending these ceremonies. The study aimed to address a gap in current literature by examining how mindset, environment, and substance-related factors contribute to changes in self-perception, such as ego-dissolution and mystical experiences, which are often linked to therapeutic outcomes.
The investigation utilized hierarchical regressions to analyze outcomes of self-awareness, including scores from the Ego Dissolution Inventory and the Mystical Experience Questionnaire. These outcomes were correlated with sociodemographic characteristics, substance variables, set variables, and setting variables. The study design was explicitly exploratory, meaning the findings are interpreted as associations rather than causal effects. The researchers applied false discovery rate corrections at two levels to manage statistical rigor, while reporting remaining associations as exploratory trends.
The primary finding was that participants' set was the strongest correlate of altered self-awareness experiences. Specific psychological traits contributing to this association included baseline aberrant salience, interoceptive sensibility, metaphysical beliefs, and spiritual well-being.
Substance-related variables also provided contributions to specific constructs, though to a lesser extent than set. The study found that greater perceived dosage intensity of ayahuasca was associated with greater intensity of altered self-awareness experiences. Conversely, the concomitant use of cannabis or sananga, a plant known as Tabernaemontana sananho, was associated with fewer altered self-awareness experiences.
In contrast, setting variables and sociodemographic characteristics were not found to be strong correlates of the outcomes.
The study is limited by its exploratory design and the reliance on self-reported data from an online survey.
The publication, available open access, is part of a broader effort to understand the therapeutic potential of psychedelics like ayahuasca. While previous studies have focused on antidepressant properties, this work shifts the focus to the determinants of the experience itself. The results provide a nuanced view of the factors involved, emphasizing the role of the individual’s mindset over environmental or demographic variables.
Subject of Research: Association between set, setting, and substance variables and altered self-awareness in ayahuasca ceremonies
Article Title: Set, setting and substance in ayahuasca ceremonies and their association with altered self-awareness experiences:​ An exploratory investigation
Article References: Rodrigues, R. S., Longo, M. S. C., Beserra, F., Cruz, L., Guimarães, A. L., Wießner, I., Bieneman, B., Sanchez, T. A., & Mograbi, D. C. (2026). Set, setting and substance in ayahuasca ceremonies and their association with altered self-awareness experiences:​ An exploratory investigation. Discover Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-026-00638-7
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1007/s44192-026-00638-7
Keywords: ayahuasca, psychedelics, self-awareness, ego-dissolution, set and setting, mental health, exploratory study, neuroscience, setting, substance, ceremonies, association
News Source: Glenn Wilkins. (November 8, 2026). Mindset Correlates with Ayahuasca Self-Awareness Experiences in Exploratory Study. Scienmag.
