Parental, Personality, and Peer Correlates of Psychoactive Mushroom Use

Abstract

Fifty-three college undergraduates reporting use of a hallucinogenic mushroom ( Psilocybe) were matched on demographic variables to fifty-three nonusers. The subjects were given a detailed questionnaire and were administered four psychological tests. Hallucinogenic mushroom use by men was most associated with peers' mushroom use, whereas mushroom use by women was most associated with parental drug use, especially fathers' marijuana use. Personality measures were secondary in predicting mushroom use. Given these distinctive patterns, researchers examining social and personality influences on drug use should analyze their data separately by sex.