Archived

This content is available here for research, reference, and/or recordkeeping.

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7317-8596

Date Available

7-1-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Faculty

Kathleen Aspiranti

Faculty

Sherry Rostosky

Abstract

Hallucinogen use has reemerged in the United States amid expanding clinical research and shifting social and policy contexts. However, population-based evidence remains limited regarding hallucinogen use among adults living with children and its relationship with mental health impairment severity in caregiving environments. Therefore, this study’s objective was to examine associations between past-year hallucinogen use and past-year mental health impairment among U.S. adults, and to test whether associations differ by parental status and number of children in the household. A secondary aim examined correlates of co-occurring substance use among those reporting hallucinogen use.

Data were drawn from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH; analytic sample n = 45,115). Survey weights and complex design features were applied to generate nationally representative estimates. Parental status was defined as having at least 1 child under age 18 residing in the household. Mental health impairment severity (none, mild, moderate, serious) reflected past-year psychological distress and functional impairment using an NSDUH composite indicator informed by Kessler-6 and WHODAS measures. Weighted descriptive analyses characterized hallucinogen use prevalence among the sample and across covariates, separated by parental status. Multinomial logistic regression models estimated adjusted associations between hallucinogen use and mental health impairment severity, including interactions for parental status and number of children, and adjusting for key sociodemographic, health, and substance use. Among hallucinogen users, additional models examined parenting and co-occurring substance use.

Past-year hallucinogen use was reported by 3.23% of adults, including 0.85% of adults living with children. Use was concentrated among younger adults and was more common among males, unmarried adults, and those living in large metropolitan areas. In adjusted models, hallucinogen use was associated with higher odds of serious impairment versus none (OR=1.35, 95% CI: 1.01–1.81), but not mild or moderate impairment. Parenting status alone was not associated with impairment severity; however, parents who used hallucinogens had elevated odds of serious impairment compared with nonparents who did not use hallucinogens (OR=1.91, 95% CI: 1.18–3.09). By number of children, the strongest interaction was observed among adults with exactly one child (OR=3.12, 95% CI: 1.74–5.58). Co-occurring licit, cannabis, and other illicit substance use was common among hallucinogen users, and parenting status was not significantly associated with co-use in this subgroup.

In this nationally representative sample, past-year hallucinogen use was associated with serious (but not mild or moderate) mental health impairment, with stronger associations among adults living with children, particularly those with one child. Co-occurring substance use was prevalent among hallucinogen users. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the direction of these relationships, contextual factors surrounding use, and potential implications for family functioning and child wellbeing.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.339

Archival?

Archival

Download

Share

COinS