Development of a mandarin version of the five dimensional altered states of consciousness (5D-ASC) rating scale

Abstract

Introduction

The Five Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) Rating Scale is a self-report measure used to characterize changes in consciousness induced by pharmacological (e.g., psychedelics) and nonpharmacological (e.g., meditation) methods as well as predict clinical outcomes. Although it has been widely used with English-speaking participants, there is no version that has been adapted for Mandarin-speaking individuals. This study aimed to develop a high-quality Mandarin version of the 5D-ASC to increase language accessibility in psychedelic research.

Methods

A Mandarin version of the 5D-ASC was developed adhering to the “Principles of Good Practice for the Translation and Cultural Adaptation Process for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures: Report of the ISPOR Task Force for Translation and Cultural Adaptation.” The English version of the 5D-ASC was translated to Mandarin by two professional translators, reviewed by the study team (including two native Mandarin speakers), back-translated to English, and compared with the original version.

Results

The Mandarin version of the 5D-ASC Rating Scale (5维意识状态变化量表) includes 11 facets: experience of unity (实用性体验总分), spiritual experience (精神体验总分), blissful state (幸福状态总分), insightfulness (洞察力总分), disembodiment (脱离实体总分), impaired control and cognition (控制和认知障碍总分), anxiety (焦虑总分), complex imagery (复杂图像总分), elementary imagery (简单图像总分), audio-visual synesthesia (视听联觉总分), and changed meaning of percepts (感知意义改变总分). The survey can also be analyzed using its original 5-factor structure, yielding facets of oceanic boundlessness (海洋般无界感), anxious ego dissolution (焦虑性自我解体), visionary restructuralization (视觉重构), auditory alterations (听觉改变), and vigilance reduction (警觉性降低). The full translated survey is available in the Appendix.

Conclusion

Here, a Mandarin version of the 5D-ASC was developed using best practices by an integrated team of psychedelic experts and translators. Further research is needed to evaluate its reliability and validity in clinical and nonclinical Mandarin-speaking populations.

Keywords

psychedelic 5D-ASC Mandarin translation language accessibility diversity

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aday

Davis

Mitzkovitz

, et al. (2021) Predicting reactions to psychedelic drugs: A systematic review of states and traits related to acute drug effects. ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science 4: 424–435.

Aday

Mitzkovitz

Bloesch

, et al. (2020) Long-term effects of psychedelic drugs: A systematic review. Neuroscience and BioBehavioral Reviews 113: 179–189.

Babcinschi

Siminenco

(2018) Induction of altered states of consciousness through binaural beat stimulation on healthy subjects, a pilot study. MedEspera 7: 57–58.

Bahi

Irrmischer

Franken

, et al. (2024) Effects of conscious connected breathing on cortical brain activity, mood and state of consciousness in healthy adults. Current Psychology 43(12): 10578–10589.

Ching

THW

Davis

Xin

, et al. (2022) Effects of psychedelic use on racial trauma symptoms and ethnic identity among Asians in North America. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 55: 1–11. 10.1080/02791072.2022.2025960.

Dakwar

Levin

Hart

, et al. (2020) A single ketamine infusion combined with motivational enhancement therapy for alcohol use disorder: A randomized midazolam-controlled pilot trial. American Journal of Psychiatry 177(2): 125–133.

Dittrich

(1975) Zusammenstellung eines fragebogens (apz) zur erfassung abnormer psychischer zustaende. Zusammenstellung eines fragebogens apz zur erfass. Abnormer Psych. Zustaende.

Dittrich

Lamparter

Maurer

(2010) 5D-ASC: Questionnaire for the assessment of altered states of consciousness. Short Introd. Zurich Switz. PSIN PLUS.

Dupuis

(2020) The socialization of hallucinations. Cultural priors, social interactions and contextual factors in the use of psychedelics. Transcult. Psychiatry.

10.

George

Michaels

Sevelius

, et al. (2019) The psychedelic renaissance and the limitations of a white-dominant medical framework: A call for indigenous and ethnic minority inclusion. Journal of Psychedelic Studies 4: 1–12. 10.1556/2054.2019.015.

11.

Glynos

Reid

Aday

, et al. (2025) Racial differences in naturalistic psychedelic use—motivations for use, communication with health care providers, and outcomes. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: 1–12.

12.

Goodwin

Aaronson

Alvarez

, et al. (2022) Single-Dose psilocybin for a treatment-resistant episode of major depression. New England Journal of Medicine 387: 1637–1648.

13.

Hartogsohn

(2020) American Trip: Set, Setting, and the Psychedelic Experience in the Twentieth Century. London, England: MIT Press.

14.

Hasler

Grimberg

Benz

, et al. (2004) Acute psychological and physiological effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: A double-blind, placebo-controlled dose–effect study. Psychopharmacology (Berl.) 172: 145–156.

15.

Kjellgren

Sundequist

Sundholm

, et al. (2004) Altered consciousness in flotation-rest and chamber-rest: Experience of experimental pain and subjective stress. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal 32: 103–115.

16.

Kopra

Cleare

, et al. (2023) Psychedelic therapy for depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders 322: 194–204.

17.

Michaels

Purdon

Collins

, et al. (2018) Inclusion of people of color in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: A review of the literature. BMC Psychiatry 18: 45.

18.

Mitchell

Ot’alora

G M

van der Kolk

, et al. (2023) MDMA-assisted therapy for moderate to severe PTSD: A randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Nature Medicine 29: 1–8. 10.1038/s41591-023-02565-4.

19.

Northoff

Richter

Bermpohl

, et al. (2005) NMDA Hypofunction in the posterior cingulate as a model for schizophrenia: An exploratory ketamine administration study in fMRI. Schizophrenia Research 72: 235–248.

20.

Studerus

Gamma

Vollenweider

(2010) Psychometric evaluation of the altered states of consciousness rating scale (OAV). PLOS ONE 5: e12412.

21.

Thrul

Garcia-Romeu

(2021) Whitewashing psychedelics: Racial equity in the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted mental health research and treatment. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy 28: 211–214.

22.

Umbricht

Koller

Vollenweider

, et al. (2002) Mismatch negativity predicts psychotic experiences induced by NMDA receptor antagonist in healthy volunteers. Biological Psychiatry 51: 400–406.

23.

Vollenweider

Vontobel

Hell

, et al. (1999) 5-HT modulation of dopamine release in basal ganglia in psilocybin-induced psychosis in man—A PET study with [11C]raclopride. Neuropsychopharmacology 20: 424–433.

24.

Wallace

AFC

(1959) Cultural determinants of response to hallucinatory experience. AMA Archives of General Psychiatry 1: 58–69.

25.

Wild

Grove

Martin

, et al. (2005) Principles of good practice for the translation and cultural adaptation process for patient-reported outcomes (PRO) measures: Report of the ISPOR task force for translation and cultural adaptation. Value in Health 8: 94–104.

26.

Williams

Labate

(2020) Diversity, equity, and access in psychedelic medicine. Journal of Psychedelic Studies 4: 1–3.

27.

Wang

Wimo

, et al. (2016) The economic burden of mental disorders in China, 2005–2013: Implications for health policy. BMC Psychiatry 16: 37.

28.

Yang

H-I

Zeng

F-G

(2017) Bimodal benefits in mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing. International Journal of Audiology 56: S17–S22.

29.

Yonezawa

Tani

Nakajima

, et al. (2023) Development of the Japanese version of the 30-item Mystical Experience Questionnaire. Neuropsychopharmacology Reports n/a: 280–284. 10.1002/npr2.12377.

Supplementary Material

Please find the following supplemental material available below.

For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.

For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.

0.00 MB

1.70 MB