Background: PTSD in adolescence causes much suffering and has substantial health-care costs. Many patients with severe PTSD do not respond to psychotherapy or continue to have symptoms despite trauma-focused psychotherapies and psychopharmacological treatment. A recent alternative in the search for cost-effective treatments for PTSD in adults is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP). However, no research has yet been conducted on the therapeutic potential of MDMA for adolescents.

Aims of the study: The purpose of this study is to investigate the perspectives of adolescents, parents, and clinicians about the possible clinical application of MDMA-AP for adolescents with PTSD.

Method: We performed focus groups in three samples: (a) 16–24-year-olds who had undergone trauma therapy (N = 9), (b) parents of traumatized children (N = 4), and (c) trauma clinicians (N = 6). Focus group topics included: perception of and associations with MDMA, opinions on MDMA-AP, risks/benefits, and precautions to take prior to possible adolescent clinical trials with MDMA-AP.

Results: In all groups, initial participant attitudes towards MDMA were predominantly unfavorable, except for several adolescents who had conducted preliminary research on the subject. After a standardized explanation of MDMA-AP, provided in each group, all but one participant changed their minds and supported the idea of implementing MDMA-AP for adolescents. They all emphasized the importance of conducting research first.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that when provided with information on what MDMA-AP entails, adolescents, parents, and clinicians are open to the idea of exploring this type of treatment for adolescents.