Krzyzanowski, Hannah; (2024) Autistic Authenticity: A Qualitative Study on Psychedelics, Self-concept and Autism. Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

There has been a modern ‘renaissance’ of research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs, with preliminary evidence suggesting promising effects of ‘classic’ psychedelics (e.g. LSD, Psilocybin) on mental health difficulties. Evidence suggests perceptions of using psychedelics are changing, with hopes of achieving outcomes including improved relationships, well-being, and health. However, many recognise that psychedelics can also cause harm under some circumstances. This has led to the emergence of practices such as ‘microdosing’, which aims to balance psychedelic efficacy with ‘harm minimisation’. This dosing approach might be particularly relevant in groups with different needs, such as adults with autism, where the risks of experiencing the negative effects of psychedelics are unknown. There is currently limited recent research on the use of psychedelics within the autistic community. This study aims to research the following less-explored areas: Part One presents a scoping review, outlining published literature to date on motivations for microdosing psychedelics. This collates evidence from empirical studies, as well as opinion pieces and reviews, to outline the current state-of-the-art on this topic. Part Two uses an existing qualitative dataset from an online survey to explore ‘self-concept’ and related self-constructs in autistic adults following an impactful psychedelic experience, using a Thematic Analysis. This includes investigating whether individuals report any changes following the psychedelic experience on their perceptions of autism identity and autistic traits. Finally, Part Three critically appraises the above chapters. This includes reflections on the design process, research topic development and expansion on limitations of the research.

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