Crawford, Bethany; (2024) "Lifting the Veil on the Social World": Understanding How Classic Psychedelics Influence Autistic Adults' Experience of the Social World. Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).

Text Thesis_final_volume1_Crawford.pdf - Accepted Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 1 October 2025. Download (1MB)

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs. Preliminary evidence indicates that psychedelics could be effective in treating various mental health conditions. Social connection, known to be associated with mental health, can be augmented during psychedelic experiences. Naturally occurring psychedelics have long been used in ceremonial contexts by certain traditional communities for healing purposes. It is thought that the therapeutic or healing benefits of psychedelic ceremonies are, in part, underscored by their communal aspects. Further exploration of this may be relevant to autistic populations, who experience higher rates of social isolation and mental health difficulties relative to the general population. There is very little research into the impact of psychedelics on the social experiences of autistic people. This thesis comprises three parts and aims to address the following knowledge gaps. Part One presents a scoping review that maps the observational literature qualitatively exploring ceremonial psychedelic experiences in people with psychological disorders. It also identifies therapeutically beneficial experiences, processes, or setting features related to the ceremonial context. Part Two comprises an empirical chapter which qualitatively explores the impact of classic psychedelics on the social experiences of autistic adults. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted on a pre-existing qualitative dataset collected using an online, cross-sectional survey. This was part of a larger joint project with Hannah Krzyzanowski. Part Three presents a critical appraisal of the abovementioned research, including reflections on the researcher’s context, assumptions and epistemology. This chapter also expands upon the strengths and limitations discussed in Part Two.

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