{
  "abstract": "Background: Autistic adults are under-investigated in psychedelic research, despite speculated elevated likelihood of substance use for therapeutic and recreational purposes.\n\nAims: This study explored contexts of naturalistic psychedelic use and wellbeing and mental health indicators in a group of Autistic adults using psychedelics for therapeutic purposes, and compared these with the broader population of naturalistic psychedelic users.\n\nMethods: Secondary analysis of Global Psychedelic Survey 2023 data (N = 6,378) was undertaken with a sub-sample of naturalistic psychedelic users who self-indicated being Autistic adults who used psychedelics therapeutically. A convergent parallel mixed-methods study design investigated quantitative between-group differences in contexts of naturalistic psychedelic use and mental health indicators, and explored qualitative implications for wellbeing in the Autistic sub-sample.\n\nResults: Compared with other psychedelic users (n = 6,166), the Autistic sub-sample (n = 212) reported higher rates of lifetime use of less common psychedelic substances and use in structured therapeutic settings, lower perceived psychedelic knowledge and experience, and greater prevalence of persisting hallucinations (65.09%) and clinically significant symptoms of anxiety (57.35%) and depression (60.66%) at the time of survey completion. Concurrently, three qualitative themes described largely beneficial, yet context-dependent implications for wellbeing within the Autistic sub-sample: Shifting Perspectives, Therapeutic Utility, and Conditional Affordances.\n\nConclusions: Integrated mixed-methods findings highlighted that wellbeing-related affordances of psychedelic use in the Autistic sub-sample were sometimes contingent on context and support, and adverse mental health indicators could co-exist with personal growth. Future research should further evaluate quality-of-life and adverse outcomes from psychedelic use in Autistic populations.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Alvita Sam"
    },
    {
      "name": "Alexander De Foe"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aspasia Stacey Rabba"
    },
    {
      "name": "Paul Liknaitzky"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kyle Greenway"
    },
    {
      "name": "Stephanie L. Lake"
    },
    {
      "name": "Philippe Lucas"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6p7eas5w4dhqv.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.31234/osf.io/d3x8r_v2",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "6p7eas5w4dhqv",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/d3x8r_v2/",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "bepress",
      "Clinical Psychology"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Developmental Psychology"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Psychiatry"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Psychopharmacology"
    ],
    [
      "bepress",
      "Social and Behavioral Sciences"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3203|Psychedelics and Drug Studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222278458",
  "pdf_url": "https://osf.io/d3x8r/download",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-16",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6p7eas5w4dhqv.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:17Z",
      "native_id": "d3x8r",
      "source": "osf",
      "url": "https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/d3x8r_v2/"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "bepress:Clinical Psychology",
      "subfield": "psychiatry"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Contexts, Risks, and Affordances among Autistic Adults Using Psychedelics for Therapeutic Purposes: A Naturalistic, Mixed-Methods Study",
  "title_text": "Contexts, Risks, and Affordances among Autistic Adults Using Psychedelics for Therapeutic Purposes: A Naturalistic, Mixed-Methods Study",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:17Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6p7eas5w4dhqv",
  "venue": "PsyArXiv",
  "versions": []
}