Substance use disorder in Asperger syndrome: An investigation into the development and maintenance of substance use disorder by individuals with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome

Participants reported that substances were used to act as a social facilitator to compensate for social deficits by increasing confidence in social settings and increasing participants' ease with which they communicate. The self-medication of psychological distress was reported and was associated with depression, anxiety and sleep difficulties. The study ends with a reflection on the method of data collection, the implications for clinical practice and suggestions for future research.