Treating Substance Abuse in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder-a Systematic Review

BackgroundAlthough the treatment of substance abuse in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might require adaptations, there are no guidelines to follow. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the existing research about the treatment of substance abuse in this population.MethodsA search was conducted on 7 of December 2022 in Pubmed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus. Of an initial 1929 records, three research articles and four case reports addressed the treatment of substance abuse in individuals with ASD and were included in the review. The risk of bias was assessed through the National Institutes of Health's quality assessment tools.ResultsTwo of the three research articles were intervention studies exploring cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) adapted for the treatment of individuals with ASD (one using individual sessions, the other using group sessions), with positive results. The third was a cross-sectional study on substance abuse therapists' reports about working with individuals with ASD and helpful treatment adaptations. The case reports also documented positive results after treatment adaptations (e.g., more individual, less group sessions, namely, in CBT interventions). The use of personalized approaches was consensual across studies, and motivational interventions were frequently used or recommended. The studies' results and treatment adaptations are presented and synthesized.ConclusionAdaptations to the treatment of substance abuse for individuals with ASD yield positive results. Only three studies were research articles, one of which had a small sample size, and future research is necessary toward the production of evidence-based guidelines.