Psychological Capital, Self-Advocacy, and Future Orientation among Adults on the Autism Spectrum

Abstract

The paper offers an innovative exploration of the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap) in the relations between future orientation and self-advocacy among high-functioning adults on the autism spectrum. We posited that PsyCap, a composite of hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, serves as a crucial mediator of future orientation and self-advocacy. The sample comprised 40 high-functioning adults on the autism spectrum. Future orientation, self-advocacy, and PsyCap were significantly correlated among young adults with ASD. PsyCap was a mediator of the relations between future orientation and self-advocacy. The findings contribute to the understanding of psychological factors influencing self-advocacy and future orientation and have practical implications for interventions aimed at enhancing PsyCap to improve self-advocacy and future orientation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.