Promoting Well-Being in Individuals With Autism: Applying Positive Psychology in Rehabilitation Counseling

Abstract

Positive psychology is a subdomain that addresses the importance of human strengths and personal assets in individuals’ well-being. The principles of positive psychology align with the philosophy of rehabilitation counseling by emphasizing individuals’ strengths to promote psychosocial adjustment to disability. Considering the intersection between positive psychology and rehabilitation counseling, applying the positive psychology framework to rehabilitation counseling will be a promising foundation for improvement in services and outcomes. As the number of individuals on the autism spectrum increases, more innovative services are needed to keep abreast of their needs. This article discusses how positive psychology can be applied to the population of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and explores possible practices that can be replicated by practitioners to provide quality services for this emerging disability population. Implications for education and research are also discussed.