ABSTRACT

A long line of research in Positive Psychology highlights Psychological Capital (PsyCap) as a key factor in forecasting post-secondary students’ academic adjustment. Such work, however, focuses on the adaptation of typical students. Studies with a focus on exceptional students, such as those with learning difficulties, pinpoint their marked disadvantages but have not considered PsyCap as a positive construct in their academic adjustment. This study compared the PsyCap and academic adjustment of 251 students with learning disabilities (LD, 40 males and 83 females, mean age 26), or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, 31 males and 97 females, mean age 27) to 250 typical counterparts (83 males and 167 females, mean age 25). It was designed to clarify whether PsyCap mediated the relationship between participant group and academic adjustment. Findings suggested LD/ADHD students manifest lower levels of PsyCap and academic adjustment. PsyCap was a significant mediator in the relationship between participant group and academic adjustment. Findings also pointed to a strong, positive relationship between PsyCap and academic adjustment, with a uniform magnitude for the two groups. The importance of the findings are discussed with direct reference to PysCap’s role in post-secondary academic adjustment.

摘要

积极心理学的长期研究强调心理资本（PsyCap）是预测大专学生学业调整的关键因素。然而，这样的工作侧重于典型学生的适应。专注于特殊学生（例如有学习困难的学生）的研究指出了他们的明显劣势，但并未将 PsyCap 视为他们学业调整的积极因素。本研究比较了 251 名有学习障碍（LD，40 名男性和 83 名女性，平均年龄 26 岁）或注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD，31 名男性和 97 名女性，平均年龄 27 岁）的学生与 250 名典型对应者的 PsyCap 和学业调整（83 名男性和 167 名女性，平均年龄 25 岁）。它旨在阐明 PsyCap 是否调解了参与者群体和学业调整之间的关系。调查结果表明 LD/ADHD 学生表现出较低水平的 PsyCap 和学业调整。PsyCap 是参与者群体和学业调整之间关系的重要中介。研究结果还指出 PsyCap 与学业调整之间存在强烈的正相关关系，两组的幅度一致。直接参考 PysCap 在中学后学术调整中的作用讨论了研究结果的重要性。