Autism, Leadership, and Work Outcomes

This study examines whether and why autistic employees experience differences in work-related well-being, engagement, and success compared to neurotypical employees. Drawing on leader–member exchange (LMX) theory and the social model of disability, the study tests a moderated mediation model in which LMX quality and LMX agreement partially explain outcome disparities. The model further investigates whether inclusive leadership, operationalized through supervisors’ endorsement of the social model of disability and inclusive behaviors, and autistic employees’ use of social camouflaging attenuate or exacerbate these indirect effects.