Research Examines Person and Environmental Impacts on Perceived Negative Consequences of Dyslexia

A study of Dutch university students with dyslexia found that perceived negative consequences, such as academic challenges and mental health issues, are more strongly influenced by self-perceived literacy skills and environmental factors than by objective cognitive abilities.

This story was published within the Annals of Dyslexia journal. The purpose of this study was to assess whether perceived negative consequences of dyslexia are influenced by person and environmental factors. Perceived negative consequences in this context are defined by the degree to which someone perceives negative outcomes such as low academic achievement or feelings of depression and anxiety and attributes them to dyslexia.

The participants of this study consisted of 123 Dutch university students with a formal dyslexia diagnosis. Perceived consequences were assessed in relation to both academic achievement and mental health, including anxiety and depression.

Overall, the findings suggest that perceived negative consequences were not attributed to cognitive person factors. Conversely, higher self-perceived literacy skills were associated with less perceived negative consequences on all domains (both academic and mental health), which suggests that positive self evaluation could result in heightened academic achievement and decreased risk of anxiety and depression. Additionally, the findings indicate that the amount of perceived consequences that the participants experienced as a result of their dyslexia can be partially accounted for by socio-emotional and environmental influences.

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