Dyslexia is a prevalent condition, and a significant percentage of students in higher education are dyslexic. Despite this, few studies have investigated dyslexia in university students and what personality dispositions may predict how students feel about help‐seeking for dyslexia and how they cope with dyslexia. Against this background, the present study investigated perfectionism, self‐stigma, and coping in 115 university students with dyslexia, examining the relationships between dispositional perfectionism (self‐oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism) and perfectionistic self‐presentation with self‐stigma of seeking help and adaptive versus maladaptive coping with dyslexia. Results from regression and mediation analyses showed that perfectionistic self‐presentation predicted higher levels of self‐stigma and maladaptive coping, and lower levels of adaptive coping. Furthermore, both forms of dispositional perfectionism predicted higher levels of self‐stigma and maladaptive coping, and lower levels of adaptive coping, via perfectionistic self‐presentation (dispositional perfectionism→perfectionistic self‐presentation → self‐stigma and coping). The findings suggest that perfectionistic self‐presentation plays a central role in the relationships of perfectionism, self‐stigma, and coping in students with dyslexia, and that impression management, aimed at presenting a perfect self‐image (and hiding imperfections), represents a significant risk for students seeking help for, and successful coping with, dyslexia.
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