Perceived negative consequences of dyslexia: the influence of person and environmental factors

Abstract

Perceived negative consequences of dyslexia entail the degree to which an individual perceives negative outcomes, such as low academic achievement or feelings of anxiety and depression, and attributes these experiences to the disorder. In the current study, we examined how perceived consequences of dyslexia are influenced by person and environmental factors. Perceived consequences were evaluated for the academic domain and the domain of mental health (depression, anxiety). Participants were 123 Dutch students with dyslexia. Cognitive person factors (literacy skills and verbal IQ), socio-emotional person factors (self-perceived literacy skills and coping ability), and environmental factors (literacy demands, support from the institution, reactions of teachers and peers) were included as predictors. Results indicated that perceived negative consequences were not related to cognitive person factors. In contrast, better self-perceived literacy skills were associated with less perceived negative consequences in all domains (academic, depression, anxiety) and coping contributed to depression consequences. With respect to environmental factors, negative reactions in the academic environment contributed to perceived negative consequences of depression and anxiety. As such, findings indicate that individuals with dyslexia perceive negative consequences in the academic, anxiety, and depression domains which cannot be fully accounted for by their objective reading and writing problems. These factors should feature more prominently in future studies on dyslexia and should be addressed in treatment of dyslexia as well.

Predicting adult-age mental health with childhood reading and math disability: do resilience and coping styles matter?

“…In addition to resilience, both avoidance-oriented and emotion-oriented coping were associated with poorer mental health, and in particular, groups with MD reported higher levels of these less functional coping styles. The hierarchical regression analyses indicated that emotion-oriented coping significantly contributed to adult-age mental well-being, which confirms the results of previous studies (Alexander-Passe, 2006 ; Bazen et al, 2023 ; Carroll & Iles, 2006 ). It is plausible that individuals experiencing more mental problems are also prone to react emotionally—that is, emotion-oriented coping could be an indicator of their mental stress.…”

“…A clearer understanding of the variations in mental health outcomes requires research on psychological processes, experiences, and the meanings attached by an individual to the difficulty; longitudinal data and qualitative or mixed-method approaches would possibly provide more profound comprehension than data based on questionnaires. A broader perspective, including diverse comorbidities and environmental aspects in addition to personal and socio-emotional factors, is needed as well (e.g., Bazen et al, 2023 ). The present findings underscore the need to prevent adult-age mental health problems, especially among people with childhood MD.…”

“…Among adults with RD, avoidance has been observed as a common way of coping (Doikou-Avlidou, 2015 ; Givon & Court, 2010 ; Hellendoorn & Ruijssenaars, 2000 ). Among children and adults with RD, their uses of emotion- and avoidance-oriented coping styles have been found to contribute to increased depression and anxiety (Alexander-Passe, 2006 ; Bazen et al, 2023 ; Carroll & Iles, 2006 ). However, other studies have reported no association between LD or RD and coping styles (Gallegos et al, 2012 ; Novita et al, 2019 ).…”

Does reading anxiety impact on academic achievement in higher education students?

“…Previous research has indicated that poor readers at university perceived that their literacy difficulties would have negative academic and mental health (incl. anxiety) consequences, which was not fully accounted for by their literacy difficulties when measured objectively (Bazen et al, 2022 ). As such, it appears that there is a discrepancy between the perceived and actual impact of reading difficulties amongst poor readers.…”

Insights from a Web‐based survey into the psychosocial experiences of adults with dyslexia: Findings from a final comment question

“…With more demanding postsecondary coursework and expectations, it is not surprising that in comparison to their non‐dyslexic peers, AWD experience higher levels of academic anxiety (Abbott‐Jones, 2022; Bazen et al, 2023; Lithari, 2018), lower frustration tolerance (Potard et al, 2022), low academic self‐efficacy (Brunswick & Bargary, 2022; Stagg et al, 2018), internalizing problems such as low self‐esteem, depression and somatic discomfort (Bazen et al, 2023; Ghisi et al, 2016), exhaustion (Gant & Hewson, 2022), lower life satisfaction (Kalka & Lockiewicz, 2018), and perfectionism and self‐stigma (Stoeber & Rountree, 2021). Abbott‐Jones (2022) suggests that for students to navigate the trials of college successfully, cognitive and emotional coping skills are essential.…”