Dyslexia and psycho‐social functioning: an exploratory study of the role of self‐esteem and understanding

Abstract

Individuals with dyslexia may have lower self-esteem and exhibit more emotional and behavioural difficulties than those without reading problems. However, the nature of any relationship between self-esteem and psychopathology remains unknown. This exploratory study assessed levels of self-esteem using the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Manual for the Self-Perception Profile for Children. University of Denver, CO: Denver; 1985) and psycho-social adjustment using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry, 1997; 38: 581-586) and examined child and parent understanding, attitudes and the perceived impact of reading difficulties on daily life. Sixty-eight children assessed as dyslexic on the basis of discrepancy scores (mean age 11.2 years; 44 male), and their parents, participated. No global self-esteem deficit was found, but the mean score for both child and parent-rated scholastic competence was significantly lower than that of the general population. Rates of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties were significantly higher than in the general population and were correlated with self-esteem. For children who had high global self-worth, both children and their parents had more positive attitudes towards their reading difficulties and were less likely to perceive a negative impact on relationships. The association between academic self-esteem and emotional symptoms is consistent with the proposed link between dyslexia and internalizing difficulties. Good self-esteem and a good understanding of dyslexia may help children avoid some of these difficulties. Further research with larger more representative samples is necessary as understanding the factors that promote successful psycho-social adjustment is essential to the development of effective prevention and intervention strategies.

Depression, Anxiety at School and Self-Esteem in Children with Learning Disabilities

“…Children were tested on a whole battery of reading comprehension and mathematical tests which are commonly used in the assessment of LD in Italy. All children were assessed with the Raven's Progressive Matrices Reading Comprehension and Decoding test and AC-MT test After the screening were selected 132 children subdivided into three groups: group 1 (LD) characterized by typical intelligence, comprehension disabilities, decoding reading disabilities and mathematical disabilities; group 2 (MD) characterized by typical intelligence, typical reading decoding and comprehension, and mathematical disabilities (dyscalculia); group 3 (TL) characterized by typical learning [66][67][68].…”

Self-concept in poor readers: a systematic review protocol

“…Of these domains, poor reading appears to be most reliably associated with self-concept in the academic domain (e.g., Alexander-Passe, 2006;Frederickson & Jacobs, 2001;Humphrey & Mullins, 2002;Snowling, Muter, & Carroll, 2007;Terras, Thompson, & Minnis, 2009). This is supported by a review done by Zeleke in 2004, which reported that studies testing academic self-concept in people with learning disabilities (including poor readers) were more likely to find evidence for low selfconcept than studies that tested general or global self-esteem.…”

Συμβουλευτική Υποστήριξη Παιδιών Με Μαθησιακές Δυσκολίες Και Των Οικογενειών Τους

“…Ένα ψυχικά ανθεκτικό παιδί διαθέτει αυτοπεποίθηση, θετική αυτοαντίληψη και βελτιωμένη αυτοεικόνα, γεγονός για το οποίο καθοριστικό ρόλο διαδραματίζει ο τρόπος που οι γονείς αντιμετωπίζουν τις καταστάσεις (Terras, Thompson, & Minnis, 2009). Συμπληρωματικά, σημαντική θέση στη διαμόρφωση μιας υγιούς ψυχικής ανθεκτικότητας κατέχουν και οι εκπαιδευτικοί, όταν μάλιστα δείχνουν καταφανώς την υποστήριξή και τη βοήθειά τους .…”