Exploring the disclosure decisions made by physiotherapists with a specific learning difficulty

Abstract

Disclosure of dyslexia is a selective process and is a central dilemma in the lives of individuals who have a concealable stigmatised identity. As a consequence, physiotherapy staff with dyslexia may choose to conceal their disability and not disclose to their employer. In order for staff with dyslexia to get the support they need in the workplace, disclosure is recommended. A number of recommendations have been made to facilitate the disclosure process.

Factors relevant to work participation from the perspective of adults with developmental dyslexia: a systematic review of qualitative studies

“…There were concerns about disclosure of their dyslexia to colleagues and supervisors. Frequently used coping strategies were safety-netting and planning; technology solutions did offer some assistance Skinner and McGill, 2015 [ 38 ] To explore the intersection of dyslexia, paid work and the mothering of children of school age or below Great Britain 10 10 F 20 s-40 s NS Details about professions were not given to preserve anonymity Life story and semi-structured interviews Thematic analysis When work, dyslexia and mothering intersect; supportive and unsupportive managers; perceived positive work impacts of dyslexia and becoming a mother; what they found helpful to maintain paid work; help in the work environment; help outside of work: partner and parent involvement Sang et al, 2016 [ 30 ] To explore the lived experiences of men and women who work in a sector traditionally dominated by men: the transport industry UK 19 17 M 2 F NS NS UK transport industry Focus groups and semi-structured interviews Template analysis (Brooks et al, 2015) Career experiences and progression; homosociality (how men uphold their dominance in society) and humor; public–private divide; the changing organization of work; constructing difference Locke et al, 2017 [ 39 ] To look at the effects of dyslexia on clinical practice and the coping strategies doctors use to minimize them UK 14 NS NS In practice, diagnosis happened at different stages of their work and careers Hospital- or community- based health care Semi-structured interviews, online survey and interviews ‘in situ’ Thematic analysis Difficulties experienced relating to dyslexia; effective workarounds Yeowell et al, 2018 [ 22 ] To explore the disclosure decisions physiotherapy staff with a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) make in the workplace UK …”

“…Studies were performed in various countries, and some studies included participants from more than one country. Nine were (partially) performed in the UK [ 22 , 24 , 30 – 32 , 36 – 39 ], seven in the US [ 21 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 29 , 33 , 35 ], three in Canada [ 23 , 25 , 34 ], two in Finland [ 24 , 27 ] and one in the Netherlands [ 28 ]. These countries all have legislation barring discrimination of disabled people in the workplace.…”

“…The average range in ages was 24.8 – 45.4 years and three studies had narrow age ranges (28–29; 19–21; 23–31 years) [ 29 , 35 , 37 ]. The participants’ age at diagnosis varied considerably: in ten studies they were at least partially diagnosed during the school period [ 21 , 23 , 25 , 29 , 31 – 33 , 35 – 37 ], in six studies they were at least partially diagnosed in adulthood [ 27 , 31 – 33 , 36 , 39 ], in one study the diagnosis was self-identified [ 26 ], in another study the age at diagnosis varied considerably [ 28 ] and in five studies the age at diagnosis was not specified [ 22 , 24 , 30 , 34 , 38 ].…”

“…The participants in these studies worked in many occupations: eight studies reported on a wide range of occupations [ 21 , 23 , 25 , 28 , 33 – 36 ], four were rooted in education [ 24 , 26 , 27 , 29 ], five involved people in medical occupations (two about doctors [ 37 , 39 ], two about nurses [ 31 , 32 ], one about physiotherapists [ 22 ]), one looked at people in the transportation industry [ 30 ], and one study reported no occupational details to preserve anonymity [ 38 ]. The existence of clusters, such as education or health, underlied the decision to read the studies in those clusters as a block to preserve the meaning of the factors in context.…”

“…Data collection methods varied: 13 studies relied on semi-structured in-depth (face-to-face or telephone) interviews [ 21 , 22 , 25 , 26 , 28 , 29 , 31 – 35 , 37 , 39 ], three used life-story interviews [ 23 , 36 , 38 ], two used narrative interviews [ 24 , 27 ] and one used a focus group [ 30 ].…”