“I Have Fought This System from the Moment He Stepped Into School”: Exploring Sources of Uncertainty for Mothers of Children With Dyslexia

Abstract

<i>This study adopts the lens of uncertainty management theory to understand how mothers of children with dyslexia construct and negotiate the uncertainty they face.  Dyslexia is academically, mentally, financially, and emotionally challenging for families, but the voices of parents are often missing from the conversation.  Interpretive thematic analysis of a large online support group for parents illustrated four major sources of uncertainty: the future, advocacy, communicating about the diagnosis, and the financial cost. Exploring the uncertainty of mothers themselves offers a more textured understanding of the meaning and sense-making processes of families as they navigate a common yet widely misunderstood learning disability.  </i>

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

“…Rather, a large body of literature focuses on genetics and neurodevelopmental impairments of at‐risk children of parents with dyslexia (Chan & Mo, 2023; Denton et al, 2022; Earey, 2013; Leitao et al, 2017; Skinner, 2011), and another growing area on parents' (i.e. mostly mothers) concerns about the educational experience of their children with dyslexia (Aberz, 2022; Wilmot et al, 2022). An exception is research by Skinner (2011) and Skinner and MacGill (2015), who explored the intersection of how mothering and work is affected among women with dyslexia.…”