Study strategies of first-year undergraduates with and without dyslexia and the effect of gender

Abstract

For students to be successful in higher education, they need not only have motivation and sufficient intellectual ability, but also a wide range of study skills as well as the metacognitive ability to determine when a change in strategy is needed. We examined whether first-year undergraduates with dyslexia (N=100) differ from peers without learning disabilities (N=100) in the use of study strategies. The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory was used and potential gender differences were investigated. Matched for age, gender and field of study, fluid intelligence scores were comparable between groups. The self-reports showed that knowledge of test taking strategies was more limited in the dyslexic group. Also, ‘fear of failure’ was higher in the dyslexic students. Further analyses revealed group × gender interactions for motivation, time management and fear of failure, with female undergraduates outperforming their male counterparts. Implications for secondary education and university, as well as college student support services are discussed.