Dyslexia in the Family: The Experience of Adolescents with Dyslexia

Abstract Developmental dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by impairments in learning to read and write; however, it impacts more than just school performance. It also impacts self-esteem, self-worth, and overall well-being. Dyslexia has a known genetic component, yet previous literature has not explored the experience of being an adolescent with dyslexia who also has a parent with dyslexia. The current study explored the experiences of adolescents with dyslexia who also had a parent with dyslexia using reflexive thematic analysis to analyze interviews and focus groups with ten adolescents aged 13 to 18. Participants were diagnosed with dyslexia and had a parent who was formally or self-diagnosed with dyslexia. Findings highlight four themes: 1 ) “He would just hold me. And that was the best thing right there , ” (2) “They accept me for who I am , ” (3) “People weren’t doing really much for me…Then I came here , ” and (4) “Perseverance is a word to describe who we are , ” couched within an overarching theme of Resilience. The findings highlight the importance of personal assets and external resources in the resilience of adolescents diagnosed with dyslexia. Specifically, they indicate the need for parental and social support, school-based support, increased education surrounding what is and is not dyslexia, and the importance of healthy coping skills.