Coping successfully with dyslexia: an initial study of an inclusive school-based resilience programme

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Dyslexia presents unique challenges for students' academic and personal development.
• Effective coping strategies are crucial for supporting students with dyslexia.
• Existing interventions often lack long-term follow-up, especially during school transitions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the "Success and Dyslexia" coping program.
• To assess the maintenance of program effects for students with dyslexia transitioning to secondary school.
• To investigate the impact of the program on locus of control and coping mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a whole-class coping program in two primary schools.
• Inclusion of whole-school dyslexia professional development for staff.
• Pretest, post-test, and 1-year follow-up surveys administered to 102 Year 6 students (23 with dyslexia).

Main Results:

• Students with dyslexia reported similar perceived control and adaptive coping as their peers without dyslexia at follow-up.
• Positive trends in locus of control and non-productive coping were observed, potentially linked to increasing age.
• The program demonstrated effectiveness in improving coping strategies and maintaining positive outcomes post-intervention.

Conclusions:

• The "Success and Dyslexia" program shows promise in enhancing coping skills and perceived control for students with dyslexia.
• The positive effects appear to be maintained during the transition to secondary school.
• Further research with larger sample sizes and ongoing control groups is recommended to confirm findings.