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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Assessing Dyslexia at Six Year of Age
Published on: May 1, 2020
Dyslexia, School-Connectedness, Depression, and Anxiety During the Transition From Primary to Secondary School
Robannie A Sumner1, Kate E Tonta1,2,3, Adrienne Wilmot1,2
1Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Abstract:
Children with dyslexia are at elevated risk of depression and anxiety. The transition from primary to secondary school may be particularly challenging given increased educational demands. Past research indicates school-connectedness may be a protective factor across this transition. We tested longitudinal relationships between dyslexia, school-connectedness, depression, and anxiety over the secondary school transition. Children (N = 208, Mage = 12.16, 58% girls, 61 with dyslexia) and their caregivers (95% mothers) completed standardised measures of school-connectedness, depression, and anxiety in Year 6, and again in Year 7 after the transition to secondary school. Mediation models tested direct and indirect effects of dyslexia on Year 7 depression and anxiety through domains of school-connectedness (whole school, peer, friend, and teacher). After adjusting for Year 6 depression, anxiety, and gender, there were no significant direct effects of dyslexia on depression or anxiety in Year 7. However, dyslexia was indirectly associated with both depression and anxiety via school- and peer-connectedness. These findings support the role of school-connectedness in supporting mental health, and suggest peer-connectedness might be an important protective factor post-transition to secondary school. Future studies should explore further change across adolescence and mental health promotion targeting school- and peer-connectedness among children with dyslexia.
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