Defining dyslexia - a commentary on Carroll et al. (2025)

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• A recent Delphi study established a consensus definition for dyslexia.
• This definition considered stakeholder perspectives but may not fully address practical identification and intervention needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an alternative definition for dyslexia.
• To shift focus from cognitive processes and discrepancy models to core academic skill deficits.
• To prioritize effective prevention and intervention strategies.

Main Methods:

• Critical examination of existing dyslexia definitions and issues raised in the Delphi study.
• Analysis of cognitive, intellectual assessment, and discrepancy-based approaches.
• Development of a new definition centered on academic skills.

Main Results:

• The proposed definition emphasizes core academic skill difficulties.
• This approach facilitates a clearer focus on practical identification.
• It prioritizes the development of targeted prevention and intervention programs.

Conclusions:

• The current consensus definition for dyslexia may benefit from an alternative perspective.
• A definition focusing on core academic skills offers a more practical framework for identification and intervention.
• This approach can enhance support for students with or at risk for dyslexia.