Beyond Executive Deficits: Adaptation, Compensation and Performance in Adults With Dyslexia

Osofisan, Carrus, and Smith-Spark (2026) examined random number generation (RNG) as an indicator of executive functioning in adults with and without dyslexia. Performance across four quartiles of a 100-digit task was assessed using five randomness measures. Significant Dyslexia status × Quartile interactions occurred for two measures, Runs and RNG, with distinct temporal patterns. On Runs, adults with dyslexia showed lower randomness in the first quartile, with no significant group differences thereafter. On the RNG measure, greater randomness emerged in the dyslexia group in the third and fourth quartiles. For both measures, lower scores indicate greater randomness and better performance on the corresponding task dimensions. We propose a complementary process-oriented interpretation of these measure-specific findings, considering adaptation, compensation, and heterogeneity in adult dyslexia. These mechanisms were not directly measured and should be treated as hypotheses rather than established explanations. We discuss potential contributions of task familiarity, strategic adjustment, and individual differences, alongside limitations in generalising laboratory findings to educational settings. Future research should directly investigate these processes and their relevance to real-world functioning, complementing deficit-focused approaches to adult dyslexia.