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Collaborative research on Dyslexia: incidence, adjustments, and health

outcomes

Nancy Doyle MSc. C. Psychol, AFBPsSManaging Director Genius Within CIC

Chair, Enabling Workplaces Working Group, DOPSarah Cleaver, MA C.Psychol AFBPsS

Honest Psychology LtdMember, Enabling Workplaces Working Group, DOP

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DOP Enabling Workplaces Working Group… asked the questions:

Which Reasonable Adjustments actually

work?

What is the relationship between Specific

Cognitive Difficulties and Health Outcomes?

Does Employer Support make a difference?

How can we show the difference Occ Psychs can make?

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Journals and basic terms

Dyslex* Adult limitations added to searc

Excl. HE, child, student or education

treatments Additional terms employmentCareer

Psych InfoBusiness Source CompleteCJ AbstractsBehavioural Science collection1995+English

11,117(9,600 research papers)

2010(1,814 research papers)

802 463(377 research papers)

41(22 research papers)

Education / Dyslexia 18Human Resources 9Occupational Health 6Management 4Other (for example Social Work) 4

Of the final 41 papers that directly related to the adult experiences of dyslexia and employment, the following disciplines were represented (as judged by the journal / publication type). Of these 41 papers, only four related to treatment evaluations.

What are the does the literature tell us?

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Study 1: Exploratory research

N = 115Respondents were gathered via group

members

That is… they were receiving support in

some form

69% were employed or self-

employed

Reasonable Adjustments

Extra time Coloured overlays

Clear font Software Organisation aids

Memory aids0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

3323

36 3244 49

10

12

1213

23

28

5

7

2 4

1

0

2531

22 29

15

11

Really useful Helps a bit Didn't help Don't use

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Study 1: Insomnia

51% reported serious sleep difficulties

General population: 37% (N = 2662; Morphy et al,

2007)

Significantly greater insomnia

Does Support make a difference?

Dyslexia status

Wellbeing

Organisational support

Insomnia

Health

Study 2: N = 206

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XX

IV: Dyslexic Status

yes / undiagnosed /no

ANOVA & Tukey HSD

DV: Organisational Support

(Eisenberger, 1986)

Yes: M = 46.83, SD = 17.79 UnD: M = 49.25 , SD =17.91No: M = 49.35 , SD = 11.99

F (2, 113) = 0.305, p = .737

No sig. diffs between groups

DV: Well-being**

(Warr, 1990)

Yes: M = 52.49 , SD = 8.26 UnD: M = 55.21 , SD =10.25No: M 59.86 , SD 7.94

F (2, 142) = 9.998, p < .001

‘No’ sig diff to ‘Yes’ and ‘UnD’

DV: Insomnia**

(Morphy et al., 2007)

Yes: M = 18.83 , SD = 5.23 UnD: M = 19.54 , SD= 5.81No: M 16.16 , SD 5.52

F (2, 152) = 5.307, p = .006

‘No’ sig diff to ‘Yes’ and ‘UnD’

DV: General Health**

(Spence et al., 1987)

Yes: M = 32.55, SD = 12.73 UnD: M= 31 , SD =10.62No: M =23.41, SD = 13.33

F (2, 202) = 11.727, p < .001

‘No’ sig diff to ‘Yes’ and ‘UnD’

Dyslexics, Undiagnosed and Non-dyslexics differ on the outcome measures…

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Study 2: key points

Dyslexics had more health

issues

…and less Wellbeing

Worst insomnia? Undiagnosed

dyslexics

Does support help?

Dyslexia status

Wellbeing

Insomnia

Health

Organisational support

Does Organisational Support Moderate?

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OrgSupport Well being Insomnia

GeneralHealth

Diagnosed dyslexic

OrgSupport

Pearson Correlation 1 .483** -.140 -.165

Sig. (2-tailed) .000 .291 .190N 65 56 59 65

Undiagnosed but suspected

OrgSupport

Pearson Correlation 1 .441* -.511** -.095Sig. (2-tailed) .019 .005 .631N

28 28 28 28

Which mechanisms are causing these links?

Internal

• Positive thinking• Managing emotions• Working memory

related distracting thoughts

Inter-personal• Organisational and co-

worker support

Organisation• Planning & Organising• Working late into the

evening

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Summary of findings: Reasonable adjustments

The most useful Reasonable Adjustments reported were:

Memory Aids Organisational Aids

Software

57% of respondents did not feel fully supported at

work

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Summary of findings: Outcomes

Dyslexics (diagnosed or not) have more

health issues

… and less Wellbeing

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Summary of findings: Insomnia

Dyslexics (diagnosed or not) have more insomnia

… particularly, unsupported,

undiagnosed dyslexics

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And finally: where now?

What should we research next?

What expertise could you pool in?

How can our working group support you?How can we support

clients?

What questions could we ask?

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