Staples of Screening for Dyslexia in University Students

Abstract

Dyslexia remains a struggle even among university students. This study aimed to better describe the profiles of college students with dyslexia using a multi-step screening process. The process included a phone screening interview, a developmental and family history questionnaire, and norm-referenced tests to identify students with phonological processing and word-level reading fluency deficits consistent with extant data on college students and adults with dyslexia. Eighty-two university students responded to our questionnaire, and 71 completed a battery of standardised tests including word-level reading and decoding, phonological processing measures, and cognitive tasks. Over 81% of the participants demonstrated deficits in word-level reading fluency, and 98% showed deficits in rapid automatized naming (RAN). Conversely, phonological awareness and phonological memory deficits were less commonly observed. The overwhelming majority of students reported a history of learning difficulties with reading, spelling, writing, or math. Additionally, the majority had a positive family history of language learning difficulties. This process of identifying college students with dyslexia and the profiles of their strengths and weaknesses supports a multifaceted approach to diagnosing dyslexia. These insights should provide guidelines for clinicians and educators seeking to identify and support college students with dyslexia.