Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Sandra Rasmussen

Abstract

Research has emphasized cognitive differences and emotional and behavioral dysfunctionality related to dyslexia. However, there has been limited emphasis on quality-of-life (QOL) experiences on adults with dyslexia within educational, work, family, and social environments. The purpose of this narrative study was to explore the lived experiences of adults with dyslexia to better understand QOL experiences. The integrative quality-of-life (IQOL) theory was used to address QOL from a subjective, existential, and objective perspective to define what QOL means more completely. The narrative approach was used to explore chain-of-event themes throughout a participant’s told story to examine QOL experiences. Seven participants were interviewed to document their unique experiences related to dyslexia and QOL. Furthermore, four environments (education, work, family, and social) were explored to inquire where dyslexia had influence on QOL experiences. Within each environment, the subjective, existential, and objective perspectives were explored. The key results showed that struggling with dyslexia had far reaching implications that went beyond the educational environment. QOL experiences related to dyslexia stemmed from both internally and externally caused perceptions. The type of intervention used to address issues with dyslexia influenced patterns of behavior, beliefs, and overall QOL experiences. This study can promote positive social change by educating parents, teachers, and researchers on the far-reaching implications dyslexia has over the course of a life as related to QOL experiences. With awareness, interventions can be designed to mitigate the negative impact and optimize the QOL experiences of individuals with dyslexia.

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