College Students' Dyslexia Self-Assessment, Awareness, and Experiences

Resumen

Dyslexia presents complex challenges that extend beyond reading and writing, affecting both academic achievement and emotional well-being. Many students with dyslexia struggle not only with the condition itself but also with understanding and evaluating their own experiences. This study, grounded in Duval and Wicklund’s Self-Awareness Theory, used a mixed-methods design to explore how students perceive their condition, assess their struggles, and cope with its effects. Seventy-nine freshmen from five institutions, selected through stratified random sampling, participated in the study using pretested survey questionnaires and focus group discussions. Findings revealed that while general difficulty levels were low, specific areas such as public speaking, memory retention, and handwriting posed moderate to high challenges. These results aligned with Self-Awareness Theory, suggesting that students often evaluated their performance against their internal self-image. Qualitative data reinforced this, revealing emotional barriers like embarrassment and frustration, alongside a strong desire for improvement. Students with greater self-awareness adopted coping strategies such as daily reading, self-acceptance, and consistent practice, demonstrating how self-awareness fosters positive behavioral change. In contrast, some participants showed limited understanding of their condition, reflecting varied levels of awareness and self-perception. The study highlights the need for interventions that address both academic and emotional dimensions, promote effective coping strategies, and cultivate self-awareness in more inclusive learning environments.