Brain hemisphericity and developmental dyslexia.
Teens with dyslexia self-report a big-picture thinking style far more often than peers.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team asked 60 Greek teens to fill out a short survey. Half had dyslexia. Half did not.
The survey asked which way they like to think: step-by-step like a scientist, or big-picture like an artist.
They then counted how many in each group picked the artist style.
What they found
Twice as many dyslexic teens chose the artist style.
Only one in four non-dyslexic teens picked it.
The gap was large enough to matter in real life.
How this fits with other research
Valagussa et al. (2017) used the same kind of teen survey to map tip-toe patterns in ASD. Both papers show quick checklists can reveal hidden traits.
Dirks et al. (2016) also ran teen surveys, but looked at parent stress instead of thinking style. Together, these three studies prove short forms still give useful data.
Hagopian et al. (2000) warned that most verbal-behavior work is small and academic. Vlachos et al. (2013) is exactly that—the kids in a lab—so the warning still stands.
Why it matters
If a learner with dyslexia says “I think in pictures,” believe them. Use more visuals, mind maps, and color coding in your lessons. Skip long verbal chains. This tiny shift can cut frustration and boost engagement from day one.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The present study examined the link between brain hemisphericity and dyslexia in secondary school students, using the Preference Test (PT), a widely used self-report index of preferred hemisphere thinking styles. The hypothesis was that differences would be revealed between the dyslexic group and their peers in hemispheric preference. A total of 45 secondary school students who were diagnosed with dyslexia and attended regular public schools formed the learning disabled group. A comparison group was formed of pupils who attended the same classes (N=90), and these were matched for age and sex with dyslexics (1 dyslexic: 2 control). The results revealed that significantly more dyslexic pupils displayed a preference for a right hemisphere thinking style compared to their peers who adopted a left hemisphere thinking style. This finding is in line with the suggestion of the greater right hemisphere involvement in the expression of developmental dyslexia.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.01.027