Models of thought that shape how we understand dyslexia

When we look at dyslexia, so many of the descriptors come through the medical model of what is wrong and what can be fixed. Which is important to understand, as so much of the dyslexia information and society's understanding stems from dyslexia being a learning difference, learning challenges, reading challenges, spelling challenges, because, in society's eyes, those can be fixed. Furthering society's beliefs that once those are fixed, the person is no longer dyslexic. However, here are the facts: the dyslexic brain has not shifted; just the ability to conform has. The medical model of looking at what is wrong and what can be fixed does not really fit in well with what dyslexia really is and how it presents to the person, as their brain does not change over time with learning ways to overcome their challenges, nothing has been fixed. I have heard and read people sharing that they were dyslexic but are not anymore. What they do not understand is that the dyslexic brain is structured at the cellular level. And guess what? Learning to read, spell, and pronounce words has not changed the alignment of those cells.

The next model that influences information about dyslexia is the social model, which focuses on empowering dyslexics; nothing about us without us. The social model also examines how society treats people with dyslexia and to what extent these interactions shape who they are.

In my research, I looked briefly at the social model and studied the social experiences of four adult female dyslexics and how they categorize them. The results showcased that these participants had either safe or unsafe social interactions, ultimately influencing how they showed up in the world. What determined whether situations or interactions were safe or unsafe was how others treated the dyslexic individual. Where the dyslexic was met with stereotypes or misunderstandings from others, or with conditional acceptance. In addition, I explored how the participants created self-identity and discovered a continuum of dyslexic identity. These identities were along a continuum of the Hidden dyslexic to the Socially Described Dyslexic to the Empowered Dyslexic. The Hidden Dyslexic did not know that they were dyslexic, or found out later in life, or they were not aware of what it meant to be dyslexic because nobody told them after their diagnosis.

The Socially Described Dyslexic identity defines who the individual is based on how society treats and describes them. These individuals do not have a dyslexic identity beyond what others tell them they are. The last stage was the Empowered Dyslexic, who has progressed beyond what society said they are, actively sought the positives and abilities that come with their dyslexic brain, and started to define themselves beyond society's interpretation. 

It is within the Empowered Dyslexic stage that the individual brings about resilience when they enter an unsafe dyslexic situation. Of course, when we are looking at wellbeing, we really want to move beyond what other people define us as, to empower resiliency and self-appreciation. We want to be able to say who we are with our own strengths and identities. When we can do that, we do not need others to tell us anything. We do not need to turn to them to make decisions because we can stand firmly in our own.

The final model that is used in relation to dyslexia is the neurodivergent model. It is here that the information becomes less about what is positive or negative and becomes about what just is. I align with this model within my professional and personal background, as no matter what we want, our dyslexic disadvantages or disabilities are going to surface, whether we want them to or not. 

Within wellbeing, this becomes apparent: when our wellbeing is low, our sleep is low; if we are not taking care of ourselves, we are stressed, we have gone into overwhelm, and those dyslexic disadvantages or disabilities are going to surface even more than when we have had more self-compassion or more sleep, which is why positive psychology is so powerful for those who are dyslexic as it is about the science of wellbeing and how to have a better, happier, more purposeful life.