Bridging the Gap in Adult Dyslexia Research: Assessing the Efficacy of a Linguistic Intervention on Literacy Skills

Developmental dyslexia is often viewed as a condition primarily affecting children, with research on adult populations remaining sparse. This study aimed to bridge this gap by first characterizing the literacy and linguistic profiles of 44 young adults with dyslexia (ages 16–30) compared to 44 age-matched typical readers in Italy. The researchers assessed reading, spelling, phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and lexical access. Following this, they evaluated the efficacy of an original, 8-week web-based linguistic intervention designed to improve literacy skills in 24 of the dyslexic participants.

The initial assessment confirmed that adults with dyslexia exhibit pervasive, persistent impairments across all measured dimensions, including reading fluency, spelling, phonological awareness, and lexical access. Despite these enduring deficits, the experimental group showed significant improvements in word and text reading, spelling, and the speed of phonological elaboration following the intervention. The study highlights that targeted, personalized training can successfully boost literacy performance in adults, challenging the common assumption that such interventions are only effective during childhood.

This research provides critical evidence that dyslexia is a lifelong condition requiring ongoing support, yet it also offers a hopeful outlook for adult learners. By demonstrating that literacy skills remain adaptable in adulthood, the study suggests that practitioners and educators should not abandon intervention efforts for older students and adults. The findings support the integration of phonological and morphological training with computerized fluency exercises to foster better educational and professional outcomes for individuals with dyslexia.