Abstract

This dissertation consists of four primary research studies collectively reporting on the perceptual experience of adults with dyslexia. Sequentially, these studies validate a screening tool for adult dyslexia, investigate the experience of adults with dyslexia and add to our knowledge of the role of visual attention in dyslexia. Data for study 1 was collected as part of a larger research collective within the Concordia Vision lab. Data for studies 2, 3 and 4 was collected as part of one large data collection effort lasting three years. Methods for data analysis span qualitative and quantitative efforts, parametric and non-parametric as well as both traditional null hypothesis testing and Bayesian statistics. Findings from these studies extend our knowledge of adults with dyslexia, deepening our understanding of dyslexia as a lifelong disorder. This thesis focuses on perception in dyslexia, enhancing our understanding of the role of perception as a possible causal deficit, with the overall aim of better understanding what it means to have dyslexia in adulthood.