Jideonwo, Obiamaka; (2024) An exploration of the relationships between the dyslexic experiences, reading and writing attitude, and attribution beliefs of adult female dyslexic offenders. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This qualitative study looked at dyslexia in the lives of female dyslexic offenders: the principal aim was to gain a better understanding of how reading and writing attitude is related to or otherwise affected by the women’s experiences of living with dyslexia, and the reasons which they gave for their success or failure in reading and writing. The research addressed a major gap in the literature as female dyslexic offenders’ accounts of their experiences are largely absent from prison studies, while their experiences in prison which relate to dyslexic difficulties are missing from the learning disability studies literature. In this study, systematic qualitative semi-structured interviews were carried out with twelve female dyslexic offenders. An attribution questionnaire was then developed, based on Weiner’s attribution theory, and administered to the twelve offenders who had completed the interviews. The overall research design followed an exploratory approach, and three interviews were conducted with each participant on three different occasions: the first two were semi-structured interviews and the third was a structured interview for the administration of the attribution questionnaire. The first semi-structured interview covered questions on early school experiences, learning behaviour, relationship with significant others, views about reading and writing, reading and writing practices in prison and future plans on improving reading and writing. The second semi-structured interview covered questions on perceptions and discussions which were specific to dyslexia. The third interview involved the administration of the attribution questionnaire. Analysis of data from the two semi-structured interviews followed a thematic approach, identifying patterns and themes, while data from the attribution questionnaire were analysed numerically, providing an overall profile of the participants, specific to their attributions. The findings from the semi-structured interviews revealed that for the participants, conceptualisations about dyslexia as a learning disability started in childhood and extended into adulthood. Their school experiences were mostly negative, resulting from a history of failure – real and perceived: this linked to their capacity to function as dyslexic adults within a prison environment. Both the semi-structured interviews and attribution questionnaire revealed that the women tended to attribute their success outcomes to external and uncontrollable factors and make less internal attribution for success. Overall, these women internalised their dyslexia, characterising themselves as dyslexic prisoners through experiences of exclusion, labelling and limitation, leading to a negative reading and writing attitude.

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