The nature of reading difficulties among inmates in juvenile instiutions

• Abstract. Dyslexia is assumed to be frequent among inmates in prisons and in juvenile institutions.However, it remains unclear whether the literacy difficulties observed are really dyslexicin nature. Seventy inmates in juvenile institutions were studied. In addition to literacy skills,the assessment included phonological skills, school attendance, cultural background, and selfesteem.Dyslexia in the sense of decoding problems related to phonological deficiencies wasobserved in 11% of the cases. Most of the inmates with literacy difficulties had a background,from infancy and onwards, characterized by severe social and emotional problems, interferingwith positive experience of literacy and the literate culture. However, these sub-optimal experiencesof the literate culture do not imply dyslexia. From this perspective, it is unlikely thatdyslexia is a determining factor of delinquent behavior.

Nyckelord

Dyslexia

Juvenile delinquents

Phonology

Reading and writing difficulties

Socio-emotional factors

Psykologi

Psychology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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