We have been busy sharing the results of our project exploring links between dyslexia and mental health funded by a MRC Impact Accelerator Award . Building on findings from Dyslexia Scotland’s 2024 report, Dr Samuel Warne and Prof Silvia Paracchini completed a qualitative analysis of nearly 6,000 survey responses, revealing the significant and often overlooked impact of SpLDs on mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan.
These findings were first shared publicly at the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Curious Festival of Knowledge event, Dyslexia as a Mental Health Story. Check out the recording of the event here.
Our team also presented the work at the European Dyslexia Association Autumn Seminar in Gdańsk, Poland, where discussions on inclusion, wellbeing, and mental health resonated strongly with researchers, educators, practitioners, and advocates from across Europe. Most recently, Silvia and Sam were invited to present the findings in a keynote session at the national Living and Working with Neurodivergence conference.
Together, these activities have helped bring greater attention to the relationship between learning difficulties and mental health, highlighting the importance of supporting wellbeing throughout the life course.