Developmental surface dyslexia: a case study of the efficacy of a remediation programme

Abstract

A remedial training programme was devised and implemented in a single case of developmental dyslexia. Extensive pre-therapy psycholinguistic assessment determined the developmental stage at which the acquisition of reading skills had arrested. Subject DF had failed to develop orthographic skills; his pattern of performance resembled that of surface dyslexics. Remediation focused on development of the strategy DF had failed to acquire. The efficacy of remediation was investigated employing a single subject case study incorporating a crossover design with multiple baseline and repeated pre- and post-therapy measures. DF indicated significant positive effects of therapy, which could only be ascribed to the treatment. Theoretical explanations and practical implications of the results are discussed.