The role of perceived learning environment in scholars: A comparison between university students with dyslexia and normal readers

Studies focusing the role of anxiety and depressive symptoms in young adults with learning disorders show mixed results and few studies examined the effect of environmental factors on learning disorders. According to a socio-cultural perspective the present work aims to shed light on the role of perceived learning environment, namely school environment, relationship with peers and family support, as factor moderating the insurgence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in university students with dyslexia. The study involved 51 university students: 19 dyslexics and 32 non-dyslexic students. Anxiety and depressive symptoms among the participants were examined with the Self-Administered Psychiatric Scales for Children and Adolescents (SAFA), while perceived school environment has been detected throughout Protective Factor Questionnaire (PFQ). A MANOVA tested a significant interaction effect concerning protective factors, Dyslexia condition and anxiety and depression symptoms. The following between subjects effects based on a descriptive discriminant analysis shed light on the role of perceived learning environment in moderating university scholars depressive and anxiety feelings. Results highlighting the different role of perceived learning environment in anxiety depressive symptoms are discussed in terms of environment’s role as moderating the insurgence of internalizing symptoms experiences that extend in student’s career beyond the diagnosis.