It is estimated that as many as 1 person in every 10 has some form of dyslexia, yet the vast majority of individuals have never been tested or diagnosed with an adult learning disability. Even so, people like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Orlando Bloom, Cher and Whoopie Goldberg are/were dyslexic. For some, dyslexia can lead to poor short-term memories, limited language skills, poor coordination and low self-esteem. For others, the adult dyslexia test was the first step toward understanding their condition and taking steps to work around it, which has ultimately enriched their lives.
A test for adult dyslexia can be helpful to clarify one's condition. Often times, a person with dyslexia signs gets misdiagnosed. Right off the bat, many individuals are seen as "underachievers" who simply don't care about achieving quality marks in school or getting ahead in life. These stigmas and stereotypes can prevent a person from rising above the labels. Kids are often diagnosed with ADHD anxiety because they're perceived to be intelligent but fidgety and under-performing. Being put on Ritalin is no way to overcome basic reading difficulties. Others with dyslexia are even viewed as having adults Asperger syndrome, depression or even mild mental retardation because they appear "different" from others. With a proper diagnosis, individuals can expect more reasonable goals and achieve more than ever before.
The adult dyslexia test will aim to find out certain vulnerabilities. First, researchers will inquire into family history. If parents, grandparents or siblings have suffered from dyslexia before, then it's a more likely conclusion. The next test is usually a reading test that looks for errors, stumble-through reading or slow reading. A spelling test can also be given, which includes short and simple words and words containing easily mixed up letters like "m" and "w" or "b" and "d." The test may then examine comprehension ability to see that the material is being digested. Tests can identify problems with direction, math and sequencing too, which will often rule out other conditions.
There is more than one adult dyslexia test used to diagnose adult learning disabilities, but one of the most commonly administered is the Lucid Adult Dyslexia Screening test, which is a computerized model that assesses non-verbal reasoning (visual problem solving), verbal reasoning (verbal problem solving), word recognition (lexical decoding involving speeded recognition of real words from non words), word construction (speeded lexical encoding of non-words from syllables) and memory (backwards digit span). The entire test only takes about twenty-five minutes.