“I Have Fought This System from the Moment He Stepped Into School”: Exploring Sources of Uncertainty for Mothers of Children With Dyslexia

Abstract

<i>This study adopts the lens of uncertainty management theory to understand how mothers of children with dyslexia construct and negotiate the uncertainty they face.&nbsp; Dyslexia is academically, mentally, financially, and emotionally challenging for families, but the voices of parents are often missing from the conversation.&nbsp; Interpretive thematic analysis of a large online support group for parents illustrated four major sources of uncertainty: the future, advocacy, communicating about the diagnosis, and the financial cost. Exploring the uncertainty of mothers themselves offers a more textured understanding of the meaning and sense-making processes of families as they navigate a common yet widely misunderstood learning disability.&nbsp; </i>