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How to Cope with Dyslexia: The Effects of Special Education on Academic Performance, Personality Traits, and Well-being

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  • Søren Albeck Nielsen

    (Department of Economics and Business Economics, TrygFonden's Centre for Child Research, Centre for Integrated Register-based Research, CIRRAU, Aarhus University)

Abstract

I use Danish administrative data to study the effects of a special education intervention for pupils with severe dyslexia. My empirical approach exploits individual level panel data that allow me to track pupils before and after the initiation of treatment. Using a difference-in-difference strategy in combination with entropy balancing, I find positive and persistent effects of the intervention on pupils' reading scores, personality traits, and school well-being. The intervention reduces the reading gap to non-dyslexics with up 33 percent and the well-being gap with up to 80 percent.

Suggested Citation

  • Søren Albeck Nielsen, 2021. "How to Cope with Dyslexia: The Effects of Special Education on Academic Performance, Personality Traits, and Well-being," Economics Working Papers 2021-13, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    • Handle: RePEc:aah:aarhec:2021-13
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    File URL: https://repec.econ.au.dk/repec/afn/wp/21/wp21_13.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    13. Jens Dietrichson & Trine Filges & Rasmus H. Klokker & Bjørn C. A. Viinholt & Martin Bøg & Ulla H. Jensen, 2020. "Targeted school‐based interventions for improving reading and mathematics for students with, or at risk of, academic difficulties in Grades 7–12: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(2), June.
    14. Jens Dietrichson & Trine Filges & Julie K. Seerup & Rasmus H. Klokker & Bjørn C. A. Viinholt & Martin Bøg & Misja Eiberg, 2021. "Targeted school‐based interventions for improving reading and mathematics for students with or at risk of academic difficulties in Grades K‐6: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rachel Cummings & María Jose Luengo-Prado, 2023. "The Impact of Learning Disabilities on Children and Parental Outcomes: Evidence from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics," Working Papers 23-7, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dyslexia; Special education; Assistive technology; Personality traits; Difference-in-difference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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