Toward a Dyslexia Screening Tool for Urdu: Design, Development, and Initial Validation
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the phonological processing necessary to read or write fluently. Despite the importance of early detection, tailored resources for specific linguistic contexts often remain scarce. This paper presents the early-stage development of a linguistically and culturally adapted screening tool, aimed at exploring dyslexia risk among Grade 2 to 6 students in Urdu within Pakistan. The screening tool evaluates word reading, phonological processing, spelling, and comprehension. Moreover, grade-wise cutoff scores were developed based on a sample of 1250 students. Psychometric analysis demonstrated strong reliability (Cronbach’s α > .80), corrected item-total correlations (rc > .30), and convergent validity (p<0.001), with early evidence supporting internal consistency, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and correlation with similar measures. During the initial validation, the screening tool also flagged 9% of the participating students as potentially at risk for dyslexia in Urdu. The grade-wise data highlighted the significant association of academic performance with literacy challenges. Younger students struggled with phoneme recognition and decoding, while older students found difficulties in comprehension and spelling. Overall, the screener serves as a user-friendly, promising preliminary resource that provides a foundational step toward identifying dyslexia within the Urdu context.
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7211972474