Identifying dyslexia-consistent reading profiles in mild intellectual disability: cluster-derived severity gradients and severity-calibrated classification rules
By
Bartosz M. Radtke
Paweł Jurek
Michał Olech
Ariadna Łada-Maśko
Urszula Sajewicz-Radtke
May 29, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Characterizing Reading Profiles Associated with Dyslexia in Individuals with Mild Intellectual Disability: Severity Gradients and Classification Criteria Derived from Clustering Analysis
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition Key Mechanisms Decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, phonological processing, rapid automatized naming (RAN) Target Population Care Setting
Key Highlights
Study analyzed diagnostic data from 446 students with MID. Two-cluster solution identified a dominant severity gradient across reading markers. Broad criteria classified 88% of the sample, while extreme-severity anchor reduced prevalence to 37%. Word-level reading, especially decoding and fluency, is crucial for subgroup identification. Phonological/RAN indicators provided limited classification value. Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Dyslexia can be co-diagnosed with intellectual disability under ICD-11 when academic underachievement is disproportionate. Management
Multi-indicator profiling is recommended, incorporating decoding, phonological processing, RAN, and oral language. Monitoring & Follow-up
Assessment should consider instructional history and educational exposure. Risks
Risk of over-identification when broad criteria are applied. Patient & Prescribing Data
Focus on decoding and word recognition deficits for effective intervention.
Clinical Best Practices
Utilize severity-calibrated classification rules to avoid mislabeling. Incorporate a variety of cognitive and linguistic assessments. Related Resources & Content
