Subtyping of children with developmental dyslexia via bootstrap aggregated clustering and the gap statistic: comparison with the double‐deficit hypothesis

Abstract

The study provides support for the presence of distinct subtypes in children with developmental dyslexia and for the double-deficit hypothesis. Specifically, this study finds three subtypes predicted by the double-deficit hypothesis without the assumption of an a priori theoretical model of reading. Taken together, these subtypes account for 79% of the participants with dyslexia. Further, the percentages of children in each subtype are in good agreement with previous studies. The participants in the subtype not predicted by the double-deficit hypothesis were significantly older than the other three groups. Recent advances in unsupervised learning can be expected to aid the improvement and refinement of the definition of developmental dyslexia. If reliable and consistent subtypes can be identified among persons with developmental dyslexia, it is reasonable to assume that diagnostic and intervention efforts will be greatly improved.