Creativity and dyslexia: Theoretical insights and empirical evidence supporting a possible link.

Creativity research about individuals with dyslexia is largely based on anecdotal information and historical-biographical reconstructions of exceptionally talented individuals with dyslexia and their original contributions in a variety of domains (e.g., literature, arts, science, sports). However, a number of empirical studies have been conducted to investigate the hypothesis of a creativity superiority of both children and adults with dyslexia, which were reviewed in the present chapter. Rather than a general trend of enhanced creative ability in individuals with dyslexia, findings suggest a dyslexia-related creative profile characterized by a superiority in specific sub-processes of creative thinking, namely fluency and originality. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis of a compensatory cognitive benefit of reading disability.