Full Citation
Kong, Y., Seo, Y. S., & Zhai, L. (2024). Association between the medium of book reading and reading comprehension skills in children with and without ADHD: A large-scale propensity score-weighted population study. PLOS ONE, 19(2), e0290807.
Publication Type
Large-scale population study (over 450,000 children)
What They Studied
Researchers analysed data from a massive sample of children to determine whether the medium of reading (print vs. digital) affects reading comprehension, with particular attention to children with ADHD.
Key Findings
Print reading was associated with significantly better reading skills:
- Children who read print books had better reading comprehension across all age groups
- The effect was even stronger for children with ADHD
- Digital reading showed weaker associations with reading skill development
This is population-level evidence that paper-based reading supports literacy development more effectively than digital reading.
Why This Matters for Schools
This is one of the largest studies ever conducted on reading medium and comprehension, making it particularly robust evidence.
For schools considering 1:1 device programmes or digital reading initiatives, this research suggests they may be disadvantaging all students, and particularly those with attention difficulties.
Special educational needs implications: Many schools argue that tablets and ebooks help children with learning differences. This study suggests that for children with ADHD (and likely other attention-related challenges), paper books may actually be more supportive.
What Parents Should Know
If your child has ADHD or attention difficulties, schools may present digital reading as more engaging or helpful. This large-scale research suggests the opposite: paper books are likely more beneficial.
Questions to ask:
- Is my child with ADHD/attention difficulties being encouraged to use digital reading?
- What’s the evidence that this helps rather than hinders their reading development?
- Can we prioritise print books given the research showing stronger effects for children with attention challenges?
Media Coverage
This study received significant attention, including coverage in The Guardian: “Kids reading: why books beat screens” (January 2024)
