Parent–Child Joint Reading in Traditional and Electronic Formats

TLDR

Parent–child joint reading is linked to positive childhood outcomes, and the rise of tablet computers has enabled parents to read to children using both traditional books and electronic iPad books. This study aimed to compare how parent–child reading interactions and child comprehension differ between traditional books and electronic iPad books. Using a repeated‑measures design, parents and their preschool‑aged children were observed while reading on both platforms. Results showed that children understood more from traditional books, while electronic reading elicited more talk about format and environment and increased distraction, leading to lower comprehension.

Abstract

There is little question that parent–child joint reading is related to a number of positive childhood outcomes, such as vocabulary acquisition and school success. With the growth of tablet computers, parents are now able to read to their children using different platforms. This study used a repeated-measures design with parents and their preschool-aged children to test the difference between reading interactions and child comprehension on two platforms: traditional books and electronic iPad books. Results indicated that in the electronic reading condition, parents used more talk about the book format and environment than in the traditional book condition, where they used more evaluative comments about content. Children comprehended significantly more in the traditional book condition than in the electronic book condition. Additional analyses suggested that this finding was related to the increase in distraction talk by parents in the electronic book condition. Results suggest that it is important to consider the specific content of parent–child reading interactions and the increased cognitive load these interactions can place on children, as parent questions about the book format and the environment were related to decreases in child comprehension.