Does reading on screens reduce comprehension compared with paper?

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1. 1

   Distractions in digital reading: a meta-analysis of attentional interference effects.

   Frontiers in psychology (Shen)Published Nov 19, 2025Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “Moderation analysis further shows that factors such as research design, type of distraction, and educational level influence this effect, particularly in between-subject studies involving television (TV) or music distractions, where older readers experienced greater declines in comprehension.ConclusionThis study advances the understanding of the cognitive-neurological foundations of attention and cognitive load theory, emphasizing the limited capacity of attention in online environments and the need to balance cognitive load to improve reading comprehension. It encourages minimizing distractions such as background music and videos, designing interactive online platforms that promote focus and selfregulated learning, using tools such as eye-tracking to monitor attention, and implementing tailored interventions that help students develop effective selfregulation strategies for better comprehension.”

2. 2

   Children, Cell Phones, and Reading Comprehension.

   Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) (Greenfield et al.)Published Jul 23, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “All participants completed a short survey about phone ownership and use, along with demographic questions. There was no effect of the experimental conditions on reading comprehension: Whether or not a child had their phone in sight made no difference to their reading comprehension performance. Nor did reading comprehension differ for students with or without phones at school the day of the study. This absence of short-term effects contrasted with the presence of long-term relationships: Possessing a personal cell phone was significantly associated with lower reading comprehension scores across the whole sample. However, for participants from non-English-speaking homes who had their own phones, reading comprehension was significantly better the earlier a child began texting and had access to games on their phone. For children from English-speaking homes who had their own phones, neither early mobile game access nor earlier initiation of texting was associated with better reading comprehension.”

3. 3

   An Eye-Tracking Study on Text Accessibility and Comprehension in University Students.

   Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) (Navas-León & Duñabeitia)Published Jun 22, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “Twenty-four young adults without cognitive disabilities read texts presented in three formats: hard-to-read, control, and Easy-to-Read. Reading comprehension was assessed with multiple-choice questions, and eye movements were recorded during reading. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Text Format significantly affected reading comprehension, with estimated accuracy highest in the E2R format and significantly higher than in the hard-to-read format. The E2R format was also associated with shorter fixation durations and larger saccades than the other formats, suggesting a pattern compatible with a reduced cognitive demand in some eye-movement measures. Fixation count was highest for hard-to-read texts and significantly higher than in the control format, whereas differences involving E2R were not significant. Reading time showed a trend towards significance, with descriptively longer reading times for hard-to-read texts than for the control and E2R formats. These findings suggest that E2R adaptations, originally developed to support populations with cognitive needs, may also facilitate comprehension and reading efficiency in readers without cognitive disabilities.”

4. 4

   Reading comprehension (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaPublished Sep 30, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “Reading comprehension is the ability to process written text, understand its meaning, and to integrate with what the reader already knows. Reading comprehension relies on two abilities that are connected to each other: word reading and language comprehension. Comprehension specifically is a "creative, multifaceted process" that is dependent upon four language skills: phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. Reading comprehension is beyond basic literacy alone, which is the ability to decipher characters and words at all. The opposite of reading comprehension is called functional illiteracy. Reading comprehension occurs on a gradient or spectrum, rather than being yes/no (all-or-nothing). In education it is measured in standardized tests that report which percentile a reader's ability falls into, as compared with other readers' ability.”