Measuring Reading Time: Comparing Logged and Self-Reported Data in Relation to Reading Skills

Overview & Synopsis

Background: Children's reading time at home plays a critical role in their reading development. However, existing measures of reading time, based on self-reports, are often biased. Logged data from mobile apps may offer a more reliable alternative, as shown in studies examining screen time in digital media use. Objectives: This study compared logged and selfreported measures of reading time and examined their associations with reading skills in French primary school children. Method: One hundred and nine children from Grade 1 to Grade 5 and their parents participated. Parents completed a retrospective questionnaire estimating weekly reading time (self-reported measure). They then used a mobile application to record their child's reading activities in real time over a 14-day period (logged measure). All children were assessed on their reading fluency. Results and Conclusions: The self-reported measure yielded significantly higher reading time estimates (M = 6.26 hours/week) than the logged measure (M = 2.11 hours/week), with a moderate correlation between the two (r = .45). Crucially, the logged measure showed stronger predictive validity for reading fluency (r = .39) than the self-reported measure (r = .25). Regression analyses confirmed that when both measures were included simultaneously, only the logged reading time remained a significant predictor of reading performance. These findings suggest that logged measures obtained via ambulatory assessment (here, using a mobile app) provide more accurate estimates of reading time and superior predictive validity compared to traditional self-reports. This methodology offers promising avenues for future research on reading habits and literacy development. Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic:• Children's reading development is influenced by the amount of time they spend reading at home.• Self-reported measures (e.g., parent questionnaires) are commonly used to estimate reading time but are subject to bias.• Ambulatory assessments using mobile apps have shown promise in providing more accurate behavioral data in other domains (e.g., screen time, health behavior). What this paper adds:• Self-reports overestimated children's reading time by approximately 4 hours per week compared to mobile app logs.• Logged reading time, recorded via a mobile app, was a stronger predictor of reading fluency than parent-reported estimates.• The mobile app method provides a feasible and scalable approach for capturing more reliable data on children's home reading habits. Implications for practice and/or policy:• Educators and researchers should be cautious when interpreting self-reported reading time, especially when used for diagnostic or evaluative purposes.• Mobile apps offer a promising tool to objectively track children's reading behaviors, potentially informing individualized interventions.• Incorporating digital tools into literacy monitoring strategies could lead to more accurate assessments and better-targeted support for students.