MOTHERS bond better with their child when reading a bedtime story from a book rather than a e-book or iPad, new research has found.

The University of Sussex study found that while what they are reading from does not impact on information retention it does affect the physical and emotional connection between them.

Researchers assessed seven to nine-year-old children and their mothers sharing a story book in each of four conditions: mother or child as reader and reading from either a book or a tablet screen.

They discovered that whilst the medium did not affect information retention, interaction and warmth was lower for screen than for paper and dropped over time for screens, particularly when children rather than mothers took the role of reader.

Children also showed higher story engagement with paper than with screen, and there was evidence that mothers made more story-relevant comments with paper books.

Doctor Nicola Yuill, who led the study, said that the results were indicative of the confidence modern children possess as ‘digital natives’, being able to comfortably take control of the reading situation when confronted with a digital device.

She said: “Because digital devices are so often used in solo situations, reading books on digital devices moves from a potentially shared activity to a more individual, private activity.

“Our results demonstrate that the use of digital technology and the activity of reading seemed to exist in two somewhat separate spheres.”

Multiple usage of a digital device is also likely to have an effect on a child’s engagement with a reading task.

She added: “A paper book tends to have a single purpose, while an e-book is often only one app on a highly multi-functional device that can also be used to book tickets, play games, work on spreadsheets, and watch films.

“E-readers and e-reading apps could perhaps be designed to underpin adult support better, or to provide audio-visual cues to support synchronisation of adult help in shared reading.”

The study appears in the Frontiers in Psychology journal.