Reading in the Digital Age: Technological Impacts and Digital Interruptions Among Adolescent Students

The study investigates how digital technologies influence contemporary reading culture, with a specific focus on identifying the major constraints and distractions that impede effective digital reading engagement. A descriptive survey design was employed, targeting higher secondary students (Classes XI and XII) in the Srinagar district, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Using multistage sampling, government and private schools from all zones were proportionately selected. From a population of 47,751 students across 74 schools, a representative sample of 650 respondents was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan formula. Data were collected via a structured, literature-based questionnaire, which was pilot-tested and administered online through Google Forms in official WhatsApp groups. The findings reveal that digital technology has expanded information access and reshaped reading habits among adolescents in Srinagar; yet, it also introduces serious challenges. Digital distractions significantly undermine sustained online reading, attention, and comprehension. Social media, instant messaging, and online gaming increasingly compete with reading, indicating a shift from traditional leisure activities to immersive digital platforms. Prolonged digital reading is linked to eye strain, headaches, physical discomfort, stress, and sleep disturbances, raising concerns about adolescent well-being. A balanced and judicious use of technology is recommended to ensure that digital advancements support, rather than weaken, meaningful reading practices.