Digital reading has been widely linked to more superficial processing and higher frequency of multitasking than print reading. These aspects have been extensively examined in single-text research, indicating detrimental effects on reading comprehension and metacomprehension, particularly when reading on digital and when engaging in multitasking. Nevertheless, much less is known about how these factors interact and influence readers in multiple-text contexts. Given that today’s readers are regularly exposed to multiple, and often conflicting, sources of information, it is crucial to identify factors that may obstruct accurate self-monitoring and understanding. This study examined how reading media (print vs. tablet) and multitasking while reading affected intertextual comprehension and metacomprehension accuracy among 151 Spanish secondary school students (from grade 8 to 10). Our findings show that multitasking hindered intertextual comprehension more in the print condition, whereas tablet readers demonstrated no notable decline. Unexpectedly, neither reading media nor multitasking significantly influenced metacomprehension scores, pointing to a general difficulty among students in accurately assessing their own understanding. These results suggest that students’ expectations about different reading media may shape how they experience and manage distractions. Furthermore, this study shows that metacognitive overconfidence persists in multiple-text scenarios, as students tend to overlook conflicting information without being aware.
Altamura et al. (2026) studied this question.