Determinants of poor shared reading among parents of young children: results from the Evane survey

Background

Parent-child shared reading is a critical practice to support cognitive and socio-emotional development, and represents a plausible prevention target in public health. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of poor shared reading among French parents and identify its gender-specific determinants.

Methods

We analysed data from the 2024 Evane survey, a representative sample of 10,284 parents of children aged 0-2 years (5,235 fathers, 5,049 mothers) in metropolitan France. Poor shared reading was defined as reading or telling stories once a week or less. Weighted Poisson regression models, stratified by parent gender, were used to estimate Prevalence Ratios adjusted for 14 sociodemographic, health and child-related variables.

Results

Overall, 35% [34-36] of parents reported poor shared reading, with a higher prevalence among fathers (43% CI: 41-44) than mothers (29% CI: 27-30). Bivariate analyses linked poor reading to lower education (41% CI: 39-42 for high-school diploma or less vs 29% CI: 28-30 for higher education), financial vulnerability (43% CI: 41-46 for more vulnerable vs 34% CI: 33-35 for the least), younger child age (44% CI: 42-45 if younger than 15 months vs 29% CI: 28-30), and having 3 children or more (40% CI: 38-43 vs 33% CI: 32-34). Across all determinants, fathers reported higher rates of poor shared reading than mothers. Multivariate models revealed gender differences. While education, child age, and number of children in the household were common independent factors for both parents, poor shared reading was specifically associated with lower domestic support from partner, financial vulnerability, and psychological distress for mothers. For fathers, it was linked to low parental self-efficacy, intense child temperament, lack of social support, and fewer positive childhood experiences.

Conclusions

Poor shared reading is highly prevalent, especially among fathers. Psychosocial and structural barriers differ significantly by gender.

Key messages

• In metropolitan France 35% of parents of children 0-2 years reported poor shared reading, with important gender disparities: 43% of fathers against 29% of mothers.

• Gender shapes poor shared reading determinants: mothers face financial vulnerability, lack of partner support, and distress; fathers face low self-efficacy, child temperament, and weak social support.