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Apathy and Attrition: Exploring Student Disengagement Toward Longer Texts in Literature Classes

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https://doi.org/10.54963/jqre.i45.1911
Adalia, H. G., Berik, A.-B. A., & Paraguya, C. D. (2025). Apathy and Attrition: Exploring Student Disengagement Toward Longer Texts in Literature Classes. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, (45), 126–142. https://doi.org/10.54963/jqre.i45.1911
Issue 45 (2026)
Copyright (c) 2025 Haydee G. Adalia, Abdul-Baqui A. Berik, Clarisse D. Paraguya
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Journal of Qualitative Research in Education (ENAD)  publishes accepted manuscripts under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Authors who submit their papers for publication by ENAD agree to have the CC BY 4.0 license applied to their work, and that anyone is allowed to reuse the article or part of it free of charge for any purpose, including commercial use. As long as the author and original source are properly cited, anyone may copy, redistribute, reuse, and transform the content.

Authors

  • Haydee G. Adalia

    College of Liberal Arts, Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga City 7000, Philippines
  • Abdul-Baqui A. Berik

    College of Liberal Arts, Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga City 7000, Philippines
  • Clarisse D. Paraguya

    College of Liberal Arts, Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga City 7000, Philippines

Received: 7 July 2025; Revised: 30 July 2025; Accepted: 28 November 2025; Published: 5 December 2025

This qualitative study explores the factors contributing to student apathy and attrition when reading longer literary texts in higher education literature classes and examines how students perceive the relevance and emotional impact of these extended readings. Using semi-structured interviews with sixteen purposively selected students, the study uncovers themes that reflect both internal and external barriers to engagement. Findings reveal that students often feel overwhelmed by the complexity and length of texts, citing time constraints, mental fatigue, and unfamiliar language as significant deterrents to sustained reading. Classroom-related challenges such as noise, lack of supportive reading environments, and insufficient instructional scaffolding further exacerbate disengagement. Additionally, many students questioned the relevance of traditional texts to their lives, describing a disconnect between the content and their contemporary realities. However, a number of participants acknowledged the academic benefits of reading longer works, particularly in enhancing vocabulary and critical thinking. Emotional responses to reading ranged from frustration and boredom to moments of motivation, especially when themes resonated personally or were unpacked meaningfully in class. By situating these findings within existing literature, the study addresses a gap in understanding how college students experience and emotionally respond to long-form literary reading. It offers implications for creating more responsive, relevant, and supportive literature instruction in the classroom.

Keywords:

Student Apathy Literary Attrition Literature Instruction Reading Challenges

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