Many kids play video games today, often for hours on end, and there are no indications that video games are going out of style any time soon. In fact, with modern technology the opposite is likely to occur, where more kids will play video games, and for longer periods of time when they play. What impact does this have on gamers, specifically with respect to human development and mental health? Additionally, it is important to better understand what things kids are not doing when they are gaming, specifically along the lines of life skills development and social interactions. Research studies have found interesting results to date, especially helpful for parents, teachers, coaches, and others who work with kids.
Video games & mental health
Video games have changed a lot since you were a kid, as the old Atari joystick has been replaced by state-of-the-art games that allow for online play. While video game types range from sports games to fantasy to combat (and everything in between), today’s focus will be on the sheer quantity of hours kids play video games, and not the type of games they play. So, what can be learned from recent research when it comes to kids and the amount of time they spend playing video games? We know that when kids sit stationary for hours on end that they are not exercising, outside in fresh air, socializing in person with friends, or learning life skills that come about by living life!
Moderate gaming, defined as playing < 2 hours a day, does not appear to have many negative effects impacting development and mental health, and can actually help with relaxation and stress relief. Excessive gaming of 4 hours or more per day does correlate with a number of unwanted outcomes, including the following:
- Attention problems
- Mood disturbances
- Academic problems
- Sleep deficits
- Physical fitness issues
- Increased symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Lower life satisfaction
- Social withdrawal
- General irritability, especially when no longer able to play video games
It is important to note that the findings presented are from correlational, not causal, research. What that means is that while we might suspect that chronic video game playing causes things like depression, a correlation can also mean that kids struggling with depression might be more inclined to play video games compared to kids who are not experiencing depression. While cause-effect relationships are still being tested, these correlations are still important and help us better understand how video gaming impacts kids, especially along the lines of growth, development, and mental health.
Kids game today for a variety of reasons, including first and foremost that video games are generally fun to play. Additional reasons include the ease in playing (no need to go to an arcade, just turn on your system at home), the connection with others (online play is really fun for kids), and the challenges many games present (it can take weeks, or even months, to finish a game). Adding it all up, if you were a kid today and could turn on an amazing video game system, go online with friends, and continue playing until the cows come home wouldn’t you do it, too?!
As a mental health clinician, I don’t blame kids for wanting to play, especially in those moments where they are relaxing around the house and the system is sitting there in front of them. I get it, it’s tempting, and it sure beats boredom. For parents, I also understand why many seem to look the other way, or lose track of how many hours their kids play video games — feelings of reassurance are quickly established when parents don’t have to worry about their kids being out late, drinking, or doing other ill-advised things. How bad could it be for my kid to be home playing online video games with friends, right?!
Again, for kids that play in moderation studies have not found anything too alarming — yet. But many kids play well beyond and hour or so a day, sometimes 5, 10, or even more hours in a given day! It is easy to lose sight of how much time kids devote to their gaming as parents are busy and doing their own things, while their kids gaming are usually in another part of the house, relatively quiet, and seemingly not doing anything at all that would be considered “harmful.” It’s like a perfect storm, but really, it isn’t.
Final thoughts
Issues that flow from video gaming are often difficult to detect, especially because the activity itself is not nearly as alarming as catching your kid drinking or using illegal drugs. The problems that kids experience, however, can be quite serious — especially when examining mental health. While moderate video gaming appears to be fine, many kids go well beyond an hour or so a day, leaving themselves vulnerable to a host of psychosocial issues. Chronic gaming can quickly become a problem, with the isolation leading to mental health concerns, as well as social and physical issues.
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