Video Games Linked to Better-Adjusted Children, Study Says
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Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Giving your child a little extra screen time with his Xbox may not be the worst idea, according to a new study out of the University of Oxford.
While researchers found no positive or negative effects on young people who played video games “moderately” between one to three hours a day, the study suggests that the influence of such games is small when compared to other factors like family or relationships.
In the study of nearly 5,000 children and adolescents, researchers polled participants on the amount of time they spent playing games, as well as their satisfaction levels in life.
Three in four British children and teens play video games on a daily basis, and those who spent more than half their free time playing were not as well adjusted, researchers said. Those who played for less than an hour, however, had higher levels of sociability and satisfaction, and reported fewer emotional problems compared to non-players.
“‘Further research needs to be carried out to look closely at the specific attributes of games that make them beneficial or harmful. It will also be important to identify how social environments such as family, peers, and the community shape how gaming experiences influence young people,” said study author Andrew Przybylski.
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