Justin Hoenke and his son, Finn, 5, enjoy time together playing Super Mario 3D World on their Wii U.Want your kids to be well-rounded adults? Better make an appointment with Dr. Mario.
Based on a recently released study, “video games rot your brain” may soon join “cross your eyes and they’ll stick that way” on the list of outmoded parental wisdom. According to researchers, children who play video games for up to an hour per day tend to be more socially adjusted than nongamers.
“Electronic Gaming and Psychosocial Development” was published on Aug. 4 by Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study is based on self-reports by 4,900 British tweens and teens, who were asked how often they play video games and responded to statements to assess their psychological adjustment.
The study found that, compared to children who didn’t play games, the 31 percent of console gamers and 36 percent of PC gamers who played for up to an hour a day demonstrated greater satisfaction with their lives and fewer issues with aggression, depression, anxiety and withdrawal.
“Games may bolster adjustment by providing psychologically rewarding experiences that dispel negative affect, inspire prosocial behavior, foster creativity, as well as broaden self-concept and build social connections,” writes study author Dr. Andrew Przybylski, a behavioral scientist at the University of Oxford.