A study conducted by an Oxford behavioural scientist has shown that children playing up to an hour of video games per week had fewer conduct problems and were more likely to feel satisfied with their lives than those who do not play video games.
The study was conducted by Dr. Andrew Przybylski, and involved over 5,000 girls and boys aged 10-15. Explaining why video games may help children, Dr. Przybylski commented “games provide a wide range of novel cognitive challenges, opportunities for exploration, relaxation and socialisation with peers… like non-digitally mediated forms of child play, games may encourage child well-being and healthy social adjustment.”
In particular video games may be beneficial when compared with non-interactive entertainment such as watching TV. Dr. Przybylski called for further research to determine which kinds of games were beneficial or harmful and said that currently recommended time limits on video game playing had ‘little scientific basis.’
However the study also found that the effects either way were small, which according to Dr. Przybylski could be seen as “indicating that both the broad fears and hopes about gaming may be exaggerated.” The study reported that other factors such as whether or not a child is from a functioning family or whether they are materially deprived are more important in influencing behaviour.
There was also no evidence of positive effects for children playing one to three hours per day, while more than three hours a day can create problems as children are more likely to have issues with hyperactivity and inattention. The study suggested that “this could be because children miss out on other enriching activities and possibly expose themselves to inappropriate content designed for adults.”
It is estimated that three quarters of British children and teenagers play video games on a daily basis, of which roughly half are ‘light players’ who play under an hour a day. Up to 15% of children are thought to spend three or more hours a day on video games.
