Out of the millions of American kids who play video games, almost 1 in 10 is considered to be a “pathological” gamer, according to some psychologists. Although this number may not seem very high, a new study revealed that kids who are “pathological” gamers need to break away from their addiction to the games in order to return to normal, healthy lives unaffected by depression, anxiety, social challenges, etc.
Douglas A. Gentile, an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University, was the lead author of a study that focused on more than 3,000 children over a three-year period in Singapore. Gentile found that in many cases, gaming can cause or worsen depression.
Many children can play video games extensively without having the games interfere with their everyday lives in a negative, unhealthy way. However, a child is considered pathological when they have five or more symptoms such as high impulsivity, low social competence, low emotional regulation, low empathy and a high number of hours spent gaming each week.
Gentile found that unhealthy, pathological gamers played for more than 31 hours per week, while non-pathological gamers played an average of less than 20 hours per week. Other medical professionals say that the time spent gaming is not as important as the effects that the gaming has on a child. Factors to look out for, they say, are social isolation, a lack of interest in other activities, anxiety and a sagging performance in school.
Kids that become pathological gamers display many of the same characteristics shown by adults who are addicted to gambling, alcohol, etc. Therefore, even though “pathological gaming” is not yet an established psychological disorder, it must be taken seriously by parents due to the fact kids can develop unhealthy, self-destructive patterns.
Gentile said previous studies were often unclear in terms of the cause-effect relationship between gaming and depression, anxiety and other symptoms. He did note, however, that this study indicated that gaming does cause depression and anxiety, and that when gaming stops, the depression and anxiety lifts.
He told U.S. News & World Report that when a child is addicted to gaming, “You can’t just ignore gaming and treat depression.”
The Entertainment Software Association questioned the validity of Gentile’s study in a statement.
“… This research is just more of the same questionable findings by the same author in his campaign against videogames,” said ESA SVP for communications and industry affairs, Richard Taylor. “There simply is no concrete evidence that computer and videogames cause harm. In fact, a wide body of research has shown the many ways games are being used to improve our lives through education, health and business applications.”
Both Gentile and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children receive no more than two hours of “screen time” per day. This includes television, a computer, video games and also newer devices like music players and smart phones.
Out of the study sample of more 3,034 kids, 743 were in 3rd grade, 711 in 4th grade, 916 in 7th grade and 664 in 8th grade. About two-thirds of the study participants were male students, and about 83 percent of the students played video games at least occasionally. The study was based on input from the children, and not their parents, which the researchers said may have limited the study.
The study’s findings have already been published online, and they will also be found in the February issue of the journal Pediatrics.
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