Daily video gaming can be good for children, says Oxford study
Playing video games in short bursts every day could have a positive impact on child development, according to a study by Oxford University published in the journal of Pediatrics.
Young people between the age of 10 and 15 who spent just under an hour a day playing video games reported better outcomes on a host of measures than those who didn't play video games at all.
However, those children that gamed for over three hours a day reported lower life satisfaction. Experimental psychologist Andrew Przybylski examined surveys looking at 5,000 young people of whom 75 per cent gamed on a daily basis.
The children were asked to rate life satisfaction, how well they got on with their friends, how likely they were to help people in trouble and levels of hyperactivity.
The answers were used to work out levels of psychological and social adjustment. The results will come as something of a shock to those who worry children could become mindless drones by sitting in front their screens for too long.
Compared to those who played no video games at all, those who gamed for under an hour a day were more satisfied with their lives and reported the highest levels of positive social interactions.
Furthermore, the group of regular gamers showed fewer emotional problems and lower levels of hyperactivity.
Speaking to the BBC, Przybylski said: "In a research environment that is often polarised between those who believe games have an extremely beneficial role and those who link them to violent acts, this research could provide a new, more nuanced standpoint."
He went on to argue that policies aimed at limiting the use of video games needed to take account of this evidence. However, Przybylski qualifies the research by saying that, although the effect of video games is statistically significant, other factors such as family relationships and education play a larger role in child development.
The study also suggested that good outcomes also depended on the structure of the games. Speaking to WebMD Przybylski said: "Past research done by myself, and other researchers would suggest that open-ended, 'sandbox' games such as Minecraft, Simcity and Kerbal Space Program are good picks."