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Subscribe to RSSThe Xbox/PlayStation/Kinect has been getting plenty of action since it appeared under the tree last month. And while it's all innocent fun for now, is there any chance your child could become pathological -- aka, addicted to video games?
There are many reasons to hope not. As a new study in the journal Pediatrics reports, nearly 1 in 10 kids are pathological gamers -- risk factors for problem gaming include lower social competence, greater impulsivity and, of course, the amount they play. Those same gamers are more likely to have depression, anxiety, and bad grades at school.
Dire consequences, for sure. So it's vital that parents know the signs of video game addiction and how to prevent it. In 20 years as a counselor, Suzanne Roberts of Westside Counseling Services in West Seattle has seen her share of kids with addiction problems. Her top four red flags include:
Family history. Any child with a family history of addiction is vulnerable to becoming a pathological gamer, Roberts says. "It doesn't matter if the history is for gambling or drugs or alcohol; it comes down to brain chemistry."
Gaming as central organizing feature. In other words, is gaming taking over the kid's life to the detriment of homework, sleep, and family time? Says Roberts: "It’s a problem when the video games become the central feature and more important than friendship, eating, sleeping, and school."
Loss of pleasure. If your child use to love an activity but has suddenly stopped enjoying it because all they want to do is play video games, it's a problem. The gaming needs to not interfere with other domains of your kid's life.
Success at gaming. Another red flag is if a kid has lots of success playing video games. When they win, they're stimulated and are motivated to play more and more.
Of course, there's plenty parents can do to keep a child's gaming habits in check, Roberts says.
It's best to limit screen time, and even better to pick the exact time of day the child is allowed to play. This creates consistency and structure. (It's a problem if kids start to sneak or lie about when they are playing.)
Keep the video games in a community area of the house. If it's in a bedroom with door closed, that can reinforce isolation.
Ultimately, Roberts says a kid is going to be vulnerable to addiction if protective factors are failing. As a parent, you have to be in tune with your child's needs.
There's a simple way to accomplish that: Spend time with your child.
What do you think of your child's video game-playing? Have you taken steps to keep it in check? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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The Today show is the vector of intellectual plague.
I understand some of their arguments, and of course there are some people out there who have their lives mostly taken over by video games.
However, I don't get this part:
In other words, if your child sucks at hand-eye coordination, let them play all the games they want? Or maybe it's the other way and you have to say, "Sorry, Johnny. You're too good at this so you have to stop."
A friend of mine is an avid gamer. Avid, not addicted. And his hand-eye coordination and response time is so good that when he once went to an air force base and did their flight simulator for fun, his reaction time and reflexes were timed faster than their own fighter pilots.
With playing video games, like anything else, there is a limit of exposure that once passed becomes unhealthy. However, it does have its perks, so parents shouldn't go extreme and frown upon the whole idea of it.
There's not many fighter pilot jobs out there. If he is buying the hype from recruiters that are looking for new meat, he may have gullibility issues.
I don't get the success part either...
There are those who are so sucessful at video games they make lots of money and get to travel the world to be in competitions and get sponsors just like any other sport. Fatal1ty is one of the most prominant names you see in the industry. If your kids are passionate (not adicted fine line there) and really good, encourage them to do what they love.
Consequences of being a pathological gamer include increased hand-eye coordination, heightened problem-solving skills, impressive levels of creativity, and in many cases no detriment to their social competency (online games, making other gamer friends, talking to others and making friends on gaming forums, etc).
I grew up on video games, and continue playing them today. I found a game I liked this past weekend and dropped just under 20 hours on it in two days. I am also an IT Administrator for a fast-growing engineering company and received my Bachelor's Degree in Information Systems Security as the Valedictorian of my class a little more than a year ago.
Two red flags pop up in my mind pointing to the author of this article either spouting or copy/pasting BS - kids loose interest in things quickly so why is it a problem if they suddenly like a game over something else they liked last week? That's normal. And why is "success at gaming" a bad thing? Would you rather these kids never win any games they play? Along the same line of thinking "success at sports" is bad because winning games would make them want to play more sports.
I completely agree with you :)
I've been playing video games constantly since I was a young girl and somehow I still managed to grow into a high-functioning, successful adult... who would have ever thought it possible?!
I would rather play my xbox than [random, socially exceptable hobby]. Get over it. Technology is a part of our lives now.. it's just the way that it is.
You know, I personally think they need to study those of us who come from the 1st-3rd generation game console eras(I still remember my NES, may it rest in peace) and see how 20-30 years worth of gaming has effected us. I personally believe that there is a correlation between a child's gaming activity, and parental involvement(In other words PS3 is the babysitter). Its not so much to teach the kids moderation(although I am not one to talk, me and 8+ hours playing Civ IV) but also be involved with what they are doing.
I agree with K-man's comment above, but I would still caution about too much time sitting in front of the TV/computer, whether it is for a game or not. Social interaction with a real human being, in person, is very beneficial to emotional and psychological growth for kids. I wouldn't let my son play for 20 hours over a weekend, but I would let him invent a new motorized toy with his Lego collection. His hand-eye coordination, imagination, and problem solving skills are increased by that more than a video game. Social IQ is just as important as regular IQ.
I am so in need of help and advice regarding my 13 yr olds gaming. My son is a smart kid and does great in school. He has had his Xbox live for a awhile now but recently got his own for Christmas as I have two other children. He really wanted it in his room and that was #1 on his list for Christmas. So, that's what we did. Probably not good!!! However prior to this the Xbox was in a central location and he still would play it a lot. My husband and I put limits on how much he can play it. We had even set a timer on the xbox so it would shut it off after a specific period of time. He looked up on you tube how to "crack the code" to the timer and now we can't use that option. We have given him so many chances to listen and adhere to our rules but he gets super angry and confrontational when we tell him to turn it off. He would rather play Call of Duty then anything else. He does play sports but after games and practices he would play video games if he were allowed. Some of the sports he used to love he doesn't anymore. He will go outside and over friends at times but always comes back soon thereafter claiming it was boring. It is almost like he doesn't know what else to do with himself. He has also put on some weight. I don't know if many of these things are a developmental piece to being a teenager or not. I do know many kids his age are playing the games also. According to him, none of his friends have any limits on their gaming. I do know this to be true of some of his friends. UGH!!!!! Please help, I don't want to let this go on!! By the way, this is a daily struggle!!
Sell it.
so your son is doing good in school.....plays sports....what was the problem again? sounds like you are trying to INVENT a problem that doesnt excist all because Dr. Lipschitz says gaming too much is unhealthy.....when your son is hooked on drugs....THEN you have a problem.....
@Concerned-- It's debatable. He may be rebelling and choosing to use Call of Duty as his outlet. It may also be the manner in which he is socializing with his friends- as you say, they have no restrictions. Then of course, he could just be a videot whose COD time is like crack.
In any case, tell him to keep out of my roost on "Jungle." My FN-FAL and I are tired of him giving up my position.
You set a timer, he went around it. You tell him to play less, he throws a fit. Take the box away.
I really dont see the problem with playing video games all the time....teaches GREAT hand eye coordination.....educational(especially when killin Nazis) kids are reading on screen all the time....keeps them away from bad influence punk friends.....keeps them away from drugs....what do you want them to do? sit and read books or watch tv or play board games? who cares if they play video games 6 hours a day.....my kids can play as much as they want.....
You know, when I was a kid, I don't recall parents and pundits asking if we were addicted to football, baseball, or playing army when we did all those things for hours and hours on end. What's the difference? Whether you're outside playing a ball game, watching TV, or playing a video game, you're still spending a lot of time doing something that you enjoy. /eyeroll @ pundits and 'experts' who are simply drumming up controversy to hear themselves talk.
Bring on the Singularity.
Here's a novel idea: Play co-op with your child. My son and I do it with games like Borderlands and Halo. We talk about the content of the games, (and their moral implications, when applicable), as well as the usual gamer banter, (You stole my kill!). It is time spent together we both look forward to.
I'm a little worried. I bought my son a game called "counter strike" for Christmas and I have noticed a change in his behavior. He used to go run outside with his friends and play. But now he insist upon running around with a toy knife in his hand because he says it will make him "run faster". He still makes good grades in school but was recently written up for calling his teacher a newb(sp) after she took away the "claymore" he was making in art class. He even struck me when I tried to throw away the card board tubes from toilet because he wanted to tape them together to male a rpg thing. My wife and I work 60-70 hour work weeks and we just don't know what to do. Is this something we should be concerned about or is this normal for a twenty two year old?
BAHAHAHA I'm crying right now.
Um oook.
@General-British.....?????? I hope you are not having fun at my expense!! I really care about my son and want to make the right choices.
Thank You to everyone who has tried to help me!!
You're the parent. Take control. Good grief.............
Are you parents insane? Have you ever done the research on the harm that excessive video gaming can have on a child. This BS about good hand coordination is.. well BS! Video games cause decreased social emotional skills which is the key to becoming a successful adult. Do your research and wake up and realize that children need to be out playing, using there imagination (creativity), and creating real social bonds with others! To whom wrote the response about there 13 year olds obsession about his XBOX. If u set rules and guidelines he needs to stick to them, if not then you need to steeped the consequences and/or take the Xbox away for periods of time. Dont forget to use positive reinforcement when he does obey or do what is asked.