HERE’S THE SCOOP:
- A recent study found that video games do not damage children’s brains, nor do games designed to build healthy brain skills actually work.
- The University of Houston conducted a study on the gaming habits of 160 preteen students and found no link between video game play and cognitive ability, regardless of how long the children played or what types of games they chose.
- The study also found that children who spent above-average time playing video games had increased intelligence, while TV watching or social media had neither a positive nor a negative effect on cognitive abilities.
Parents can breathe a sigh of relief when it comes to their children’s video game habits, as a recent study by the University of Houston found that spending up to 4.5 hours on consoles like Playstation or Xbox has no impact on kids’ brain functions. Additionally, the study discovered that games aimed at helping children build healthy brain skills don’t actually work either.
The study examined the gaming habits of 160 preteen students from diverse urban public schools, and found no links between video game play, play duration, or the choice of video game and how well the children performed on cognitive tests.
According to Professor Jie Zhang, “reasonable amounts of video gaming should be okay, which will be delightful news for the kids. Just keep an eye out for obsessive behavior.”
Furthermore, the study found that children who spent above-average time playing video games actually had increased intelligence, while TV watching or social media had no effect on cognitive abilities. The study did not examine the effects of screen behavior on physical activity, sleep, well-being or school performance, but the results suggest that finding balance in childhood development is key, and there’s no need to over-worry about video gaming.
Source: goodnewsnetwork.org
Depending on content of said game, 2hrs. A day should be ample time to contract carpal tunnel syndrome.