Video Games And Teenagers: What Are The Effects?

Playing with your children, engaging them in conversations, as well as supervising their interactions are some of the tips and recommendations to follow.

The idea of ​​a negative relationship between video games and adolescents seems to have taken root in the collective imagination. However, it is essential to understand if there is a real basis for this perception or if it is simply a cliché.

As with the rest of the technologies, the most important aspect is the use made of it. Variables such as age, time of use, game content, as well as user characteristics – in this case teenagers – are all extremely relevant factors.

Below we will discover together the real implications in the relationship between video games and adolescents.

Video games and teenagers: a relationship to explore

In the face of numerous studies that show how much some video games can improve cognitive parameters, as well as the ability to solve problems and process information, there are as many authoritative voices that warn about potential risks.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psichiatry, AACAP, points out that:

Researchers from the aforementioned company point out that video games have now become extremely sophisticated and realistic. Some games “can connect to the Internet, allowing children and adolescents to play and converse with unknown adults and playmates,” a detail that should be paid close attention.

Although some games carry educational content, many of the more popular ones also contain negative aspects: they promote violence against humans and animals, possess marked discriminatory characteristics, include gender-based violence and increase the use of stereotypes that reinforce the persistence of negative stigmas.

Potential Negative Effects of Using Video Games

The concerns are mainly related to the effects of excessive use of video games and the degree of involvement in the roles and characters, as well as the difficulty in managing the amount of time devoted to the game.

Possible harmful effects of video games

Although they may not all appear in the same subject, it is still better to know them:

• Less time spent socializing with friends and family.
• Lack of time for school and recreational activities.
• Less time dedicated to physical exercise, with an increase in a sedentary lifestyle and the related consequences that derive from it, such as obesity.

What can we do?

• It is important that both the family and the educational instructions promote a more conscious use of video games, in order to minimize the harmful effects and encourage the positive ones.

• Sharing the moment of the game with your children, involving them in the discussion of the contents, as well as supervising the interactions are some of the most useful recommendations to follow.

• Establishing game times and verifying that they are respected  is another possible approach to the problem.

Types of video games

Among the different types of video games there are also the so-called platforms, in which you move from one level to another in consecutive screens in which to face obstacles. They undoubtedly promote quick thinking, due to the frenzied activity; however, for this very reason, they cause excessive fatigue which can interfere with concentration on other activities.

Furthermore, both sports and non-sports games are widespread, such as simulation and shooting or combat games in which “dizzying fights with the use of martial arts or firearms” take place, are probably the ones that have contributed most to the bad reputation of the relationship between video games and teenagers. Finally, some studies have shown that they increase the predisposition to violence in children.

Video games and teenagers at a glance:

• Video games will not disappear from the market, so the ban is the least recommended way. On the other hand, it is an adequate supervision that guides from childhood to a more rational and safe use of technology.

• Eradicate the clichés that help keep the negative link between adolescence and video games alive.

• Consult with other parents, teachers and health professionals  about the problem, as it can be extremely helpful in making up for the lack of tools.