Hello!
Games are extremely popular among children these days, to the point where it's probably rare to find a child who hasn't played them.
Should we buy them games so they don't feel left out by their friends?
Or should we stick to the principle of "our family is our family, other families are other families" and not buy them any? It's a difficult decision.
This time, we interviewed a certified psychologist about "children and games."
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Hello. My name is Tanaka, and I am a certified psychologist.
This time, I would like to discuss one of the topics I frequently receive consultations about: "TV games and smartphone games," with all of you.
"My daughter plays too many games every day. Are games a good thing...?"
"Is it better for children to get used to computers and games at a young age, since there's a growing demand for creators and programmers?"
I receive many questions and consultations like these.
Especially in recent years, with advancements in communication functions, children can play the same games with their friends even from home. While children are undoubtedly having fun, parents may feel a little worried.
What are the pros and cons of gaming?
●Can games develop the brain?
A research team at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden tracked how time spent looking at screens, including TV, social media, and video games, affects children's intelligence. They found that IQ scores increased by approximately 2.5 points on average after two years for both boys and girls. They also concluded that there were no significant positive or negative effects from watching TV or videos or interacting on social media.
Another study also shows that children who play video games for more than three hours a day performed better on memory and impulse control tests compared to children who do not play games.
Negative effects of gaming
One might think that the more games children play, the better, but let's also consider the negative aspects.
In his research, Professor Akio Mori, a neuroscientist known for his book on the "game brain," studied video games in 240 men and women aged 6 to 29. Professor Mori concluded, "In games, only the visual and motor neural circuits are active, and 'thinking' is excluded. Prolonged gaming leads to a chronic decrease in prefrontal cortex activity. People who are accustomed to visual stimuli like television (visual brain) are more likely to transition to a 'game brain'." He also stated, "Many video games incite tension and fear, and their impact on the autonomic nervous system is also a concern."
Considering that the activity of the prefrontal cortex decreases, it is also known that the prefrontal cortex of the cerebrum has the function of suppressing the part of the brain that controls instinct, and damage to this area can lead to difficulty in controlling emotions.
Addiction?
It is also a well-known fact that some people become so engrossed in the internet and games that they develop "gaming addiction." When addicted, gaming becomes the priority in everything one does.
Gaming addiction has become a global problem, to the extent that diagnostic criteria have been established for it as a disease in publications such as the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)" published by the American Psychiatric Association and the disease classification (ICD) created by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In the 5th edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)" mentioned above, the diagnostic criteria for gaming disorder as a future research topic are:
① Craving
② Withdrawal symptoms
③ Tolerance
④ Impaired control
⑤ Loss of interest in other activities
⑥ Denial
⑦ Lying
⑧ Escapist use
⑨ Impairment in social functioning
There are 9 items, and in the revised version of the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition (ICD-11), it is defined as:
① Impaired control over gaming duration or frequency.
② Prioritizing gaming over all other activities.
③ Continuing to game despite negative consequences.
Gaming disorder is diagnosed when these conditions persist for 12 months or longer and significantly impair social functioning.
Case Study 1: 11-year-old boy
A parent consulted us because their child could not stop playing games..
The child also had a tendency to get angry and irritable, so a psychological test called WISC-IV (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) was conducted. The result showed that the child had low frontal lobe function.
※WISC-IV (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children)
This test assesses four index scores: Verbal Comprehension (vocabulary, semantic understanding), Perceptual Reasoning (visual perception), Working Memory (auditory short-term memory), and Processing Speed (speed of visual processing and manual execution). Children who experience difficulties in interpersonal communication, impulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention, etc., tend to show low working memory scores. While the subtests of working memory are simple (e.g., digit span, backward digit span, letter-number sequencing, arithmetic), they are said to be good indicators of frontal lobe function.
Case Study 2: 12-year-old boy
A 12-year-old boy who had never been allowed to play games. His parents had never bought him games, only sports equipment.
His parents noticed he was coming home late recently, and upon asking, found out he was constantly playing games at his friend's house. To avoid bothering his friend's family, they decided to buy him a game system.
They didn't set any time limits, leaving it up to him, but before they knew it, all he did was play games. If they tried to take the game away, he would explode in anger. His parents felt they could no longer handle it on their own. They wondered if their previous decision not to let him play games was related to the problem. They now think it might have been better if they had let him play games from a younger age, set time limits, and discussed the rules with him, including the time spent playing.
This was a consultation from parents.
Afterward, this case gradually improved through comprehensive support, including addiction treatment and family education.
Summary
While discussions often focus on whether games are good or bad, it's also true that, depending on one's perspective, games can have positive effects on the brain and development.
However, it's also true that there are negative effects, so it's probably necessary to explain this to children in a way they can understand. The first step is for children to understand that you're not saying games are bad just to be mean.
The important thing is for both adults and children to first understand the good and bad aspects of games, and then for parents and children to discuss together what would be best for their family.
Once rules that both parents and children agree on are established, it might also be important to simply observe.
New games and even more engaging forms of play will continue to emerge, so it would be great to learn how to manage them effectively.
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Learning to manage games well, and sometimes even enjoying them together as a family, might deepen your bond!
Teacher, thank you for your valuable insights.