New Study Links Video Games and Mental Problems

eldavojohn writes "A new study published today in Pediatrics Journal conducted in Singapore on three thousand children in grades third, fourth, seventh and eighth claims that one in ten are video game addicts and almost all of those suffer mental health problems. This comes conveniently after the suspect in the Tucson shooting has widely been reported as an online gamer. Among the accusations from the study are that playing video games leads to lower school performance and fewer social skills while exacerbating existing depression, anxiety and social phobias. Gamasutra reports that the Entertainment Software Alliance is already criticizing this study, saying, 'Its definition of "pathological gaming" is neither scientifically nor medically accepted and the type of measure used has been criticized by other scholars. Other outcomes are also measured using dubious instruments when well-validated tools are readily available. In addition, because the effect sizes of the outcomes are mainly trivial, it leaves open the possibility the author is simply interpreting things as negatively as possible.' It seems that the doctors are still disagreeing on whether or not gaming causes problems."

Sports

[RafaelAngel]

I hear sports cause bodily harm. They also cause aggression. Being in sports competitively can also lead to steroid use. Playing a game leads to mental exercise. Sure, you're not moving much(unless it's Wii, Move, or Kinect), but I'd rather play make-believe games then come home with something broken. There should be a study on how sports affect teen aggression and how the competitiveness of sports lead to athletes doing things to their bodies that isn't healthy.

Rated M for Mentally Insane

[MoldySpore]

Every time a shooting happens, it seems like video games are brought into the mix somehow. The news is reporting that this guy is "crazy", but what they aren't reporting is that there were TONS of people who KNEW is was totally nuts, and didn't report it. Then he was able to go to a Walmart to buy ammo (he actually got denied by 1 walmart and had to go to the next because the first realized something was "off" about him).

Perhaps what we need is a National "You're Freakin' Nuts" Database, which will have to be checked not just for gun and ammo purchasing, but also for game purchases over a rating of E?

How far are we going to go in blaming games for the actions of PEOPLE though? If there WAS a database of crazies, but he bought "Rapala Pro Bass Fishing", too the included rod and reel and sharpened the end of it like a shiv, and killed someone with it, is it the video game's fault?

Exaggeration? Yes. Just as stupid as blaming games for a shooting? Yes.

misreporting

[Charliemopps]

Lets get it strait... the Tuscan shooter played ONE online game called "earth empires" which was about as sophisticated as mafia wars. The only interesting part of this were the posts he made in that games forums. He was clearly mentally unhinged and as you read them you can see the community is totally confused about what he's posting. They aren't sure if he's a Troll, just stupid or bat shit crazy. Unfortunately it ended up being the latter.

http://www.earthempires.com/jared-loughner-arizona-shooter-posts