Video Gaming May Be Associated With Some Cognitive Performance For Kids, A New Study Finds
A new study gives young gamers some good news at a time when more and more research shows that video games and screen time are bad for teens' health. According to a study published on Monday in JAMA Network Open, video gaming may be associated with some cognitive performance for kids. Children who play video games for at least three hours per day may have better cognitive function than those who never play the games.
Author:Suleman ShahReviewer:Han JuOct 26, 2022129.1K Shares1.7M Views
A new study gives young gamers some good newsat a time when more and more research shows that video games and screen time are bad for teens' health. According to a studypublished on Monday in JAMA Network Open, video gaming may be associated with some cognitive performance for kids.
Children who play video games for at least three hours per day may have better cognitive function than those who never play the games. However, the authors warn that additional data is required to understand better the possible risks and advantages of video games for children's growing brains.
The results are based on the largest research to date to examine the connection between video games and children's brain development and cognition.
This study was done as part of a larger project funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) called Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD).
“„While we cannot say whether playing video games regularly caused superior neurocognitive performance, it is an encouraging finding and one that we must continue to investigate in these children as they transition into adolescence and young adulthood.- Bader Chaarani, a lead study author, said
Relationship Between Video Gaming And Cognitive Behavior
The neurological processes underpinning the links between video gaming and cognitive behavior are poorly known, although much research has explored the topic. Fewer than 80 people have been included in the few neuroimaging studies that have explored this question.
University of Vermont researchers showed that kids who play video games for three hours a day or more outperform their non-gaming peers on tests of processing speed and accuracy. Approximately two thousand kids took part in theABCD Study, and their data were analyzed. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting older kids' daily video game usage to no more than two hours.
Brain activity in areas responsible for attention and memory is greater in children who play video games for three hours or more each day compared to those who never play. The study's authors hypothesize that these regularities originate in the practice of memory-related activities while playing video games and that this training may lead to enhanced performance on these tasks.
“„We can’t extrapolate these results to assume, however, that more video gaming will lead to better impulse control or working memory in non-screen contexts, such as classrooms or doing chores at home. Supportive teachers/caregivers and social-emotional skill-building approaches help with those skills in more naturalistic environments.- Dr. Jenny Radesky, Director of developmental behavioral pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School
Study Findings
Previous research has linked video gaming to increased rates of depression, violence, and aggression. However, the current investigation did not uncover such a correlation.
Researchers observed that there was a tendency toward greater reported mental healthand behavioral problems among children who reported playing video games for three or more hours per day compared to children who reported playing no video games. However, this link was not statistically significant.
They say that this is an important sign to keep an eye on and learn more about as the kids get older. Children were separated into two groups for the current study: those who played video games for more than three hours per day and those who never played video games. While receiving neuroimaging, each group was given a test of impulse control and another of short-term memory.
While Chaarani observed that most children favored fast-paced shooter and action-adventure games over slower-paced logic games like puzzles, the survey did not differentiate between the sorts of video games played.
Video games might make children smarter
Final Words
The ABCD Study follows almost 12,000 children and teenagers throughout the United States into adulthood, making it the biggest study of its type in the country. The study concluded that video gaming may be associated with some cognitive performance for kids.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often used to examine brain anatomy and activity, and researchers also gather data on participants' mental states, environments, and behaviors.
To better guide the creation of treatments to improve a young person's lifetrajectory, this research aims to understand better the elements that impact the brain, cognitive, and social-emotional development.
Suleman Shah
Author
Suleman Shah is a researcher and freelance writer. As a researcher, he has worked with MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (Pakistan) and Texas A & M University (USA). He regularly writes science articles and blogs for science news website immersse.com and open access publishers OA Publishing London and Scientific Times. He loves to keep himself updated on scientific developments and convert these developments into everyday language to update the readers about the developments in the scientific era. His primary research focus is Plant sciences, and he contributed to this field by publishing his research in scientific journals and presenting his work at many Conferences.
Shah graduated from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Pakistan) and started his professional carrier with Jaffer Agro Services and later with the Agriculture Department of the Government of Pakistan. His research interest compelled and attracted him to proceed with his carrier in Plant sciences research. So, he started his Ph.D. in Soil Science at MNS University of Agriculture Multan (Pakistan). Later, he started working as a visiting scholar with Texas A&M University (USA).
Shah’s experience with big Open Excess publishers like Springers, Frontiers, MDPI, etc., testified to his belief in Open Access as a barrier-removing mechanism between researchers and the readers of their research. Shah believes that Open Access is revolutionizing the publication process and benefitting research in all fields.
Han Ju
Reviewer
Hello! I'm Han Ju, the heart behind World Wide Journals. My life is a unique tapestry woven from the threads of news, spirituality, and science, enriched by melodies from my guitar. Raised amidst tales of the ancient and the arcane, I developed a keen eye for the stories that truly matter. Through my work, I seek to bridge the seen with the unseen, marrying the rigor of science with the depth of spirituality.
Each article at World Wide Journals is a piece of this ongoing quest, blending analysis with personal reflection. Whether exploring quantum frontiers or strumming chords under the stars, my aim is to inspire and provoke thought, inviting you into a world where every discovery is a note in the grand symphony of existence.
Welcome aboard this journey of insight and exploration, where curiosity leads and music guides.
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