Video Games, Impulsivity Seem to Go Hand-in-Hand

SATURDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) — Too much time spent playing
video games may lead to impulsive behavior and attention problems in
children, and vice versa, according to a new study.

In other words, people who spend more time playing video games
subsequently have more attention problems, and “individuals who are more
impulsive or have more attention problems subsequently spend more time
playing video games,” according to the report published in the current
issue of the journal Psychology and Popular Media Culture.

For the study, attention problems were defined as difficulty engaging
in or sustaining behavior to reach a goal, the authors explained in a news
release from the American Psychological Association.

“This is an important finding because most research on attention
problems has focused on biological and genetic factors rather than on
environmental factors,” lead study author Douglas Gentile, of Iowa State
University, said in the news release.

In addition, the researchers found that the amount of time spent
playing video games can have a greater effect on kids’ health and behavior
than video-game violence.

In conducting the study, researchers compiled information on the video
game-playing habits of more than 3,000 children in Singapore ranging in
age from 8 to 17 years over the course of three years. The children’s
attention to detail, ability to concentrate and their impulsiveness were
also measured.

Previous studies have found that video gamers demonstrate an improved
ability to rapidly and accurately recognize visual information, the study
authors noted.

But, Gentile explained in the news release, “It is possible that
electronic media use can impair attention necessary for concentration even
as it enhances the ability to notice and process visual information.”

The study authors said their findings could lead to the development of
more effective strategies to help children with attention problems and
impulsive behavior.

While the study uncovered an association between video-game playing
and attention and behavior problems, it did not prove a cause-and-effect
relationship.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more about the link between video games and attention problems in children.

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