Videogame time linked to kids’ behaviour

London, April 1: Children who play videogames for more than three hours a day are more likely to be hyperactive, get involved in fights and not be interested in school, according to a new Oxford study.

However, low levels of play — under an hour a day — might actually benefit behaviour, researchers found.

The study found that the time spent playing games could be linked with problem behaviour and this was the significant factor rather than the types of games played.

They could find no link between playing violent games and real- life aggression or a child’s academic performance.

“We can see links between some types of games and children’s behaviour, as well as time spent playing. However, we cannot say that game play causes good or bad behaviour. We also know that the risks attached to game- playing are small,” said lead author Dr Andy Przybylski, from Oxford University’s Oxford Internet Institute.

“A range of other factors in a child’s life will influence their behaviour more as this research suggests that playing electronic games may be a statistically significant but minor factor in how children progress academically or in their emotional well- being,” Przybylski said.

Although some parents might believe that by playing strategy and puzzle games their child might boost their school grades or increase their social skills, researchers found sociability and the grades of the children who played such games were no higher than their non- playing peers.

The study found that no game features typically encountered by young people could be linked with any negative patterns of behaviour; yet children who played some kinds of games were linked to some types of positive behaviour.

Children who played video games with a cooperative and competitive element had significantly fewer emotional problems or problems with peers.

Children who chose to play solitary games were found to do well academically and displayed fewer emotional problems or get involved in fights.