Since their inception, video games have been the subject of concern due to the depictions of violence they may contain, which have heightened as the technology behind video games improve the amount of visual detail and realism of games. Video games are often seen as a possible cause to violent actions, notably in the aftermath of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, but academic studies have yet to identify any direct evidence between depictions of violence in video games and violent behavior.[3][circular reference]
According to a 2019 Sutter Health article, in "24 studies involving 17,000 children...", there was in fact a near-direct correlation between violent games and violent behavior. However, there are also reported upsides to gaming, such as an increased hand-eye coordination, and decision-making.[4]
There may or may not be an accompanying video game addiction.[5] Video games are also been linked in some studies to aggressive behavior and violence or fearful behavior by its players in the short term, although other studies have not supported this link.[6][7][8][9][10]
Studies have mainly reported health problems in children, mainly boys. Several specific names have been given to video-game related health problems, for example PlayStation thumb, Nintendinitis and acuteWiiitis; however, the literature does not seem to support these as truly separate disease entities.[11]Video game consoles linked to medical problems include the PlayStation and the NintendoWii, although it is unknown whether certain types are more connected to these problems than others.[12]Physical signs linked to excessive video game playing include black rings in the skin under the eyes and muscular stiffness in the shoulders, possibly caused by a tense posture or sleep deprivation.[13]
Existing literature on gaming is inconsistent, and studies occasionally produce contradictory results. Some studies show strong correlations between gaming and psychological issues, such as increased aggression in males and increased depression in females.[14] Another study claims that girls who gamed were less likely to experience depression, but were more likely to get into fights.[15]
In 2009, during a speech to the American Medical Association, US President Barack Obama identified video games as a health concern, stating that they are a key factor in unhealthy sedentary lifestyles.[16]
Musculoskeletal issues
When questioned, children often admit to having physical complaints during video game playing, for example pain in the hands and wrists, back and neck.[17][18][19]Ergonomic measures could improve postural problems associated with video game playing.[18]
Nintendonitis has been used to describe tendon injuries (tendinosis) of the hands and wrists in Nintendo players.[23]
A 2010 case report in the New England Journal of Medicine reported a fracture of the base of the fifth metatarsal after using a Wii balanceboard; this was dubbed a Wii fracture.[24]
A further study involving musculoskeletal symptoms and computer use among Finnish adolescents affirmed the association between musculoskeletal symptoms and computer usage. The study claims that daily computer use of 2 hours or more increases the risk for pain at most anatomic sites.[25]
Consistently long sessions of video game play also leads to an increased likelihood of lower back pain, according to a study conducted in a population of school children. Children who played video games for more than 2 hours a day were more inclined to have lower back pain; however, the same could not be said for those who watched television instead.[26]
Vision problems
Video game playing may cause vision problems.[11] Extensive viewing of the screen can cause eye strain, as the cornea, pupil, and iris are not intended for mass viewing sessions of electronic devices. Using video games for too long may also cause headaches, dizziness, and chances of vomiting from focusing on a screen. However, playing video games can also help eyesight because it increases reaction speeds and thought times. [citation needed]
Certain studies have shown that video games can be used to improve various eye conditions. An investigation into the effect of action gaming on spatial distribution of attention was conducted and revealed that gamers exhibited an enhancement with attention resources compared to non-gamers, not only in the periphery but also in central vision.[27] Further studies in 2011 concluded that a combination of video game therapy alongside occlusion therapy, would greatly improve the recovery of visual acuity in those experiencing amblyopia.[28]
The 20 20 20 rule used for computer eye strain may help prevent damage to the eyes. The rule states that every 20 minutes, you should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.[29]
Epileptic seizures
Concerns that video games can trigger epileptic seizures began in the early 1980s, with the first medically documented case of a video game-induced seizure occurring in 1981.[30] In early 1993, The Sun reported a boy choked to death on his own vomit during a seizure triggered by playing a video game; similar though less serious incidents were subsequently reported by news media around the world, and within a year all video game console manufacturers required that epilepsy warnings be included in the instruction manuals for all games published for their consoles.[30]
Studies published in 1994 in Pediatrics and The Lancet found that video games only cause seizures in people already predisposed to epilepsy, and that people with a predisposition to epilepsy can greatly reduce the risk of a seizure by staying 10 feet or more away from the TV set and wearing sunglasses while playing.[30]
Video game play is frequently associated with obesity. Many studies have been conducted on the link between television & video games and increased BMI (Body Mass Index). Due to video games replacing physical activities, there appears to be a clear association between time spent playing video games and increased BMI in young children.[31] One such study produced data that indicated that boys who spend less than 1.5 hours on the television and playing video games, were 75.4% less likely to be overweight than those who spend more than 1.5 hours.[32]
A study conducted in 2011 formalized the association of video game play and an increase in food intake in teens. A single session of video game play resulted in an increase in food intake, regardless of appetite.[33] The recent trend of "active video games" revolving around the Wii and Xbox Kinect might be a way to help combat the aforementioned problem, however, this finding still needs confirmation from other studies.[34][35] Furthermore, a study conducted in Baylor College of Medicine revolving around children claims that there is no evidence which supports the belief that acquiring an active video game under naturalistic circumstance would result in a beneficial outcome toward children. The study produced no results showing an increased amount of physical activity within the children receiving the active video games.[36] It has been estimated that children in the United States are spending 25 percent of their waking hours watching television and playing video games. Statistically, the children who watch the most hours of television or play video games are shown to have the highest incidence of obesity.[citation needed]
In January 2024, BMJ Public Health published a systematic review of 14 studies investigating associations between sound-induced hearing loss and playing video games and esports that found a significant association between gaming and hearing loss or tinnitus and that the average measured sound levels during gameplay by subjects (which averaged 3 hours per week) exceeded or nearly exceeded permissible sound exposure levels.[37]
Footnotes
↑ Shoja MM, Tubbs RS, Malekian A, Jafari Rouhi AH, Barzgar M, Oakes WJ (March 2007). "Video game epilepsy in the twentieth century: a review". Childs Nerv Syst. 23 (3): 265–7. doi:10.1007/s00381-006-0285-2. PMID17211654. S2CID12036884.
↑ Lopez-Fernandez, Olatz, ed. (2019). Internet and mobile phone addiction: health and educational effects. Environmental research and public health. Special issue. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI. ISBN978-3-03897-605-9.
↑ Ferguson CJ, Kilburn J (May 2009). "The public health risks of media violence: a meta-analytic review". J. Pediatr. 154 (5): 759–63. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2008.11.033. PMID19230901.
↑ Zapata AL, Moraes AJ, Leone C, Doria-Filho U, Silva CA (June 2006). "Pain and musculoskeletal pain syndromes related to computer and video game use in adolescents". Eur. J. Pediatr. 165 (6): 408–14. doi:10.1007/s00431-005-0018-7. PMID16552547. S2CID25399018.
↑ Bakos RM, Bakos L (December 2006). "Use of dermoscopy to visualize punctate hemorrhages and onycholysis in "playstation thumb"". Arch Dermatol. 142 (12): 1664–5. doi:10.1001/archderm.142.12.1664. PMID17179012.
↑ Macgregor DM (October 2000). "Nintendonitis? A case report of repetitive strain injury in a child as a result of playing computer games". Scott Med J. 45 (5): 150. doi:10.1177/003693300004500507. PMID11130299. S2CID25033136.
↑ Rehbein F, Kleimann M, Mössle T (June 2010). "Prevalence and risk factors of video game dependency in adolescence: results of a German nationwide survey". Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 13 (3): 269–77. doi:10.1089/cyber.2009.0227. PMID20557246.
↑ Biddiss E, Irwin J (July 2010). "Active video games to promote physical activity in children and youth: a systematic review". Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 164 (7): 664–72. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.104. PMID20603468.
Carbamazepine, sold under the brand name Tegretol among others, is an anticonvulsant medication used in the treatment of epilepsy and neuropathic pain. It is used as an adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia along with other medications and as a second-line agent in bipolar disorder. Carbamazepine appears to work as well as phenytoin and valproate for focal and generalized seizures. It is not effective for absence or myoclonic seizures.
Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. An epileptic seizure is the clinical manifestation of an abnormal, excessive, and synchronized electrical discharge in the neurons. The occurrence of two or more unprovoked seizures defines epilepsy. The occurrence of just one seizure may warrant the definition in a more clinical usage where recurrence may be able to be prejudged. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. These episodes can result in physical injuries, either directly such as broken bones or through causing accidents. In epilepsy, seizures tend to recur and may have no detectable underlying cause. Isolated seizures that are provoked by a specific cause such as poisoning are not deemed to represent epilepsy. People with epilepsy may be treated differently in various areas of the world and experience varying degrees of social stigma due to the alarming nature of their symptoms.
A repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an injury to part of the musculoskeletal or nervous system caused by repetitive use, vibrations, compression or long periods in a fixed position. Other common names include repetitive stress injury, repetitive stress disorders, cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs), and overuse syndrome.
A seizure is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with loss of consciousness, to shaking movements involving only part of the body with variable levels of consciousness, to a subtle momentary loss of awareness. These episodes usually last less than two minutes and it takes some time to return to normal. Loss of bladder control may occur.
Topiramate, sold under the brand name Topamax among others, is a medication used to treat epilepsy and prevent migraines. It has also been used in alcohol dependence and essential tremor. For epilepsy this includes treatment for generalized or focal seizures. It is taken orally.
Photosensitive epilepsy (PSE) is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights; bold, regular patterns; or regular moving patterns. PSE affects approximately one in 4,000 people.
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate dietary therapy that in conventional medicine is used mainly to treat hard-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates.
Nintendo thumb, also known as gamer's thumb and similar names, is a form of repetitive strain injury (RSI) caused by excessive playing of video games with the traditional Nintendo controller. This injury mainly occurs due to repeated thumb movements while playing video games. The symptoms can include blistering, paraesthesia, as well as swelling of the thumbs, though any finger can be affected. This can lead to stress on tendons, nerves, and ligaments in the hands, and further onto lateral epicondylitis, tendinitis, bursitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Similar injuries can occur with other gaming systems, such as PlayStation thumb from playing Sony PlayStation. The general recommendation for the treatment is to rest and stop the repetitive motion of the affected finger. In more severe and painful cases, using NSAIDs is also recommended.
Fitness game, exergame, and gamercise are terms used for video games that are also a form of exercise. Fitness games rely on technology that tracks body movement or reaction. The genre has been used to challenge the stereotype of gaming as a sedentary activity, and promoting an active lifestyle among gamers. Fitness games are seen as evolving from technology aimed at making exercise more fun.
Video game addiction (VGA), also known as gaming disorder or internet gaming disorder, is generally defined as a psychological addiction that is problematic, compulsive use of video games that results in significant impairment to an individual's ability to function in various life domains over a prolonged period of time. This and associated concepts have been the subject of considerable research, debate, and discussion among experts in several disciplines and has generated controversy within the medical, scientific, and gaming communities. Such disorders can be diagnosed when an individual engages in gaming activities at the cost of fulfilling daily responsibilities or pursuing other interests without regard for the negative consequences. As defined by the ICD-11, the main criterion for this disorder is a lack of self control over gaming.
Frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) is a neurological disorder that is characterized by brief, recurring seizures arising in the frontal lobes of the brain, that often occur during sleep. It is the second most common type of epilepsy after temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and is related to the temporal form in that both forms are characterized by partial (focal) seizures.
The study of violence in mass media analyzes the degree of correlation between themes of violence in media sources with real-world aggression and violence over time. Many social scientists support the correlation, however, some scholars argue that media research has methodological problems and that findings are exaggerated. Other scholars have suggested that the correlation exists, but can be unconventional to the current public belief.
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a fatal complication of epilepsy. It is defined as the sudden and unexpected, non-traumatic and non-drowning death of a person with epilepsy, without a toxicological or anatomical cause of death detected during the post-mortem examination.
Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do is a book by Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl K. Olson. Along with psychiatrist Eugene V. Beresin, Kutner and Olson are co-directors of the Harvard Medical School Center for Mental Health and Media, a division of the department of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Epilepsy is a neurological condition of recurrent episodes of unprovoked epileptic seizures. A seizure is an abnormal neuronal brain activity that can cause intellectual, emotional, and social consequences. Epilepsy affects children and adults of all ages and races, and is one of the most common neurological disorders of the nervous system. Epilepsy is more common among children than adults, affecting about 6 out of 1000 US children that are between the age of 0 to 5 years old. The epileptic seizures can be of different types depending on the part of the brain that was affected, seizures are classified in 2 main types partial seizure or genralized seizure.
Pediatric massage is the complementary and alternative treatment that uses massage therapy, or "the manual manipulation of soft tissue intended to promote health and well-being" for children and adolescents. Its goal is to reduce pain, anxiety, loneliness and fear when children are hospitalized or diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition. Pediatric massage therapy takes into consideration each child's individual physical development, cognitive development and health care needs.
Media consumption or media diet is the sum of information and entertainment media taken in by an individual or group. It includes activities such as interacting with new media, reading books and magazines, watching television and film, and listening to radio. An active media consumer must have the capacity for skepticism, judgement, free thinking, questioning, and understanding. Media consumption is to maximize the interests of consumers.
Since their inception in the 1970s, video games have often been criticized by some for violent content. Politicians, parents, and other activists have claimed that violence in video games can be tied to violent behavior, particularly in children, and have sought ways to regulate the sale of video games. Studies have shown no connection between video games and violent behavior. The American Psychological Association states that while there is a well-established link between violent video games and aggressive behaviors, attributing acts of violence to violent video gaming "is not scientifically sound."
Video game rehabilitation is a process of using common video game consoles and methodology to target and improve physical and mental weaknesses through therapeutic processes. Video games are becoming an integral part of occupational therapy practice in acute, rehabilitation, and community settings. The design for video games in rehabilitation is focused on a number of fundamental principles, such as reward, goals, challenge, and meaningful play. 'Meaningful play' emerges from the relationship between player action and system outcome, apparent to the player through, visual, physical and aural feedback. Platforms that feature motion control, notably the Nintendo Wii, Microsoft's Xbox Kinect, Sony's Eye Toy, and virtual reality have all been effective in this field of research. Methodologies have been applied to all age groups, from toddlers to the elderly. It has been used in a variety of cases ranging from stroke rehabilitation, cerebral palsy and other neurological impairments, to tendinitis and multiple sclerosis. Researchers have promoted such technology based on the personalization of gaming systems to patients, allowing for further engagement and interaction. Additionally, gaming consoles have the ability to capture real-time data and provide instant feedback to the patients using the systems. Currently, several researchers have performed case studies to demonstrate the benefits of this technology. Repeat trials and experiments have shown that outcomes are easily replicated among various groups worldwide. Additionally, the outcomes have increased interest in the field, growing experiments beyond simple case studies to experiments with a larger participant base.
The relationships between digital media use and mental health have been investigated by various researchers—predominantly psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, and medical experts—especially since the mid-1990s, after the growth of the World Wide Web. A significant body of research has explored "overuse" phenomena, commonly known as "digital addictions", or "digital dependencies." These phenomena manifest differently in many societies and cultures. Some experts have investigated the benefits of moderate digital media use in various domains, including in mental health, and the treatment of mental health problems with novel technological solutions.
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