British researchers also point to their benefits in terms of communication and social ties.
© Pixabay.com
In May 2019, the WHO announcement that recognized video game disorder as a disease caused a lot of talk. The international body pointed out these problematic behaviors that cause a person to lose control over gambling, which can have damaging repercussions in his life.
On the contrary, some studies hail the benefits of video games and this is precisely the case with the report produced by the National Literacy Trust, a British organization which aims to promote literacy. Researchers from this charity interviewed 4,626 children aged 11 to 16 about their practice of video games.
When video games become medicine
The vast majority of respondents welcomed the benefits. Thus, 80% of them declared having read material relating to a video game in the last month. They can in particular be books or articles. According to the authors, this helps improve their writing skills and may even inspire them to create their own content.
In fact, 62% of young people surveyed say they write once a month about their favorite game. It is often blogs, fanfictions. Scientists also evoke a “shared cultural experience”, which would be conducive to better communication between young people and those around them, allowing for stronger social ties. This better communication therefore has a very positive overall effect on the mental health of players, the researchers conclude. The people questioned pointed out that playing often allows them to escape stress.
As a reminder, last June, the FDA (Federal and Drug Administration) recognized the benefits of a video game that can now be prescribed by American doctors. EndeavorRX, which is an obstacle course to capture aliens, is considered a drug for children 8 to 12 years old with attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity.
