What is Helium

Are video games good or bad for teens?

Results so far:

Good		70%	673 votes	Total: 956 votes
Bad		30%	283 votes	Total: 956 votes

Good

1 of 24

When some notable personality makes a comment regarding video games and related teen violence, everyone listens. A network news anchor makes a statement that associates video game violence with the latest teen crime and it sticks. A video game gets branded for it's "excessive" violence and the entire industry takes the rap.

Negative statements like these, against a new technology that already irks the average parent, sticks, because we, as adults and a general public, are more sheep than we are lion. We prefer to follow more than lead. We crave the direction of the wise and the instruction of the learned. We need someone to take our leash and lead us to water.

In general, people listen to these baseless accusations because they simply cannot cope with the success of the video game. The video game has taken charge of their teenager. Their teen now strives for something other than that which the parent feels is best for them. They prefer to spend their time pushing buttons and chasing bad guys then they do grabbing some guy around the legs and jerking him down to the ground or running so hard they stumble from heat exhaustion or jumping so much and so high they are constantly suffering from strained leg muscles. They want to play the games, they want to beat the monster, they want to capture the bad guy. That's all, they want to complete the quest, they just want to do it on screen.

Video games are indeed good for our teens. They are not just acceptable; they are not simply to be tolerated, they are absolutely good. Typically, if you do it right, video games will keep your teen off the streets, hopefully further away from drugs, and in your house at night. Is that all bad? If your teen has the right video games he or she is less likely to wander around the house mumbling "There's nothing to do."

I believe video games are so good for teens that I think it is worth the regular investment of $50 or $60 every six to eight weeks to get a new game disk for your teen. It doesn't matter if the first one has been conquered yet or not, just go get one. Ask at the counter what game is the most popular and get it. Go ahead and exercise some parental control if you feel you must and select only the one you think is best for your teen, but get the game none the less.

Pay attention to what your teen is playing and buy games in that genre. Don't get so uptight about adult themes either. This is cartoons folks, drawings, graphics, animation; not life. Put a little bit of trust in your own child's ability to handle fantasy. They'll be just fine.

We never fret about our children becoming comedians if they watch a lot of comedy, or becoming a cowboy if they watch John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, or a superhero if they read comics, or cooks if they watch cooking shows, why do we think they will become violent if they watch violence? Why do we, as sheep, force the connection between video violence and out of control teens but not acknowledge any of the other clearly present potential relationships? I will tell you why, because none of the popular talk show hosts have made that connection yet.

As my own children were growing up I would let them watch all the horror movies they wanted to. It never once concerned me that they might themselves become monsters. You know what, neither one of them is a monster today. How did I accomplish that? How could I possibly have prevented my teens from becoming Frankenstein when I freely allowed them to watch the movie? Because, bring the child up properly and they will not let you down.

I would much rather have my teen in his or her bedroom playing the latest violent war video game then I would have that same teen hanging around on some street corner sipping pop, smoking ciggarettes, or worse yet dealing dope, and just waiting for something strange and new to happen. Quit forcing your round teenager into your square hole of a model teen. Your teen is who he or she is. Be there for them but let them experience what must be experienced. You just may be surprised.

Learn more about this author, Gary Maclean.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Bad

1 of 8

by Ryan Henson

With the birth of every new cultural phenomenon, there will be someone there to herald it as a horseman of the Apocalypse. It happened with rap music, rock music, even The Jerry Springer Show. There has been similar chicken little-type outcry over the past decade concerning the proliferation of realistic and violent video games, claiming that we're training a generation of desensitized mass-murderers and video game addicts. These reactions might be a bit over-dramatic, but that doesn't mean that excessive video game play can't be bad for teens. In fact, with video games becoming so inseparable from daily life in our world today, it would border on neglectful not to look into the possible long-term effects on kids.

Violence

The most common arguments against video games are that they lead to violence. These arguments rose to a high water mark after the Columbine high school shootings, in which two students allegedly designed a real-life killing spree based on the "Doom" series of ultra-violent video games. As game technology improves and games approach an uncanny level of visual realism, concern has grown about whether game consoles are becoming virtual murder simulators. Some studies have shown a connection between violent games and aggression, but there has been no solid proof that this leads to actual violent crime.

According to a recent large-scale study, detailed in the book Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth about Video Games( by Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson), parents might not need to worry too much about violent games turning their kids into killers, but these games can lead to more moderate aggressive behavior. The study examined the video game habits and social activity of 1,200 middle school children over a two year span. Overall, the study found that a normal amount of video gaming can be healthy, and that most kids are able to separate the scenarios they see in video games from reality. However, they did find that kids, both boys and girls, who played M-rated video games were more likely to have participated in delinquent behavior during the previous year, such as physical fights or property damage, than kids who didn't play M-rated games.

"We can't say whether games like Grand Theft Auto encourage aggression, whether aggressive kids like GTA, or if other factors affect both of these," Says Olson. "But parents should definitely keep a closer eye on children who play mostly violent games, or play for many hours per week."

For normal, well-adjusted teens, a couple hours of mature-themed games here and there probably won't turn them into sociopaths. However, until more conclusive research is done, it's important for parents to consider the possibility that, in some cases, these games may contribute to aggressive behavior, trouble at school, or poor academic performance. Parents should be especially cautious about the gaming habits of kids with preexisting emotional or developmental disorders.

Video Game Addiction

With the explosion of the online gaming phenomenon over the last decade, a new concern has emerged: video game addiction. Most serious gamers will freely admit that a good online game can soak up your time faster than a ShamWow on a hot day. World of Warcraft, a popular massive multiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG), has probably accounted for millions of skipped classes and unwarranted sick days. But, actual video game addiction, that has to be an exaggeration, right?

Not according to Elizabeth Woolley, the mother of young man, Shawn Woolley, who committed suicide in 2001 after an extended struggle with video game addiction to the game EverQuest. "He played (video games) for about 10 years and had no problem," Woolley told the Washington Times in a recent article, "then he discovered EverQuest. He just became a different person - withdrawn. Socially inactive. The game became the solution to all his problems." Since there was a lack of resources for video game addiction at the time, Woolley started the website olganon.org (online gamers anonymous) for others struggling with similar issues, and is dedicated to spreading awareness about this growing problem. If you visit the site, you can find numerous stories about how online games, especially MMORPGs, have disrupted lives, families and careers.

The addictive quality of these games is easy to fathom. They offer open-ended, continuously evolving worlds where players can create alter-egos and seek fame and fortune in a virtual community. For teens that are having trouble with real-life problems such as depression, anxiety, or social isolation, these alternate worlds can offer a tempting form of escapism. They may feel a need to reinvent themselves, and may find feelings of reward, acceptance, and self-confidence that is lacking in their day-to-day lives. In some cases, games can start to replace normal activities and peer-interaction that is important to social development.

The AMA is considering officially including video game addiction in the DSM (Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Many psychiatrists and counselors have already begun treating compulsive video gaming as a disorder, such as Dr. Kimberly Young, author of several books on internet addiction and director of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery (netaddiction.com). Young claims that online gaming addiction can be just as real as a chemical dependency.

"Compulsi ve disorders can manifest themselves in many non-chemical means such as gaming, food, shopping, or high-risk sexual behavior," says Young, "and the mental health field is just beginning to acknowledge the addictive potential of the Internet to the same extent." According to Young, warning signs of video game addiction include the following:

Lying or hiding gaming use

Disobedience at time limits

Loss of interest in other activities

Social withdrawal from family and friends

Continuing to game despite its consequences

Suggesti ons for parents

Suggesting video games can be bad for teens is not to say that letting your teens have an Xbox is like handing them a gun or a bottle of Vicodin. Like T.V., a moderate amount of gaming is a harmless form of entertainment for most kids. Every child is different, though. For those who are having trouble dealing with issues in their real life, or have an undiagnosed preexisting emotional or mental disorder, excessive gaming may add to the problem or create new ones. It's important for parents to pay attention to their kids' game-play habits, be aware of warning signs, and if things seem to be getting out of hand, seek professional advice. Being informed might help to keep a seemingly harmless activity from taking on a life of its own.

Below is a list of links to helpful resources for parents about video game content and use.

http://www.CommonSen seMedia.org helps parents find specific information about the content of popular video games titles and other media.

http://www.grandthef tchildhood.com Information from the book, by Kutner and Olson, as well as advice for parents on how to approach video game usage among kids

http://www.Netaddict ion.com The Center for internet Addiction Recovery - Guidelines for identifying and treating video game addiction

http://olganon.org Online Gamers Anonymous A discussion forum for compulsive gamers

Learn more about this author, Ryan Henson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.