Whether parents like it or not, video games are a big part of many young teenagers lives. But sometimes these games get a bad rap, that they can lead to violent behavior.
Now, a new study hopes to change that. Researchers looked at more than 1,200 seventh- and eighth-graders who play video games regularly.
"We found that most boys 12- to 14-years-old are playing mature-rated video games, so this idea that M-rated games cause shootings or major violence just doesn't hold water," said Cheryl Olson, Sc.D. of Massachusetts General Hospital.
Researchers say these games help teens deal with their emotions like stress and anger.
"We don't know whether playing to get anger out is a good thing or a bad thing for any individual child, but we suspect that it might be healthy for a lot of kids," Olson said.
And that's not all. Olson says playing video games is a social activity.
"They're more likely to play with a group of friends in the same room or over the Internet, so this stereotype of a solitary violent gamer up in his room wasn't born out, at least in our study," Olson said.
The take-home message to parents when it comes to video games and your kids:
"It's not going to ruin them," Olson said. "They're not going to go out and pick up a gun. Violent video game play is typical and normal for kids nowadays. That doesn't mean that parents have to like it, but they shouldn't panic about it."
Researchers also say parents should be aware of the games their kids are playing and can limit their use by keeping game consoles and computers out of their bedrooms. This study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
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