Digital Smarts - Time Spent Playing Video Games Deemed Positive Within Limits

You might not want to tell your kids there is a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health with the conclusion that “Time spent playing video games may have positive effects on young children.” While running counter to many stories in the media, and understanding that the study was about European children aged 6 to 11 who are not playing Grand Theft Auto, it reflects the times in which we live. Video game playing is now almost a rite of passage for young children. Katherine Keyes, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia, says “What we’re seeing here is that kids who play a lot of video games are socially integrated, they’re prosocial, they have good school functioning and we don’t see any association with adverse mental health outcomes.” She also added that this does not mean unlimited video game playing is good for anyone’s health, and that she supports the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation for parents to monitor and limit screen time.