Pediatricians warn about effects of video games on teen health

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When used indiscriminately, experts explain, games can cause sleep disturbances and even Gaming Disorder

Supervising the consumption of online games and evaluating the teenager’s maturity in the face of this practice are indispensable acts that parents and guardians need to adopt in order to extract the positive potential of the universe of games. This is the recommendation expressed by the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP) in the recently published scientific document “Adolescents, Electronic Games and Gaming Disorder”.

When used indiscriminately, experts explain, games can cause sleep disorders, physical inactivity, mood disorders and even the Gaming Disorder, characterized as dependence on recurrent and persistent use of the internet for games.

According to specialists from the Department of Adolescent Medicine at the SBP, responsible for the publication, it is essential to understand that technological instruments are, in principle, “neutral”; and that acquire “positive or negative” meaning according to their use. “This concept warns against assuming a Manichean posture, presenting electronic games, social media and other electronic devices always as villains”, reports the text.

“Strengthening family connections is the way to make gaming safer. This is important because many times children, especially pre-adolescents, do not have the ability to contextualize the content of some games. Adults need to help, by being present, to explain what fictional situations and representations are in comparison with real-life social expectations, always emphasizing the importance of respect for ethical values”,

recommend pediatricians.

Positive Effects

Different studies relate digital games to a series of positive outcomes: stimulating cognitive and motor development; improvement of social skills, such as teamwork, leadership, negotiation, communication and self-improvement; in addition to the feelings of satisfaction and pleasure arising from entertainment. There is also no evidence that games, when used appropriately, negatively affect family closeness and school engagement.

“Instead of the passivity proposed by the screen that displays a TV program or a series, in the game the individual is part of an active, shared experience, in which he makes decisions all the time and bears the consequences of them. The so-called exergames, a combination of the concepts of physical exercise and games, are a promising example for promoting beneficial behaviors. Dance exergames are already highly popular among young people and have the potential to increase physical activity in previously sedentary patients.”

highlight the pediatricians.

Negative Effects

Among the negative repercussions, the most recurrent is the decrease in the quantity and quality of sleep due to the use of games during the night. “Playing at that time is related to a decrease in total sleep and architectural changes in sleep. This sleep deprivation, in turn, leads to a multitude of other undesirable health effects, including decreased academic performance, irritability, mood disorders and physical inactivity.

Another central issue has been the stimulation of aggressive behavior by games. According to the SBP, the evidence is sufficient to suggest that, when playing violent videos, games can contribute to more aggressive attitudes. However, attributing violence to violent video games is not a closed outcome in itself and diverts attention from other factors, rooted in our society, that contribute to violence.

“Games meet the conditions for toxic behavior: anonymity and the competitive element, designed so that there is a desire to win, to annihilate the opponent. In a context of players’ excitement, sometimes there are screams, curses and insults. In some communities, this aggressiveness continues to be a problem, as well as issues such as machismo, racism, homophobia and xenophobia”,

ponder.

GAMING DISORDER

The SBP scientific document also brings an alert regarding addiction to electronic games (Gaming Disorder), officially recognized as a mental health disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the 11th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD-11 ). The problem is characterized when there are, obligatorily, the existence of three central factors, for at least 12 months, in a persistent or recurrent pattern, namely:

• Loss of control (frequency, intensity and duration) over gambling. In these cases, the teenager plays for longer than he had planned and cannot stop playing at the set time.

• Increased priority given to playing, which takes precedence over other interests and daily activities (sleep, food, study and relationships).

• Continuing or even increasing gambling activity despite the occurrence of negative consequences. This pattern is of sufficient intensity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other areas of life.

Given this scenario, it is essential to qualify a pediatrician for the correct assessment of the adolescent, because, despite the complaints often repeated by parents about “children who play excessively”, most of them do not experience negative consequences. “Systematic reviews and meta-analyses indicate that the worldwide prevalence of Gaming Disorder is approximately 1.9%”.

*With advisory information

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