It-Tlieta, Lulju 10, 2007

Researchers Says; M-Rated Games Good for Children

Could it be that violent video games
actually have a positive effect on adolescents?


Possibly, according to a new study.

This new Report highlights research done by Cheryl Olson, an Sc.D. at Massachusetts General Hospital. Olson, who surveyed more than 1,200 7th and 8th graders, said:


"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.
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 also credited playing video games as 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 borne out, at least in our study.
[Video games are] not going to ruin them. 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.
"



Olson’s study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.



Feeds From; http://www.firstcoastnews.com/tech/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=86310

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