Study to link gaming with mental illness

By Fred Dutton Published 14 January, 2011

ESA counters, labels report "dubious".

A forthcoming study which claims to establish a link between gaming and metal health problems in children has been junked by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) as "questionable" and "dubious".

Although the exact contents of the report, authored by Iowa State University researcher Douglas Gentile, have yet to be made public, it's angered the ESA enough to coax a statement from senior VP Richard Taylor.

"We commend credible, independent, and verifiable research about computer and video games. However, this research is just more of the same questionable findings by the same author in his campaign against video games."

"There simply is no concrete evidence that computer and videogames cause harm," Taylor continued. "In fact, a wide body of research has shown the many ways games are being used to improve our lives through education, health and business applications."

According to the ESA, the methodology used in Gentile's report just isn't sound.

"Its definition of 'pathological gaming' is neither scientifically nor medically accepted and the type of measure used has been criticised by other scholars.

"Other outcomes are also measured using dubious instruments when well-validated tools are readily available. In addition, because the effect sizes of the outcomes are mainly trivial, it leaves open the possibility the author is simply interpreting things as negatively as possible."

Gentile, who has a long history of research into the alleged negative side-effects of gaming, issued a retort via Gamasutra.

"Although the ESA claim that this study is flawed, they give no credible evidence of significant flaws," he said. "Furthermore, the article was subjected to peer-review by independent experts in a top medical journal, experts whose interest is in evaluating the quality of science."

"My position is and always has been that games are powerful, and that they can have many effects. Some effects are beneficial, others can be harmful," he added.

"The various effects depend upon many different features, upon amount of time spent with the games, and possibly upon characteristics of the player. By being aware of both the potential benefits and potential problems, families can maximise the benefits while minimizing the harms."

We'll have more to say on this one as soon as Gentile's report gets published, but in the meantime we'll take the time to remind you that a different set of eggheads recently claimed gaming helped youngsters do better at school and stay away from drugs. Who to believe, eh?

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (45) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Lunastra78 #1 1 year ago

    Drinking, working, gaming, &#¤ing - Remember kids, everything is bad for you when done in excess.*





    *Not to be confused with the band INXS, which is also bad for you.

  • Gromit #2 1 year ago

    I think they are harmful for kids in that they can deprive them of sleep on school nights, and the following day they will display the side-effects of that, but as far as causing mental illness goes, I doubt it very much. Also if there is a link between the two, is gaming a cause or a symptom?

  • Utopolitan #3 1 year ago

    If you're not a drug addict, you're a gamer. Typical academics.

  • Shikasama #4 1 year ago

    Shocker 1: Industry discredits report which suggests product made by inudstry has health concerns attached to it.

    Shocker 2: Indignant gamers also attack report without reading it or knowing the details of its findings in comments thread.
    Edited by Shikasama at 14/01/11 @ 19:17

  • Emmit_Assassin #5 1 year ago

    Everything in moderation, including scientific studies.

  • AcidSnake #6 1 year ago

    a link between gaming and metal health problems

    Metal health! Yeah! Rock on!

    Also, sounds a bit like a dumb study...Even though I have often suffered through US teens saying clearly deranged things over the headset I wouldn't think they're actually deranged...
    No evidence to even base the theory on...A bit like having a study to see if excessive gaming increases your appetite for sushi...

  • SecretStage #7 1 year ago

    Thats Crazy talk

  • adzengland #8 1 year ago

    What a load of tosh.

    *punches cat*

  • sirtacos #9 1 year ago

    /looks up, tells voices to shut up
    I'll be sure to keep that study in mind for my defence, thanks EG.
    /resumes stabbing baby orphans

  • altitude2k #10 1 year ago

    Much like Richard Dawkins' questionable scientific foundations, it is retarded to set out to prove something as the results will always be massaged by bias. If you set out to see if a link exists and then find that it does, then that's fair enough.

  • Beano #11 1 year ago

    These scientists are crazy...CRAZY I say!

    Have to go back to LBP2 now.. my hands are shaking.

  • deadduckz #12 1 year ago

    This is even funnier than obese people causing world hunger and global warming..

    ie they eat all the food.

    take more fuel to run their car

    now gaming.... repent now, if you move off your sofa you gonna cause some harm to something or someone

  • Markusdragon #13 1 year ago

    You mean there could be a link between mental health issues, such as, say, depression or low self-esteem or social anxiety, and an activity based around escapism? Good lord, who'd have possibly thought it!

  • LazyNinjaUk #14 1 year ago

    Surely any evidence that claims video games contribute to mental health problems, will also show that they can only contribute to an already existing psychological character fault, and that films, literature and music also contribute in the same way.

    In other words, video games are being singled out as a "possible" cause of mental illness, when in reality any form of suggestive media has the same effect. Disturbed individuals have been doing shitty, violent things to others way before such games a Grand Theft Auto or Counter Strike.

  • man.the.king #15 1 year ago

    I assume there were no cases of mental illness before Pong or Computer Space.
    Edited by man.the.king at 14/01/11 @ 19:49

  • timewarp87 #16 1 year ago

    Hello, and welcome to the mental health hotline ...

    If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly.
    If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2 for you.
    If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6.
    If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on the line so we can trace your call.
    If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be transferred to the mother ship.
    If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a small voice will tell you which number to press.
    If you are a manic-depressive, it doesn’t matter which number you press, no one will answer.
    If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969696.
    If you have a nervous disorder, please fidget with the pound key until a representative comes on the line.
    If you have amnesia, press 8 and state your name, address, telephone number, date of birth, Social Security number and your mother’s maiden name.
    If you have post-traumatic stress disorder, s-l-o-w-l-y and c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y press 0 0 0.
    If you have bi-polar disorder, please leave a message after the beep, or before the beep, or after the beep. Please wait for the beep.
    If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

    If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

    If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

    If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.
    If you have low self-esteem, please hang up. All operators are too busy to talk to you.

    Source : [link url=http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertainment/humour/readfiles/manic.htm
    ]http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertainmen...[/link]

    :-)
    Edited by timewarp87 at 14/01/11 @ 22:56

  • man.the.king #17 1 year ago

    @timewarp87

    Pure genius! I wish I could give more than +1 :D

    EDIT: I thought it was genius attributable to you, until I stumbled upon this
    Edited by man.the.king at 14/01/11 @ 20:18

  • superdelphinus #18 1 year ago

    Metal health problems??

  • MiniAmin #19 1 year ago

    And what on earth makes you think i'd believe a gaming Gentile?

    /runs

  • superdelphinus #20 1 year ago

    Ps - what exactly is questionable about Richard dawkins' scientific foundations??

  • DVR #21 1 year ago

    @altitude2k: Actually when conducting a scientific experiment you first identify clearly what result would disprove the theory then set up the experiment to try to replicate that result. That's not to say that all scientific experiments do this, but if not observed it will count against the experimenter during the peer review process.

    I'll reserve judgement on the study until I can read the details for myself, but if this quote is correct, "Furthermore, the article was subjected to peer-review by independent experts in a top medical journal", then I am immediately suspicious since that is not what peer review is.

  • beatwolf #22 1 year ago

    would really like to read this report. Without reading it I will say nothing.

  • altitude2k #23 1 year ago

    He is all but laughed upon within the scientific community. That is actually true. Real science does not go out with the aim to disprove (or indeed prove) anything. It comes from the unbiased analysis of results.

    Richard Dawkins is considered far too passionate about disproving the existence of God, and as such his studies cannot be considered reliable.

  • DrStrangelove #24 1 year ago

    a different set of eggheads recently claimed gaming helped youngsters do better at school and stay away from drugs.

    That's the problem, gaming turns kids into boring life-less nerds. Save your child before it's too late!

  • DrStrangelove #25 1 year ago

    But seriously, let's wait with judgements until we know what the report is about. Bad style by the ESA there, slating a report before anyone can read it.

  • skuzzbag #26 1 year ago

    Never me did no harm.

  • MiniAmin #27 1 year ago

    He is all but laughed upon within the scientific community. That is actually true.

    The man who formerly held the "Simonyi Professorship for Public Understanding of Science" is laughed upon by the scientific community? The man who's won the Faraday award and countless scientific doctorates? You're telling me this man is laughed upon by the scientific community? That can't be true, unless you define creationism as science.

    If that's the case I apologise and i'd like some of what you're smoking too. Why did you bring up Dawkins here anyway? Apart from being completely inaccurate, it's a completely irrelevant topic to discuss here.

  • mrboshingles #28 1 year ago

    What a load of shit, I'LL KILL THEM ALL for saying such nonsense!!!!!

  • timewarp87 #29 1 year ago

    I wonder what game he made them play that made them mentally ill?

  • Canyarion #30 1 year ago

    Hey man, I've seen Ben X, games help kinds with mental ilness!!

    (Seriously, go watch it because it's a good movie about an autistic kid who plays an MMO.)

  • timewarp87 #31 1 year ago

    Or The Wizard?
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098663/

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #32 1 year ago

    *inhales deeply*

    *exhales deeply*

    pppppppppphhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

  • redcrayon #33 1 year ago

    @Altitude2k
    'Richard Dawkins is considered far too passionate about disproving the existence of God, and as such his studies cannot be considered reliable.'

    Just out of interest, would you also consider religious leaders to be far too passionate about convincing people of the existence of various gods, and thus also incredibly unreliable?

  • redcrayon #34 1 year ago

    Back on topic, I think Gromit nailed it at the start of the thread, it will be interesting to read whether children develop mental health issues from playing too many games, or if if a) the stigma of diagnosis and b) more time off school contribute to more time spent playing computer games.


  • Murton #35 1 year ago

    The ESA have fallen into the exact same trap as TIGA did with the whole tax break for games and Panorama debates. Why does the games industry get so defensive over these claims? All that was required was a brief statement saying that the results of the study, though interesting, fail to establish a causal link between video games and mental disorder.

    If you want to defeat a scientific study that works against your aims you can't do it by shouting and crying foul, you have to do it properly, look at the results, the methodology, the original hypothesis. You find a flaw in the study and you focus the debate on that, what you certainly don't do is shake your head and say "nuh uh" while calling your opponent names as the ESA appear to be doing here. The methodology in Gentile's studies (all of them) alone gives more than enough ammunition to shoot down his findings without the need to resort to such a playground response.

    No wonder nobody takes this industry seriously.

  • kongzi #36 1 year ago

    Interesting...let's do a comparative study about the harm caused by psychiatry and by gaming in the last 100 years. (Of course the numbers for gaming will have to be extrapolated, but I don't think mr Gentile has trouble extrapolating anything.)

    I'm curious what that will turn up..

  • Dogzilla #37 1 year ago

    Children with "metal health problems" eh? Get Tony Stark on the phone!

  • Bassassin #38 1 year ago

    As a scientist Dawkins is not remotely concerned with "disproving the existence of God". His position is that there is a mass of empirical scientific evidence to support the theory of evolution, and none whatsoever to support the existence of a creator deity. That's all.

    It's probably a good idea to read something before attempting to discredit or misrepresent it - and that's why I'm not going to express my knee-jerk reaction to this particular study - not just yet, anyway.

  • ShiroBen #39 1 year ago

    I'm trying to get indignant about this but it all just seems so silly.

  • Captain_Jono #40 1 year ago

    "Who to believe, eh? "

    Er, whichever findings are born out by academic peer review and meta-analysis!

    It does the ESA no credit to pre-emptively attack somebody's research just because the findings might be inconvenient for the industry!

  • Claudiov1.0 #41 1 year ago

    Its not that games makes kids stupid and absolutely borderline retarded, it's more like the stupid kids ruin the games you play, like the online experience of COD, their slogan should be:

    "play COD and meet that SPECIAL Someone"

  • Guildenstern #42 1 year ago

    @MiniAmin: You have to remember that lying for Jesus is a good thing. That's what he's doing here.

  • Collymilad #43 1 year ago

    YAWN.

    Seriously, someone needs to invent a new media so it can have it's turn being the scapegoat of all societies problems.

    I mean we had Music, TV, Film, now games - need something new to move on to.

  • jake-123 #44 1 year ago

    shut up trying to prove that gaming is bad for you and tell the kids to stop buying drugs, smoking, having babies, over doing the alcohol, having gang bangs etc etc etc

  • geeza2020 #45 1 year ago

    playing games is bad, mmmmkay?