Playing video games could improve mental well-being, according to a Japanese study.
- Playing video games improves mental well-being, Japanese study finds.
- However, the magnitude of the gaming effect was influenced by various socio-economic factors such as gender, age, employment, family structure as well as console ownership.
- Furthermore, the beneficial effect did not decrease beyond 3 hours of play per day.
The effects of video games on the psyche of its users are a source of many questions. A recent study conducted in Japan – the cradle and major player in this sector – assures that having a console is not harmful to mental well-being.
The work of this team composed of researchers from Osaka University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Takasaki City University of Economics, the National Graduate Institute of Political Studies and Nihon University, was published in the journal Nature Human Behavior.
Video games linked to increased mental well-being
To assess the effects of video games on the mental well-being of its users, researchers launched a large survey of Japanese residents aged 10 to 69 during the Covid-19 epidemic. 97,602 responses were obtained and analyzed.
The team found that owning a game console improved mental well-being. By their calculations, it reduced psychological distress and improved life satisfaction by 0.1 to 0.6 standard deviations.
“Our results challenge common stereotypes that games are harmful or only provide temporary euphoria.”says lead author Hiroyuki Egami in a press release. “We have shown that play can improve mental health and life satisfaction in a wide range of individuals.”
However, the magnitude of the gaming effect was influenced by various socio-economic factors such as gender, age, employment, family structure as well as the characteristics of the console owned.
Video games and mental health: do not exceed 3 hours per day
While video games seem to be good for morale, the study specifies that they should not be overused either. “Our experience showed that video gaming had a positive impact on mental well-being, but that playing for more than 3 hours had diminishing psychological benefits”indicate their authors in their article published on August 19, 2024.
For them, their work shows among other things “the need for further research into the mechanisms underlying the effects of video games on mental well-being”.
