Video games: passion and its limits.

In France, approximately 13 million gamers play video games at least once a month, including 3.8 million who do so daily. The prevalence of problematic gaming varies, depending on the study, from 0.7% to 11.9%. Thus, in most cases, video gaming causes no harm but provides players with a space for relaxation. Through video games, particularly multiplayer role-playing games, teenagers find a way to express their personality and identify with a group while maintaining control over their image. Faced with the challenges of their lives, some teenagers see strategy games as a space where they have a second chance to succeed in life. In the absence of personal and, above all, parental limits, a loss of control regarding screen time can lead to problems and hinder healthy development. The attitude of demonizing gaming is counterproductive when dealing with problem gamers, as it prevents the “therapeutic alliance” that is a prerequisite for any effective treatment.

Author(s): Phan Olivier

Publishing year: 2014

Pages: 40-43

Health in Action, 2014, n° 429, p. 40-43

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