Are you concerned about the amount of time you or a loved one spend playing video games? You aren't alone – the American Medical Association is too. In fact, they were so concerned they commissioned a study of the possibility of video game addiction.
In a conclusion that might concern the industry, including Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), Playstation maker Sony Corp ADR (NYSE:SNE) and xBox's Microsoft (NASDAQ :MSFT), the study raises serious concerns about the pastime.
That concern falls into two categories – the first, the potential for game activities to shape the non-game behavior of participants, hearkens back to the long-running concern over television violence. The AMA study points to a number of small studies that find a causal link between violent games and the aggressive behavior of those who play them. However, it also recognizes that industry-sponsored studies found no such link.
In exploring the question of addiction, the study concluded the most analogous behavior currently defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is pathological gambling. Unfortunately, they did not go on to explore the symptoms of video game addiction and what the similarities are.
This lack of clarity did not stop them, however, from recommending that the Association "...strongly encourage the consideration and inclusion of Internet/video game addiction as a formal diagnostic disorder in the upcoming revision of DSMA".
The consequence of such a diagnosis is more than grist for water cooler debates. If the AMA is successful, insurance companies and the Federal government might find themselves paying out big bucks for treatment of this 'addiction'. And the industry could be find itself even more vulnerable to lawsuits after events such as Virginia Tech.
I grew up spending hours each day shooting basketballs. My name is Tom, and I guess I was an addict. A hoops addict. Don't I deserve some government aid for my problem?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-21-2007 @ 11:24AM
Ayn Bishop said...
My son is 16 yrs old and he plays this game Warcraft on the computer. This game interacts with other players. He is definately an addict. I have to pry him off with major fights. I gave up trying to make him get off the computer. I would say that he is playing this game 12-18 hours on a daily basis. It is affecting his social skills and his friends who play this game are the same way. I need help!!!