"I'm not addicted!" Kids have a right to play - even digitally
鈥淚鈥檓 not addicted! Fortnite is my third favourite game.鈥� Photo: Pixabay
Are games really addictive?
Parents, teachers and the media need to stop pathologising game play as 鈥渁ddictive鈥� or a 鈥渄isorder鈥� as it is potentially harmful to a child鈥檚 sense of identity and the benefits of play, according to new research.
The study, led by Dr Marcus Carter, in the School of Literature, Arts and Media, who has , examined how Australian children aged 9-14 years understood claims that Fortnite is 鈥渁ddictive鈥� and applied it to their own play.
The study found children used the word 鈥渁ddictive鈥� to describe a game simply being fun, or used the term to describe their desire to play a game beyond the length or occasion it was allowed. This made some children avoid playing Fortnite, or in some cases, any games at all.
The research, published in the journal , argues that the risk of pathologising all video games as 鈥渁ddictive鈥� is that some children might miss out on the benefits of playing games, and others may start to associate the normal and reasonable desire to play as something forbidden or deviant.
"Kids need to have fun, whether it鈥檚 to de-stress, relax or have positive social experiences with their friends." Photo: Unsplash
What the kids* say
- 鈥淚鈥檓 not addicted! It鈥檚 my third favourite game,鈥� said Harry, 11, when asked about Fortnite.
- Liam, 13, said a teacher told his class 鈥渨e shouldn鈥檛 be playing Fortnite鈥t鈥檚 like, bad for our education."
- Narrah, 11, felt that kids 鈥減ooping鈥� or 鈥渨etting鈥� themselves was probably just 鈥渙ne person out of millions of people who play Fortnite.鈥�
- James, 13, said 鈥渁 lot of that media stuff is bullcrap鈥�.I just can鈥檛 believe them."
*Names have been changed for privacy
What the expert says
Dr Carter, an expert on the science of gaming, says games are 鈥渁n appealing hobby, enthusiastically engaged in, but parents shouldn鈥檛 misinterpret this desire as problematic, compulsive or addiction. We wouldn鈥檛 call someone 鈥榓ddicted鈥� to books just because they wanted to read another chapter of Harry Potter after bedtime,鈥� he said.
Dr Carter says that 鈥渢he formal designation of 鈥榞aming disorder鈥� as a disease by organisations like the World Health Organisation is and is a highly problematic move.鈥�
鈥淭he risk of calling all video games addictive is that children might miss out on the benefits of playing games. We already know games are good for children鈥檚 creativity and imagination, and are an engaging way to develop their problem-solving skills, spatial skills, and strategic decision-making abilities,鈥� Dr Carter says.
鈥淕ames are also an enormous amount of fun; and kids need to have fun, whether it鈥檚 to de-stress, relax, or have positive social experiences with friends, the play of digital games is 鈥� in moderation 鈥� as important as non-digital play.鈥�
"The play of digital games is 鈥� in moderation 鈥� as important as non-digital play." Photo: Pixabay
Advice for parents
Dr Carter says concerned parents should try playing digital games with their kids.
鈥淐o-play is a really great mediation strategy for digital games. Parent perspectives and behaviour while playing influences how children understand their media experience and react to things like loss, challenges, and how children develop important sportsmanship and teamwork skills. It鈥檚 also an opportunity for parents to let their kids be the expert and ask them how to play!鈥�
Declaration: The authors received no financial support for the research.