4 Hudson Valley Parent
n
Spring 2020
phobias. Not surprisingly, kids addicted
to video games see their school perfor-
mance suffer.
Too much video game playing makes
your kid socially isolated. Also, he may
spend less time in other activities such
as doing homework, reading, sports, and
interacting with the family and friends.
Some video games teach kids the wrong
values. Violent behavior, vengeance and
aggression are rewarded. Negotiating
and other nonviolent solutions are often
not options. Additionally, women are
often portrayed as weaker characters
that are helpless or sexually provocative.
Games can also confuse reality and
fantasy worlds.
Academic achievement may be neg-
atively related to overall time spent play-
ing video games.
Studies have shown that the more
time a kid spends playing video games,
the poorer is his performance in school.
Video games may also have bad
effects on some children's health, in-
cluding obesity. And, kids spending too
much time playing video games may
exhibit impulsive behavior and have
attention problems.
My advice to parents is this: if your
child or adolescent displays issues with
aggression or aggressive tendencies,
these games might provide the "tip-
ping point" for him or her, and it would
be best if they were kept
away from your child.
Additionally, monitor
your kids' activities. Keep
track of what they are
playing and for how long.
Like any activity, an exces-
sive element of compul-
sivity might be an indica-
tion that something may
require your attention, or
possibly the attention of a
professional.
Dr. Paul Schwartz is a
Professor of Psychology,
Mount Saint Mary College
Center for Adolescent Re-
search and Development in
Newburgh.
