- Owning a game console improves life satisfaction and reduces stress
Video games can have a positive effect on the mental health of people of all ages, unless they play for more than three hours a day, a study suggests.
Video games are often thought to be bad, especially for children, and there are fears that they may cause developmental and social problems, promote violence and lead to addiction.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has even classified gaming disorder as a health problem, characterized by poor control over gaming.
But now, a study of more than 97,000 people indicates that owning a video game console and playing games can have a positive effect on mental well-being.
Due to a shortage of game consoles in Japan between 2020 and 2022, retailers used lotteries to allocate a PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch to residents aged 10 to 69.
Video games can have a positive effect on the mental health of people of all ages, unless you play for more than three hours a day, a study suggests (file image)
An analysis by researchers at Nihon University in Tokyo found that owning a gaming console and playing games both improved mental health.
However, participants who played video games for more than three hours a day did not enjoy the same health benefits.
Owning a console has also been shown to improve life satisfaction and reduce psychological stress.
Researchers caution that data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected the findings.
However, they suggest their research highlights the complex impact of screen time on mental well-being.
In a paper published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, they said: ‘Through a natural experimental approach, we showed that winning the lottery for a Switch or a PS5 had a positive impact on the mental wellbeing of people aged 10–69 in Japan.
An analysis by researchers at Nihon University in Tokyo found that both owning one of the game consoles and playing games improved mental health (
‘All of our estimates indicated positive correlations between video games and life satisfaction, a finding that, while counterintuitive given certain public perceptions surrounding video games, is consistent with recent research.’
Commenting on the study, Pete Etchells, Professor of Psychology and Science Communication at Bath Spa University, said: ‘The results show that overall there was a positive relationship between owning a games console and mental wellbeing.
‘But beyond that, we see some interesting nuances: Nintendo Switch ownership was associated with more positive outcomes in younger populations and slightly favored female participants, while PS5 ownership was associated with more pronounced outcomes in male and adult populations without children.’
Dr Mike Cook, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at King’s College London, added: ‘Research that helps people understand the benefits of gaming is good for everyone, particularly when it comes to video games which suffer from a global image problem.
‘Video games are not only important for children, but for adults of all ages, and are increasingly important for older generations as a source of social connection and mental challenge.’