For an entire generation, PC and console gaming has been the favourite pastime of children and teens around the world. Despite stubborn beliefs to the contrary, it's not always harmful. How can you tell when your child is on the brink of something unhealthy? — Jan Woitas/dpa
BERLIN: Whether on a computer, game console or smartphone, adolescents often spend a lot of time playing video games. But how much is a lot?
In Europe, 34% play every day, and 22% play for at least four hours on a gaming day, according to a recently published survey by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The survey classified 12% of the respondents as being at risk of "problematic" gaming – 16% of the boys, and 7% of the girls. The risk was most prevalent among 11-year-olds, at 14%.
This can be alarming to parents, who – assuming they're not gamers themselves – may be unable to fathom the fascination of gaming, and otherwise out of their depth on the phenomenon.
So social education worker and media games expert Daniel Heinz has answered some key questions about it. He heads a platform for digital games guidance from the Office of Youth Media Culture in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia:
At what age is it OK to let your child play digital games?
"It always depends on how it's monitored and what it's about," Heinz says. Frenetic games with rapidly changing images are unsuitable for children under 5 or 6 years of age. And some genres, such as first-person shooter, should naturally be off limits to all children and young adolescents.
There are, however, games on the market that you could play in brief portions with 3- or 4-year olds. But the games have to be child-friendly – pausable, in other words. And you should never let a young child play a video game alone, Heinz says. "At preschool age, nothing should go unsupervised."
How much screen time is acceptable?
This question has no definite answer, but there are various guidelines that parents can go by. According to Heinz, it's ordinarily up to a half-hour of screen time a day for children aged 5 and under, and up to an hour for those aged 6 to 9.
"When they get older, it's usually a good idea to work out a weekly time quota with the child or adolescent," advises Heinz. Similar to an allowance, it helps them learn to manage their time.
What should parents be mindful of?
Besides screen time, Heinz recommends that they especially be alert to their child's motivation for playing digital games, for instance whether "gaming compensates for something missing in their real lives."
If the child's gaming behaviour continues for a long time, or they neglect things such as hobbies or friends and family, "then you should speak with them about it or seek professional help, for example from a child guidance centre," Heinz says.
In extreme cases, an addiction can result. Gaming disorder can be diagnosed if several behaviour patterns are present, including severely reduced control over gaming habits and loss of interest in earlier hobbies over a period of at least a year.
While children "have a right to digital participation, including gaming," Heinz says, "everything must take place within limits that parents set."
Can gaming promote a child's development?
"Definitely," affirms Heinz. In many digital games, children and adolescents can exchange ideas with other players via chat or audio messages. In multiplayer game clans or guilds, they learn how to reach agreements in a group, devise common strategies and assume responsibility for their team.
Along with that, some games are set in other eras and surroundings, providing an impetus to delve into history, for instance. Strategy and educational games can provide learning incentives in many subject areas.
What are potential adverse effects of gaming?
Addiction, as mentioned earlier, is an extreme case. But problematic online behaviour can also result in other mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety disorders, the WHO warns.
Parents also need to know that some digital games have content that can be psychologically stressful to children. So when purchasing one for their child, they should pay attention to the recommended age grading, or inform themselves about the game beforehand.
Besides content risks, there are interaction risks, points out Heinz. "This means it's possible the child will come into contact with strangers, raising the risk of bullying."
Gamers can be snared into making payments too, for instance additional content that can be purchased for a game. And there are game-binding factors that get players to want to keep playing.
"Parental control settings on gaming devices can often ensure more safety," says Heinz, whose overarching guideline for parents is "calm caution." In other words, always keep an eye on things, but don't be unduly worried. – dpa
