New York: Pre-teens who struggle to control their video gaming habits are more likely to have psychotic-like experiences a year later, a new study has found.
McGill University researchers and colleagues at Maastricht University found that 12-year-olds who showed signs of problematic gaming were more likely to experience mild paranoia, unusual beliefs or disturbed perceptions at age 13.
“Problematic gaming means having difficulty controlling one’s amount of gaming, leading to distress or problems at school or in relationships,” said lead author Vincent Paquin, Assistant Professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry and psychiatrist at the Jewish General Hospital in the study published in Journal of Behavioral Addictions.
Notably, young gamers who felt more supported at school and at home were less likely to have problematic gaming habits overall.
“For health professionals, teachers and policymakers, our findings highlight the importance of promoting supportive social environments. It may help prevent gaming from becoming problematic,” said Paquin.
Once gaming became problematic, however, support from family and school alone was not enough to offset the later mental health link, he added, suggesting that other forms of mental health support may be needed.
The findings, published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, are based on data from more than 6,000 U.S. adolescents. The broader study began when participants were nine. They were surveyed at ages 12 and 13 about their gaming habits, mental health and daily lives.
