Video games have long been associated with negative effects on children, including increased aggression and decreased intelligence. However, a recent study by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden has found that video games can actually have a positive impact on a child’s intelligence quotient (IQ). The study analyzed data from over 9,000 schoolchildren in the United States, aged nine or ten, who underwent cognitive tests and reported their screen time habits. The results showed that children who spent more time playing video games than the average were able to increase their IQ by 2.5 points over a two-year period.
The study also found that social media use and television watching had no significant impact on a child’s IQ. The researchers controlled for genetic differences, parental education and income, and other factors that could affect the results. However, the study only included children from the United States, and the children and their parents self-reported their screen time habits, which could introduce errors into the data. The study also did not examine the effects of prolonged screen time on physical health, well-being, or academic performance.
Neuroscientist Torkel Klingberg, who was involved in the study, cautioned that the positive effects of video games on IQ only apply to children who have a “healthy relationship” with gaming. Parents should not use the study as an excuse to encourage their children to play more video games, he said. Instead, it is important to ensure that video games do not negatively impact a child’s social life, nutrition, sleep, or physical activity. While the study provides valuable insights into the effects of screen time on children’s intelligence, more research is needed to fully understand the complex relationship between video games and cognitive development.
