Gaming makes you happy: study with surprising results

The COVID-19 pandemic presented researchers with a rare opportunity: due to supply shortages and high demand, coveted game consoles such as the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 were raffled off in Japan. This enabled researchers to conduct a randomised study with a large sample on the psychological impact of video gaming.

The researchers surveyed over 97,000 people between the ages of 10 and 69. The study results are surprising and should reassure worried parents in particular.

Random principle as the key to success

In addition to the large sample size, the special thing about the current study is the randomisation. In other words, the participants were randomly divided into groups. This was not the case in many previous studies on video games: often only existing players were analysed or participants were specifically asked to play. In this way, correlations can be established, but the question of cause and effect (causality) cannot be clarified. For example, if the connection between gaming and depression is investigated, a correlation may be established, but causality cannot be inferred. In other words: do people with or even because of depression game more or do people get depression from gaming?

The authors of the study explain: "There is extensive research on the effects of video games on users, including their effects on addiction, well-being, cognitive function and aggression. [...] However, the current evidence on the effects of video gaming is insufficient, not necessarily due to a lack of research, but rather due to the focus and approach of existing studies." The lottery-based method of this study circumvented these problems and made it possible to actually study randomly selected individuals.

Lucky winners: console owners benefit mentally

Now most people - especially parents whose offspring would prefer to sit in front of the console 24/7 - are probably familiar with reports about the negative consequences of too much video game time. However, the Japanese study results give the all-clear in this case:
Console winners showed a significant improvement in their mental health: stress was reduced and life satisfaction increased.
On average, they increased their daily gaming time by around 30 minutes to a total of one to two hours a day as a result of winning the console. An indication that even moderate gaming times can have positive effects.

Video games as therapy? Possible consequences for research and policy

The results of this study could prompt a rethink - from youth policy to psychotherapeutic practice. The results suggest that moderate playtime can have positive effects and that video games should not be viewed negatively per se. However, the authors emphasise: "These findings underline the complex effects of digital media on psychological well-being and the importance of considering the differentiated effects of screen time." Future research and policy decisions should take this complexity into account and take a more differentiated approach to the topic of video games.