Video games have been blamed for many health and relationship problems, but a new study partly contradicts previous ideas. According to researchers at Brigham Young University, it’s beneficial for girls to play video games with a parent.
The results of their study of 287 families with an adolescent child, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, states that girls, age 11 to 16, who played age-appropriate video games with a parent were better behaved, felt more connected to their families, and had stronger mental health.
However, if the game was rated M for mature, it actually had the opposite effect in terms of family connectedness. For boys, there was no effect with parent co-playing, since they tend to play more often with their friends.
Mario Kart, Mario Brothers, Wii Sports, Rock Band and Guitar Hero topped the list of games played most often by girls. Call of Duty, Wii Sports and Halo ranked 1, 2 and 3 among boys.
Researchers offer two possible explanations for what’s behind the gender differences.
"We’re guessing it’s a daddy-daughter thing, because not a lot of moms said yes when we asked them if they played video games," said co-author Laura Padilla-Walker. "Co-playing is probably an indicator of larger levels of involvement."
"Any face-to-face time you have with your child can be a positive thing, especially if the activity is something the child is interested in," she concluded.