Child Video Game Addiction: Overview
Child video game addiction is rapidly growing in the United States as a major health threat. Video games are readily available to children and offer opportunities to interact in virtual worlds that provide a temporary escape from real problems.
The problem is that the more the child adapts to a virtually appealing and rewarding environment provided by the video game, the more real-world interactive experiences they miss out on.
This creates a self-perpetuating loop where a child misses out on face-to-face social interactions while learning how to interact and connect with others online. As a result, children feel accomplished and are rewarded through their online social connections, yet feel socially awkward and disconnected in the real world.
Child Video Game Addiction: A Growing Threat
Research has found that online role-playing games and also first-person shooter games have the greatest potential for addiction for children. Child video game addiction is also affected by a number of gameplay parents allow.
Most researchers recommend less than one hour of video game play per day for younger children. Recent research has also shown the harmful effects of allowing the television in a child’s bedroom.
The Social Aspect of Child Video Game Addiction
There are many reasons why interactive games, that is, games with a social or online role-playing aspect are more addictive for children. Parents wishing to avoid child video game addiction should carefully screen video games they purchase for their children which offer reinforcement for completion of in-game tasks including leveling up which takes hours weeks or even months of work.
This becomes self-reinforcing for the child and contributes to the addictive quality of the game. Compounded with this issue are a sense of obligation to team-mates and an appealing draw of an evolving fantasy world that is taking the child further away from reality and actual face-to-face interactions.
Child video game addiction is rapidly growing in the United States is a major health threat. Video games are readily available to children and offer opportunities to interact in a virtual world that provide a temporary escape from a child’s problems.
The more the child adapts to a virtually appealing and rewarding environment provided by the video game the more real-world interactive experiences they miss out on. This creates self-perpetuating loop wear a child misses out on face to face social interaction wall learning how to interact and connect with others online. Similarly, the child begins to feel more accomplished and are rewarded through their online social connections.
Child Video Game Addiction: First Steps
The first step in correcting a child video game addiction is to set up proper boundaries with your child. Limit their daily gameplay and provide opportunities for face-to-face interaction. Enroll your child in Summerland Camps so that they can get new outdoor experiences and learn how to manage their gameplay independently.
You can access our parent tips here: https://www.summerlandcamps.com/gaming-addiction-help/
To discuss the enrollment process, please give us a call now at 800-365-0556.