A groundbreaking research article titled ‘Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020-2022,’ featured in Nature Human Behaviour, has carried out the most thorough exploration yet regarding the causal links between video gaming and mental health. This study is the first of its kind to establish this connection using real-world data, disputing widely accepted beliefs surrounding the implications of gaming.
A groundbreaking research article titled “Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020-2022,” featured in Nature Human Behaviour, has carried out the most thorough exploration yet regarding the causal links between video gaming and mental health. This study is the first of its kind to establish this connection using real-world data, disputing widely accepted beliefs surrounding the implications of gaming.
Main Insights:
- Evaluation of 97,602 survey responses from Japanese individuals aged 10 to 69 during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Possessing a game console and increased gaming time notably enhanced mental well-being
- Machine learning analysis indicated that different consoles had distinct effects: PlayStation 5 showed minimal benefits for teens and females, while Nintendo Switch provided greater advantages for adolescents
The study revealed significant enhancements in mental health: ownership of a Nintendo Switch was linked to a 0.60 standard deviation improvement, whereas a PlayStation 5 led to a 0.12 standard deviation increase. Ownership of the PlayStation 5 also correlated with a 0.23 standard deviation rise in life satisfaction.
The research team, which included experts from Osaka University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Takasaki City University of Economics, the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, and Nihon University, employed a distinctive natural experimental approach. They analyzed data from gaming console lotteries during COVID-19-related supply shortages to demonstrate a causal relationship between gaming and enhanced mental health.
“Our findings challenge pervasive stereotypes that portray gaming as harmful or merely a short-lived source of happiness,” stated lead author Hiroyuki Egami, PhD, Assistant Professor at Nihon University. “Our research indicates that gaming can genuinely bolster mental health and life satisfaction for a wide range of individuals.”
Egami elaborated, “Many previous studies relied on correlational analyses of observational data, which cannot differentiate between cause and effect. Our natural experimental design empowers us to assert that gaming indeed results in improved well-being, rather than just being correlated with it.”
Md. Shafiur Rahman, PhD, Senior Assistant Professor at Hamamatsu University School of Medicine and the study’s second author, added: “As an epidemiologist, I’ve frequently encountered worries about the negative effects of gaming. However, the robust methodology of this study questions those beliefs. It underscores the necessity for a more nuanced perspective when studying how digital media impacts health.”
Interestingly, the research discovered that while the PlayStation 5 offered relatively modest psychological benefits for children, the Nintendo Switch delivered more substantial psychological support. These results challenge the notion that all games have harmful effects on children and highlight the need to take into account the diverse aspects of gaming, such as platforms, genres, and playing habits in both research and policy formulation.
Although this study’s data was gathered during the pandemic, the authors emphasize the significance of conducting future research to validate these outcomes in other settings. Even so, the robust methods employed in this study offer compelling evidence for a causal connection between video gaming and improved mental well-being.
This influential research provides essential evidence for lawmakers and global organizations like WHO and UNICEF to devise more informed strategies regarding digital media consumption. It also sets the stage for upcoming studies focusing on tailored gaming experiences that could boost well-being.
