 Review of research shows that playing violent video games can heighten aggression - Boys Play Games Longer and May Be More Vulnerable to Increases in Aggressive Behavior
Date: August 19, 2005
Contact: Pam Willenz
WASHINGTON – Violent video games can increase aggressive behavior in children and adolescents, both in the short- and long-term, according to an empirical review of the last 20 years of research. These findings are presented at the 113th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington, DC.
According to researchers Jessica Nicoll, B.A., and Kevin M. Kieffer, Ph.D., of Saint Leo University, youth who played violent video games for a short time experienced an increase in aggressive behavior following the video game. One study showed participants who played a violent game for less than 10 minutes rate themselves with aggressive traits and aggressive actions shortly after playing. In another study of over 600 8th and 9th graders, the children who spent more time playing violent video games were rated by their teachers as more hostile than other children in the study. The children who played more violent video games had more arguments with authority figures and were more likely to be involved in physical altercations with other students. They also performed more poorly on academic tasks.
Furthermore, violent video game players "tend to imitate the moves that they just 'acted out' in the game they played," said Dr. Kieffer. For example, children who played violent karate games duplicated this type of behavior while playing with friends. These findings demonstrate the possible dangers associated with playing this type of video game over and over again.
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 Caffeinated Colas Linked to Inattention, Hyperactivity in First-Graders
By Paula Moyer
ATLANTA, GA -- May 27, 2005
Physicians may want to ask questions about a child's consumption of caffeinated beverages when a parent complains of the child's being inattentive, restless, and having difficulty sleeping.
Because of the ubiquitous presence of caffeinated soft drinks in vending machines at schools and in the refrigerator at home, this may be the culprit rather than attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, said Alan R. Hirsch, MD.
In a small double-blinded study of first-graders, he and his co-investigator observed that children had more behavior problems, as measured by a six-question modified Connors symptom questionnaire, on the days that they were exposed to caffeinated colas than on the days that they had caffeine-free drinks. These findings, presented here May 23rd at the 158th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), may provide a simple answer to some instances of children's hyperactivity.
"We found that exposure to caffeinated cola drinks impaired children's learning ability by causing restlessness, hyperactivity, and inattention," said Dr. Hirsch. "On the days that the children were drinking caffeinated drinks, their Connors scores increased an average of 5.5 points compared to the days that they were only drinking caffeine-free drinks." Dr. Hirsch is the director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation and an assistant professor of both neurology and psychiatry at Rush Medical College in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
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