Video games can contribute to and support children's well-being if they are designed with children's needs in mind, according to a new study by UNICEF Innocenti and partner institutions including New York University.
This report is the second installment of the Innovation for Children (RITEC) project, which establishes that digital game companies and game designers can and should support the well-being of children through the games they create. and demonstrate that digital play has a particularly positive impact. When we respond to children's deep interests, needs, and desires, we influence their autonomy, abilities, creativity, and identity. The project was co-founded by UNICEF and the LEGO Group and is funded by the LEGO Foundation.
New York University Steinhardt Professor Jan L. Plass led one of the three studies included in the report. To understand the impact of digital play on children's well-being, Plath and his colleagues played digital games such as Lego Builder's Journey and Rocket League with 255 children aged 8 to 12. A 10-week intervention was conducted including: Among their findings, U.S. children with a stronger need for belonging conveyed more positive emotions toward social and parent relationships and felt increased autonomy. In Chile, children report increased independence and improved parent-child relationships. In South Africa, digital play generally supported the well-being of all children.
“Many parents are concerned about their children's screen time, and this is the first study to examine the impact of digital play on the well-being of this age group in the United States, Chile, and South Africa,” said Plath, founding director of the association. said. Consortium for Research and Evaluation of Advanced Technologies in Education (CREATE) Laboratory at New York University.
In addition to the experimental study led by Plath, an observational study was conducted over 14 months in the homes of 50 families with children aged 6 to 12 in Australia, Cyprus, South Africa and the United Kingdom. A lab-based study examined heart rate, eye tracking, facial expressions, and galvanic skin response (changes in sweat gland activity) in 69 Australian children aged 7 to 12 playing digital games. ) was measured.
Three studies found that games support children's sense of autonomy, competence, creativity, and identity, helping them regulate their emotions and build relationships. However, in order to support her in one or more of these aspects of well-being, the game must take into account certain features. For example, to support children's autonomy, games can allow children to take control and make decisions about gameplay, encouraging them to develop their own strategies to progress. Or, to support creativity, games give children the freedom to explore and solve problems or create their own characters and stories.
“For decades, people have thought that playing video games somehow negatively affects children and undermines their well-being. But our new research suggests a much more complex explanation. The picture is that these games can actually contribute to children's well-being and actively support their development,” said Bo Victor Nylund, Director of UNICEF Innocenti.
Anna Rafferty, vice president of digital consumer engagement at the LEGO Group, said: “This exciting research by UNICEF and leading academics shows that safe and inclusive digital play can have a hugely positive impact on children's lives. It shows that there is a gender.” We're proud to partner with like-minded organizations to understand how we can design digital experiences that put children's well-being first. These discoveries will enable responsible companies to create a digital future where children are safe and equipped to grow and thrive. ”
“The finding that digital play can enhance children's well-being and meet their psychological needs, such as the need to connect with others, is especially important at a time when children's mental health is a concern.” Plass added.
Nylund said: “This research not only helps us understand how video games affect children's well-being, but also what factors producers and designers of these games are taking to support children. It will also help us understand what we can include. We hope that our children will take these findings into consideration when designing the games they play in the future.”
The RITEC project also includes the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. Center for Young and Resilient Research at the University of Western Sydney. City University of New York Graduate Center. University of Sheffield. and the Australian Center of Excellence for the Digital Child.
Following the findings, a guide will be published later this year to help companies incorporate these findings into the games they design.
