The Effect of Video Games on Children’s IQ Development, According to a New Study

Casal dels Infants – For many children, playing video games is a fun, exciting, and highly enjoyable activity that stimulates their imagination. However, many parents still worry that frequent gaming might negatively affect their child’s brain development. A recent study, however, reveals quite a surprising finding.

New Findings: Can Video Games Boost IQ?

According to Science Alert, a study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that the more time children spent playing video games, the greater the increase in their IQ. This finding contradicts the common narrative that video games are harmful to a child’s cognitive growth.

Interestingly, activities such as watching TV or using social media showed no measurable positive or negative effect on children’s intelligence.

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Methodology: Observing Thousands of Children

The study was conducted by a team of researchers from Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. They used data from a large-scale research project called the ABCD Study (Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development), analyzing screen time habits of 9,855 children aged 9 to 10 in the United States.

On average, these children reported spending 2.5 hours a day watching TV or online videos, 1 hour playing video games, and 30 minutes socializing online. Researchers then compared this screen time data with the results of IQ tests taken two years later.

Results: An IQ Increase of Up to 2.5 Points

The study revealed that children who spent more time playing video games experienced an IQ increase of 2.5 points, above the average gain. The intelligence tests measured several cognitive abilities, including:

• Reading comprehension
• Visual-spatial processing
• Working memory
• Cognitive flexibility
• Self-control

These findings suggest that playing video game may stimulate important areas of the brain, particularly those involved in focus, memory, and problem-solving.

Study Limitations and Early Conclusions

Although the results are intriguing, the study does come with limitations. For instance, the study did not distinguish between different types of video games, such as educational, action, strategy, or casual. It also only included children from the United States.

Nevertheless, the findings offer valuable insight: a child’s intelligence is not fixed at birth and may be influenced by environmental factors, including the types of digital activities they engage in.

“Our results support the claim that screen time in general does not impair children’s cognitive abilities, and that playing video games can actually help boost intelligence,” said Torkel Klingberg, a neuroscientist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

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