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Special Issues for Teens  For most teens, playing video games is just another recreational activity they enjoy with friends. The concern is when video game playing becomes an addictive or isolating activity.
Parents should be aware of these issues relating to teens and video games:
- A 1998 Simon Fraser University study, Video Game Culture, showed that one out of every four teens who plays video games feels addicted to them, and is troubled by a lack of control over the behaviour.
- Many teens are heavy users of online role-playing games (RPGs) such as EverQuest, where users assume new identities and interact with other players in real time. Students will often neglect schoolwork and other aspects of their daily lives when they become immersed in these games.
- According to the National Institute on Media and the Family:
- Teens who play violent games do worse in school than teens who don't.
- At-risk teenage boys spend 60 per cent more time playing games, and they prefer more violent games than other teens.
- Youths who prefer violent video games are more likely to get into arguments with their teachers and even physical fights—whether they are boys or girls.
- If your teen consumes an excessive amount of ultra-violent media—movies, music, television and video games—and displays aggressive or depressive behaviour, use the tip sheet Checklist for Violent Youth to identify signs of potential violence. Make sure your teen's mental health needs are being addressed through appropriate school, medical or social service counselling.
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