Citing games as the key cause of childhood psychological dysfunction ignores larger, more pressing issues, according to Harvard psychologist Dr. Lawrence Kutner.
"If you have a child doing anything obsessively, chances are there is something else going on," Kutner told Canada's National Post.
"In essence, it's a way of self-medicating," he added. "Kids play for a variety of reasons: for the fun of it, for the challenge. Or they play for emotional regulation. They can get their anger out."
By blaming games and subsequently removing a child's only immediate emotional outlet without offering an alternative option, Kutner believes, parents and authority figures run the risk of exacerbating any emotional or psychological issues that may be present.
Image: dce_76/Flickr
Teens' video game habits part of larger issue [National Post]
