Study: video game addiction motivates British teens to read and be creative

A survey on the impact of video games on adolescents was conducted by the UK’s National Literacy Foundation, which recruited 4,626 children between the ages of 11 and 16.

Survey participants reported that being addicted to video games helps them read more and motivates them to be creative. So, 79% of teenagers said that they read text materials related to games – of which 40% read the correspondence in the games themselves, 31% – reviews and blogs, 22% – books, and 19% – fanfiction.

35% of respondents reported that playing video games improved their reading skills – most often mentioned by boys and those who previously disliked reading. 73% of teens who have no interest in reading also said they “feel more like a part of history” when playing video games than when reading books.

63% of those surveyed said that they not only play video games but also write about them – 28% of these teens try to write game scripts, 22% – guides and tips for other players, 11% – fanfiction, 8% – reviews and blogs. Interest in scripting or working on video game design was expressed by 58% of survey participants, and 31% said they would like to read and write more about games in school.

The teens also said that games help them develop empathy – the ability to imagine themselves in the place of another person. This was reported by 65% ​​of respondents. According to them, 76% of respondents participate in discussions of video games with friends, and only 29% in discussions of books.

The UK National Literacy Foundation also interviewed parents of teenagers who participated in the study. 56% of parents said that during the period of self-isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, their children discussed games with them. 60% of parents are also convinced that such conversations have helped the mental well-being of their children.