Asst. Prof. Demet Gülaldı from the Child Development Department of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences evaluated the effects of digital games on child development on the occasion of July 8 Video Games Day.
The concept of digital games has been carried into childhood
Demet Gülaldı noted that the origin of July 8 Video Games Day dates back to the United States and has entered our calendars with the influence of popular culture, saying, "In the digital world, where physical boundaries have disappeared with the advancement of technology, it has become a day that unites billions of people on global networks rather than in a specific geography. Such a development in digital technologies has deeply affected traditional game culture and has carried the concept of digital games into childhood."
Emphasizing that play, from the perspective of child development, is an area for children to make sense of the world, structure their cognitive processes, and experience social roles, Demet Gülaldı said, "Therefore, digital games are not just an entertainment tool for the modern child, but also a new generation area for socialization, learning, and cultural interaction. However, the critical point is the nature of the child's relationship with this technology, rather than the technology itself. The impact of digital games on child development is shaped by balancing multidimensional variables such as content management, time control, and parental guidance."
Completely banning digital games is not pedagogically correct
Dr. Demet Gülaldı stated that completely removing digital games from children's lives is not a realistic approach, and said:
"Completely banning digital games from children's lives is not a realistic approach in today's world, nor is it pedagogically healthy. A completely prohibitive attitude can isolate the child from the common communication language of their peer group, creating a feeling of social exclusion. Furthermore, strict prohibitions trigger "curiosity and secret explorations" in children; the child may resort to secrecy and lies while trying to satisfy this need in unsupervised areas away from parental control. Therefore, the truly healthy approach is not to ban, but to set correct and clear boundaries, considering the child's developmental needs."
Families need to be digitally literate
Emphasizing that evaluating whether a digital game is suitable for a child is directly related to the digital literacy level of families, Demet Gülaldı continued:
"Understanding whether a digital game is beneficial for child development requires digital literacy from parents. When choosing games, families should first pay attention to international age rating labels such as PEGI (Pan European Game Information) or ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board). These organizations are not only structures that set age limits but also developmental protection mechanisms that aim to protect child and adolescent psychology by analyzing micro-level elements such as in-game digital purchases (gambling/loot box tendencies), violence, slang, or horror."
Games should not leave the child in a passive observer position
Dr. Demet Gülaldı stated that a game should not leave a child in a passive observer position, saying, "It should be analyzed whether the game makes the child a passive observer or encourages them to strategize, plan, and reason. The absence of profanity, slang, uncontrolled chat rooms open to the risk of cyberbullying, or in-game purchase (loot box) mechanisms that could trigger gambling behavior are critical criteria."
Violent games can lead to desensitization in children
Drawing attention to the fact that age-inappropriate game choices can negatively affect children's development, Dr. Demet Gülaldı noted:
"Age-inappropriate game choices can negatively impact children's cognitive, emotional, and social development. Especially in early childhood, as the distinction between fiction and reality cannot yet be fully made, elements containing fear and intense tension can lead to anxiety disorders and sleep irregularities. One of the biggest risks at this point is violent games. Exposure to intense violence can desensitize children, leading to an unresponsive attitude towards pain and violence in real life. In children who develop a wrong schema that problems can be solved through violence, peer bullying, impulsivity, and anger outbursts can be observed in the school environment."
Strategy-developing games can support children's cognitive skills
Dr. Demet Gülaldı pointed out that properly selected and structured digital games can turn into powerful educational tools for children, saying, "Strategy, puzzle, and simulation games develop children's cognitive skills such as analytical thinking, attention span, and visual-spatial perception; they teach them to establish cause-and-effect relationships through the question 'what happens if I do this?'. Open-world and building (sandbox) games nourish children's creativity by materializing their imaginations on a digital canvas. Multiplayer and cooperative (co-op) games, on the other hand, provide social skills such as leadership, role-sharing, mutual aid, and acting as a team in times of crisis to achieve a common goal."
Screens should not be used as babysitters
Dr. Gülaldı stated that screen time should not be evaluated solely based on hours, adding, "To make the time spent in front of the screen more beneficial, families need to stop seeing the screen as a babysitter. The healthiest method is to turn the game into a family activity, playing with the child and discussing the game (Why did you choose this strategy here?). Game playing duration should be determined according to the child's age; however, the main balance should be established by ensuring that the game does not hinder the child's vital routines such as sleep, nutrition, studying, physical activity, and face-to-face socialization. These rules should be determined with clear and inflexible rules by signing a 'Media Agreement' with the child during a calm time, not during moments of crisis."
Symptoms of behavioral addiction should be taken seriously
Warning families that digital games can turn into addictive behavior over time, Gülaldı said, "One should be vigilant for signs indicating that digital games have ceased to be a hobby and have transformed into an addiction or a mechanism for escaping real life. If a child shows excessive anger and aggression when asked to get off the screen, sacrifices sleep and meals for gaming, experiences sudden drops in school performance, distances themselves from real friends, and completely abandons activities they previously enjoyed, this indicates that alarm bells are ringing. Today, 'Internet Gaming Disorder' has taken its place as a behavioral addiction in international diagnostic manuals. This condition can lead to long-term and serious consequences for affected individuals, especially adolescents and young adults."
Excessive gaming behavior may be a masked result of another problem
Dr. Demet Gülaldı concluded her remarks with warnings:
"If symptoms such as excessive mental preoccupation with internet games, withdrawal symptoms like restlessness, anxiety, or anger when not playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit or control gaming, decreased interest in old hobbies and entertainments outside of gaming, and impairment in education, social relationships, or work life due to gaming are observed, and if these symptoms have negatively affected the child's daily functioning for several weeks, parents should seek professional support from a specialist without delay. It should be remembered that excessive gaming behavior can sometimes be a masked result of another problem the child is experiencing in real life, such as peer bullying, academic failure, or domestic discord."
