Video Games Keep Elderly People Emotionally Healthy, New Study Says

A new study suggests that elderly people who play video games report better emotional health and functioning as compared to non-gamers.

The research included data from 140 adults over the age of 63 who answered questions about how often they play video games as well as their social and emotional well-being. The average age of the participants was 77 and the findings showed that 60 percent of the subjects played video games occasionally, while 35 percent said they played on a regular basis of more than once a week.

And researchers said that they detected a direct link between gaming and improved emotional health.

"The research published here suggests that there is a link between gaming and better well-being and emotional functioning," said Dr. Jason Allaire, the lead author of a paper that summarized the research from this study and an associate professor of psychology at North Carolina State University.

"We are currently planning studies to determine whether playing digital games actually improves mental health in older adults."

Results from the study showed that the subjects who played video games occasionally indicated higher levels of positive mood, social functioning and overall well-being as compared to non-gamers who reported more instances of depression and a general negative outlook.