Playing video games can make older people happy: study

Participants in the study who played video games even occasionally reported higher levels of well-being than those who didn't play at all

Video games are not just for the young and feisty, even older people who play them develop a better sense of emotional well-being, a new study has claimed.

Researchers led by North Carolina State University asked 140 people aged 63 and older how often they played video games, if at all.

The study participants then took a battery of tests to assess their emotional and social well-being. Sixty one per cent of study participants played video games at least occasionally and 35 per cent of participants said they played at least once per week.

The study found that participants who played video games, including those who only played occasionally, reported higher levels of well-being.

Those who did not play video games reported more negative emotions and a tendency toward higher levels of depression.     
"The research published here suggests that there a link between gaming and better well-being and emotional functioning," said Dr Jason Allaire, lead author of the paper. "We are currently planning studies to determine whether playing digital games actually improves mental health in older adults."

The study was published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior.