Video Games

The impact of video games on youth has long been a topic of debate. While some argue that gaming helps young people form friendships, learn teamwork, and develop problem-solving skills, others believe that video games expose teens to violent content, disrupt their sleep, and can lead to addiction. To explore these differing views, the Pew Research Center surveyed 1,423 U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 about their video game habits, the friends they’ve made through gaming, and whether gaming interferes with their academic performance or sleep.

Gaming Prevalence and Identity Among Teens

Video gaming is widespread among U.S. teens, with 85% reporting they play games. Only 15% say they never engage in gaming. Interestingly, not all teen gamers consider themselves “gamers.” Overall, 40% of U.S. teens identify as gamers, while 45% play video games but do not label themselves as such.

  • By Gender: Nearly all boys (97%) play video games, compared to about three-quarters of girls. A significant gender gap exists in gamer identity, with 62% of boys considering themselves gamers versus only 17% of girls.
  • By Age: Younger teen girls (ages 13 to 14) are more likely to play video games (81%) than older girls (ages 15 to 17) at 67%. However, the prevalence among boys remains high across all ages.

Gaming Frequency

Teens differ in how often they play video games. About 40% of U.S. teens play daily, with 23% gaming several times a day. Another 22% play several times a week, while 21% play once a week or less.

  • By Gender: Boys are significantly more likely to play daily (61% vs. 22% for girls) and several times a day (36% vs. 11%).
  • By Gamer Identity: 71% of teens who identify as gamers play daily, compared to 30% of those who play but don’t consider themselves gamers.
  • By Household Income: Teens from households earning less than $30,000 annually are more likely to play daily (53%) than those from households with incomes of $30,000 to $74,999 (42%) and $75,000 or more (39%).

Gaming Devices

Most teens play video games on multiple devices. Gaming consoles and smartphones are the most common platforms.

  • Consoles: 73% of teens play on consoles like PlayStation, Switch, or Xbox.
  • Smartphones: 70% game on smartphones.
  • Other Devices: 49% use desktop or laptop computers, 33% use tablets, and 24% use VR headsets.

Social Interaction Through Gaming

Socializing is a key aspect of the gaming experience. Most teen gamers (89%) play with others, either online or in person, and about half (47%) have made friends through gaming.

  • By Gender: More boys (94%) than girls (82%) play with others. Boys are also more likely to have made friends online through gaming (56% vs. 35%).
  • By Race and Ethnicity: Black (55%) and Hispanic (53%) teen gamers are more likely to make friends online compared to White gamers (43%).

Gaming’s Impact on Life

Teens generally view gaming positively in terms of skill development and social benefits.

  • Problem-Solving Skills: 56% of teens believe gaming helps their problem-solving abilities.
  • Friendships: 47% say gaming has positively impacted their friendships.
  • Teamwork: 41% think it improves their ability to work with others.
  • Mental Health: 32% feel gaming benefits their mental health.

However, many teens report that gaming negatively affects their sleep, with 41% saying it disrupts their sleep patterns.

  • By Gender: Boys more than girls feel gaming has hurt their sleep (45% vs. 37%) and school performance (21% vs. 11%).
  • By Gamer Identity: Gamers are more likely to believe gaming has helped their friendships, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and mental health. However, they also more frequently report negative impacts on sleep (48% vs. 36%) and school performance (20% vs. 14%).

Conclusion

The survey reveals a nuanced picture of how video games affect teens. While gaming offers significant social and cognitive benefits, it also presents challenges, particularly in terms of sleep disruption. The findings underscore the importance of balancing gaming with other activities to ensure a healthy and productive lifestyle for teens.

By Impact Lab