Study: Video games not linked to depression (but excess TV is)

A new study, published by the American Medical Association, has taken a look at the causes of depression among adolescents. Contrary to some previous research (which targeted online games), video games were found to have no depressing effects, whereas watching too much television was said to cause a serious case of the blues.

The research took a look at 4,142 adolescents who, at the beginning of the study, showed no signs of depression. After seven years, 7% of the participants were diagnosed with depression, but it was concluded that there was no association of depression with exposure to video games. In comparison, 17% of those who watched an excessive amount of TV (nine or more hours a day) showed depressive symptoms, as did 6% of those who watched three hours or less.

Can anyone really be all that depressed after conquering Albion, winning the Flower Cup, or building a colorful world for Sackboy? Compared to watching hours of the Lifetime channel (or playing their games), games are a regular barrel of laughs.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/st...-excess-tv-is/