Study Finds Casual Video Games Reduce Depression And Anxiety

The results of a recent study looking for a link between reducing depression and anxiety and the play of some casual video games has been published. The study was conducted by the East Carolina University Psychophysiology Lab and biofeedback Clinic and the study lasted for a year.

The study was randomized, controlled, and looked at the ability of casual video games to reduce depression and anxiety using biochemical and psychological measurements to monitor the efficacy of the games. The study reports that it found that 57% of the patients in the game group of the study had a reduction in the symptoms along with a slight reduction in anxiety.

The seven subjects in the game group all suffered from moderate to severe depression symptoms and after the study, they were all shifted into the mild category. The study was underwritten by PopCap Games and three of its titles were used in the game group. The games used included Bejeweled 2, Peggle, and Bookworm Adventures.