The topic I am exploring is the mental health effects that violent video games have on adolescent
children. This topic is important to society because if there is a link found between violent video
games and negative behavior there will be a change in the activities that children are allowed to
partake in. Not only would discovering such a link change the gaming world but the social world. If
there is a link found between negative mental health and harsh games, new policies will limit the
class of games the younger generation is exposed to. Canceling these types of games would
overall eliminate aggression shown in younger people which would lead to a healthier public
population if the link proved to be negative. As someone who has played violent video games
from a young age it will be interesting to see if the outcome of playing such games genuinely has
an impact on mental health. From a personal standpoint playing these games had no visible
negative effect on my health. I will need to know the statistics of violence or changed behavior of
children who regularly play violent games and of those who don’t and compare if there really is a
noticeable difference. It will also help to define what “negative behaviors” are and how they will be
magnified by this category of games. One source that I have found to be useful while researching
this topic is “Horn, Royal Van. “Violence and Video Games.” The Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 81, no. 2,
1999” which uses scientific studies to show how engaging in violent video games affects a child’s
capability of violence. Finding the connection between this everyday activity and overall
aggression will expose the many problems that society faces collectively.