Nintendo At School
July 29, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Couple months back, a study was presented at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference in Dublin; the study found that people who showed more signs of games addiction exhibit the following personality traits: “neuroticism, lack of extraversion and lack of agreeableness”—all signs of Asperger’s Syndrome, according to one source.
Not so sure about those traits signaling Asperger’s but I did note then that Charlie had zero interest in video games.
Not any more! He’s been liking his recently acquired Leapster2 and, after I told his teacher about this, she noted that he’d been watching the other kids in his class play Nintendo (Charlie’s teacher brought in an old one that belonged to her son). So now they (as in the school) is teaching Charlie to play Nintendo.
Yes, the school is teaching him to play Nintendo.
Nah, just the way it should be.
I miss the old NES oh so much…and it actually makes sense as a goal, for fine motor coordination, and hand eye, and cause effect, and because gaming is such a big part of recreation and socializing,
*says the girl who spent a weekend playing Rock Band recently*
I don’t even know what the old one looks like!
It’s a big grey plastic brick, with AWFUL graphics. I had one, and a gameboy, and a SNES, and a N64. A lot of my friends have Wiis and xboxes and stuff so I don’t NEED a console now.
(yes, I am an autistic gamer. yet another stereotype)
One of the fun things about my class, is that a game playing period is completely justifiable. If I could figure out how to justify a video game period, that’d be even better.
Kristina, did they put learning Nintendo in Charlie’s IEP? How does one justify it in the IEP? Maybe under OT? Or Social skills?
I am not a gamer, but I know how all the kids play it, and I would like to help my son learn how to play it.
My son is a Nintendo addict and I really don’t mind. At times, I need to set limits on it so that he will go outside and get fresh air. Overall, though, I find it helps him with his social skills since it gives him common ground with other kids.
@ Storkdok- My husband let him use his old Gameboy when he was about 6-7 and he really started getting into it. There are some easy games out there made for younger kids. I would recommend getting a used Gameboy or Gamecube first. Some game stores such as Gamestop sell used systems and games fairly cheap. This way, if he’s not interested, you haven’t lost a lot of money.
For awhile I was a game geek. This was before returning to school. Game geekery takes a lot of time, you know. Anyhow, during that time, I was always thinking I’d like to write an essay on What I Learned From Playstation 2. In a nutshell, I learned about learning through perseverance. Though I was in my thirties, I had not mastered the lesson that sometimes learning takes time and hard work. My experience had been that either I was very good at a subject or I was very bad at it. If bad, then I avoided it. But the learning curve on some games was just right to get me hooked in before I realized it was “too hard” for me. So I tried for a full month, several hours a day, to complete a level of a child-oriented game until one day, I could do it. This became a pattern, getting stuck and not giving up. The understanding I gained came in handy when I had to get those math credits for my degree!
We have just begun to introduce Kai to video games. He plays online a lot at Nick Jr., Noggin and PBS Kids. The Playstation and Wii are a little beyond him, as of yet.
I think these games are a valuable bridge for social skills. If you listen to boys talk, it invariably turns to the gaming world. It’s odd to think all that screen time can lead to social breakthroughs, but if it gets him in the conversation…
I have noticed that my AS brother-in-law is only social and animated when talking games. He is *extremely* introverted, and this is the only topic about which I have ever heard him speak more than monosyllables. I’ve been trying to talk to him for the last 20 years but, alas, I am not a gamer.
Nick has the Nintendo DS that he got for graduation of Elementary school. His games are mostly about animals and vets, but some Pokemon ones too.
A camper perseverates on Super Mario Bros and Nick is now interested and wants one of those games, but the first one so he can learn the players, etc.
He is waiting for the amazon associates cert that should be here this week.
I saw a play at the Interact Center here in Minneapolis last summer called “Broken Brain Summit”. One of the adult actors, who has Asperger’s, mused “How come you get to have hobbies but I have obsessions”? Wow!
When Tony (now 13) said that he wanted lots of time this summer to play Pokemon I surprised myself and said “Sure”. He is really good at it-and that makes him feel good about himself. So I have packed the “momma guilt” away for the summer. Tony works harder than anyone I know. He has matured just enough to have a little freedom.
“He has matured just enough to have a little freedom.”
Just had to repeat that, thank you.
I love this! M was very slow to play video games or the DS. She could not watch and use the many buttons at the same time and then one day it just clicked. The games can be a great way for kids to connect with one another.
Since when is “neuroticism, lack of extraversion and lack of agreeableness” a problem? Sounds like me and my husband in a nutshell on most days. We do just fine.
Kristina! Were you in Dublin yourself? I was on the Autism Action Stand; trying to onvert young grads into recognising and referring early.
I totally agree about the computer. Bratty loves the Ceebeebies, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) site “The Playground” and Nick jr, PBS, Noggin and Disney. But where oh where did Bear in the Big Blue House go? Great little games and it’s disappeared to be replaced by a “first download free” site that wants too much personal information for this Mama.
If you read this Disney execs: we bought all the soft toys, hard toys, Videos and multiple DVDs of Bear and Jim Henson, all under the Disney ownership. Can we please have those free online games back?
xx
My husband is a big gamer and I agreed to let him introduce Gus to video games. At first I was pretty adamant that the games be educational, but then I realized that he was finally enjoying something and feeling good about it, so I eased up. I still ban anything that’s too violent (I’m not keen on Smash Brothers, but it got past me somehow), and now Gus has gone from playing the V-smile to Gamecube and there’s one Civilization game that he’s learned on the 360. I’ve actually seen an improvement in hand-eye coordination since he’s been playing.
I’ll be the outlier on this issue: I have serious, serious doubts about some (not all) of the games my students play, especially those with developmental issues.
I have noticed more violent outbursts after students diagnosed as “ADHD” play violent games. I have also noticed younger students “learning lessons” from the games — including how they perceive racial groups, the police, and even what is a “normal” interaction with the opposite sex.
On the other hand, puzzle games, board games, and most simulations do seem to have a calming effect and might have a lot of value. I know I use a Nintendo DS to play Brain Age, Chess, Crosswords, and Solitaire. I am very fascinated by chess puzzles — not exactly Grand Theft Auto.
Research on games is mixed, just like research on television. It’s really about what parents and teachers encourage. I definitely worry when a student mimics the “Hispanic” characters in GTA or suggests women “want” to be controlled.
Guess I wouldn’t be a lot of fun as a parent? Dance Dance Revolution seems pretty interesting, though. Too bad there isn’t a “Big Band” edition.
@CS Wyatt, Don’t worry, we don’t allow Grand Theft Anything around here. My ADHD husband has zero interest in video games.
@Hammie, wish I had been in Dublin, one day! Charlie was into Noggin for a brief while and he still has a repertoire of Disney songs!
Learning computer skills and the hand-eye coordination involved in video games is something that’s been good to see Charlie learn—-I see it all as steps to helping him become more proficient in this, some day.
We do, and will continue to, limit the types of games that Kai plays. His dad loves the violent games, but I have a strict rule that these games are only to be played when Kai is not around, usually after bedtime. This sometimes makes me a bit of a video game widow, but I do not want my son getting mixed messages about “appropriate social skills”. I will be policing the games well into his teen years, I can assure you. I definitely don’t want him beating up any hookers, taking their money and stealing their cars.
Same here, xtiluv. The violent games are not allowed until after bedtime and even then, GTF will never be allowed in this house for anyone. I wanted to kick my 24 year old nephew for playing it in hios own apartment. It’s not even just Gus that I don’t want seeing those types of games. I don’t want his sister or myself exposed to them either. I just find them repulsive. We’ll stick to family races in Mario Kart.
Hi Dr. Chew,
While we are on the subject of Nintendo and autism, one of Nintendo’s most influential game designers (Satoshi Tajiri) allegedly has Asperger’s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoshi_Tajiri
Take care
L
GTA is only meant for adults. Kids shouldn’t be playing games rated M anyway. They also shouldn’t be playing Halo or any realistic first person shooter.
But a lot of other games, they’re good fun. They really are.
(yes. I am a geek.)
On the comments above about noticing that gamer children tend to see the world differently and not necessarily in positive ways I wouldn’t doubt it, but I’m absolutely sure what the end result is depends entirely on the particular games played. Just kind of like with TV, they can do studies showing specific TV shows damage ability to socialize properly and they’ve done other studies showing different shows actually seem to help it. I remember an old psychology book I have sitting around mentioned Seasame Street in particular as one show that for younger children seems to have a lot of really positive effects on their ability to socialize as a contributing member of society. Just as a 5 year old little boy watching the play boy channel is going to result in something entirely different than watching sesame street, different video games result in different behavioral trends. All that calls for is greater parental vigilance over what is in the games their children play.
@ Beth
Thanks for the info! The reason I would like him to try it is so he knows what the other boys are talking about at school, for the common ground to socialize. It would probably help his fine motor and eye-to-hand coordination as well.
I was barely able to to the old Ping Pong and Packman games when they came out. I would not know how to teach him to play the games. That’s why I asked if it was put into the IEP and how to justify it, because almost anyone else would know more than me about playing it!
The best I can do is play I Spy games and solitaire! I had to give a fair amount of support for the I Spy games in order for him to learn how to play it, and he has mastered that.
Maybe his 3 year old brother can teach him soon, he has been playing I Spy games for over a year now. I think he will be a gamer, he picks this stuff up by osmosis!