Wednesday, February 16, 2011

PopCap: Study Shows Casual Games Reduce Depression, Anxiety

In a study funded by Seattle-based casual games maker PopCap Games, East Carolina University's Psychophysiology Lab and Biofeedback Clinic said that playing casual games reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. The study used PopCap's Bejeweled 2, Peggle, and Bookworm Adventures to study the effect of casual games on depression symptoms. The two said that the study is the first research ever to measure the efficacy of video games in reducing depression and anxiety. According to the study, there was an average reduction in depression symptoms of 57% in people who played video games, versus a control group. The study used 60 subjects who met the criteria of clinical depression. PopCap Games underwrote the study.