The Effects of Playing Digital Games on the Physical and Cognitive Health of Older Adults: A Meta-Analytic Review

• In Event: A New Look at Technology in Counseling and Human Development Research

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to examine the effects of playing digital games on the physical and cognitive functions in older adults. To do this, the author conducted 8 independent meta-analyses by reporting 64 effect sizes generated from 26 studies. Results showed that playing digital games is associated with a range of physical and cognitive benefits in older adults. In addition, age and time of game playing are related to effect size, and the relationship between time and effect size is significant for physical mobility. More importantly, this study confirms the findings in previous studies that older adults are able to learn new technology and benefit from it.

Authors

• Fan Zhang, Simon Fraser University

• David M. Kaufman, Simon Fraser University