How is playing Fortnite affecting teen and preteen health? Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares findings from her study of 700 middle school youth, ages 11-14, in the Greater Boston Area, which was funded by Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development. Through surveys of students' social media use, Dr. Charmaraman found that Fortnite users spent more time gaming than other gamers and were more likely to lose sleep, have blurry vision and hand pain, and check social media frequently. On the slightly positive side, Dr. Charmaraman found that teens playing Fortnite are playing with people they know in real life and use it as a time to socialize. They are less likely to be playing with strangers or to experience anxiety and depression than other gamers.

© Copyright 2019 Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College. This video cannot be posted elsewhere without the explicit written permission of the Wellesley Centers for Women.

January 30, 2019