From gamedaily.com:

Universities of Chichester and Gloucestershire today announced a partnership with Blondie drummer Clem Burke. This unique collaboration will look into the benefits, both mental and physical, of playing drums in games like Guitar Hero World Tour. Working with Activision, the study will look at the effect drumming games can have on obesity, autism and stroke patients in addition to seeing whether interactive video games can aid stress release and improve productivity in the workplace.

"We are interested in finding out how interactive video games, such as Guitar Hero World Tour , can improve the health and mental well-being of people," said Dr. Marcus Smith, Principal Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, at the University of Chichester. "Despite a global recession, sales of interactive video games remain high. As researchers we are interested in understanding why such games are so appealing and how they may be used to investigate specific research questions. We are particularly interested in examining the effects of playing Guitar Hero World Tour on child and adult obesity, autism, stroke patients, disengaged communities, and health and mental well-being in the workplace."

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From google.com (canadianpress):

 Young teens will use violence in video games to “manage their feelings,” say authors of a book about the impact of video games.

In their recently released “Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do“, Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson tell parents not to panic about video game violence.

Aside from playing for fun, kids play video games for creative reasons and to relieve stress, Olson said Tuesday.

“Also many children were using games to manage their feelings, and this seemed to be especially true for kids who played violent games like ‘Grand Theft Auto,”‘ said Olson.

Olson and Kutner, of Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital, were speakers at the Montreal International Game Summit, which showcases Quebec’s gaming industry.

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From cbsnews.com:

“David Gregg of BehindTheBuy.com stopped by The Early Show Wednesday with several hi-tech products designed to help you chill. All have been on the market a year or less.

According to the American Institute of Stress:

-Extended or repeated activation of the stress response takes a heavy toll on the body.

-Prolonged exposure to stress increases your risk of everything from heart disease, obesity, and infection to anxiety, depression, and memory problems. “

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Technorati Tags: games,pc,mac,stress,self-confidence,mindhabits

From marketwatch.com:

“Got Game Entertainment today announced that “MindHabits” for both PC and Mac has shipped to retail stores across America. With its scientifically tested challenges that are both simple and fun, “MindHabits” can help you maintain a more positive state of mind resulting in reduced stress and boosted self-confidence in all walks of life, from work to play. Based on more than a decade of research and findings by Dr. Mark Baldwin of esteemed McGill University, “MindHabits” created a sensation at the Games for Health Conference as the first “brain trainer” to not only help you think better, but feel better as well. “MindHabits” debuts at $19.99 (USD) and is rated “E” for Everyone by the ESRB.”

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From seattleweekly.com:

"But like a rock star who wants to be taken seriously, PopCap has sought to be more than popular; it also wants to be viewed as a valuable contributor to society. "We saw literally 80 to 90 percent of our customer responses saying, ‘Thank you for making a game that leaves me feeling less stressed, that leads me feeling more mentally sharp,’" says Garth Chouteau, a PopCap spokesperson. "So we decided to invest in it to see if it was scientifically true.""

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