The American Medical Association's look at video game violence has been muddled and confused since the onset. So it's no wonder that after much ado, the association decided to essentially table the idea of classifying video game addiction in the upcoming revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and order more studies.

The group said more research needs to be donw on the "long-term beneficial and detrimental effects" of video games and the Internet. Oddly, they also called for a review of the video game ratings system, saying that they'd like to see a rating system in place that "better alerts parents to the content of the video game and recommended age of the player, so they can decide whether or not their child should be playing it."

Yeah, I agree. We need some sort of committee or organization, perhaps a board, that could look at games when they come out and put some sort of rating on them. Maybe something like a movie rating, but instead of just a rating, they also really need to explain the rating. Yeah, something like that would be great.

Hit the jump to escape my sarcasm and delve straight into the press release, which comes straight from Dean's blog. Brian Crecente

AMA NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2007

AMA TAKES ACTION ON VIDEO GAMES

Nation's physicians call for more research on the appropriate use of video games and increased monitoring by parents.

CHICAGO - Given that approximately 70 to 90 percent of U.S. youths play video games, the American Medical Association (AMA) today called for more research on the long-term beneficial and detrimental effects of video game and Internet use, as well as a review of the current video game ratings system.

To spur additional study, the AMA will submit the full report and recommendations to the American Psychiatric Association and other appropriate medical specialty societies for review and consideration in conjunction with the upcoming revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

"While more study is needed on the addictive potential of video games, the AMA remains concerned about the behavioral, health and societal effects of video game and Internet overuse," said Ronald M. Davis, M.D., AMA President. "We urge parents to closely monitor their children's use of video games and the Internet."

The AMA also called for a review of the current video game ratings systems. The current ratings system for video games has been in place since 1994. Research from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Surgeon General, links children's exposure to media violence with increases in aggressive and violent behavior. Concern about this system's effectiveness in alerting parents to violence and age appropriate content has led to attempts at both the federal and state levels to enact regulation of video game content and to better control the sale of inappropriate video games to minors.

"We would like to see a ratings system that better alerts parents to the content of the video game and recommended age of the player, so they can decide whether or not their child should be playing it," said Dr. Davis. "Parents need to more closely monitor and restrict the types of video games their children are playing and buying, and a clear rating system would help them do that."

Doctors backed away on Sunday from a controversial proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder akin to alcoholism, saying psychiatrists should study the issue more.

Addiction experts also strongly opposed the idea at a debate at the American Medical Association's annual meeting. They said more study is needed before excessive use of video and online games — a problem that affects about 10 percent of players — could be considered a mental illness.

Instead of trying to get the manual updated with video game addiction in it this year, the committee suggested the American Psychiatric Associated consider adding it to the manual in five years when the manual will be up for revision. Which is fine by me. In five years, I'll be so consumed with my alcohol-induced depression, I won't really have time to play video games. Kim Phu.

Addiction Experts Say Video Games Not an Addiction [Reuters]

Do you spend all of your free time playing or reading about computer and video games? Ask your doctor about...

My personal gaming bias aside, I can think of about 20 million other things I would rather have the CDC doing rather than watching children with diodes on their heads play Frogger - not that that wouldn't be immensely entertaining. Saving us from another black plague, for instance.

If gaming addiction were to become a recognized mental disorder, what doors would that open? Gaming addiction as a legal defense? Rehab clinics? Anti-gamer bias for insurance coverage? I should stop speculating before I freak myself out. Michael Fahey

American Doctors Want Videogame 'Addiction' Recognised [Spong.com]