PlayStation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction

by Kurt Bruner and Olivia Bruner

When Olivia Bruner saw video games overtaking her young sons' lives, she decided to learn the facts behind addiction. What she found was shocking: that most games are designed to be highly addictive-triggering physiological reactions in the brain similar to those associated with substance abuse-and that one out of five kids becomes addicted to computer and video games. And while many parents screen the content of games to protect their children from...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931722749
• ISBN13: 9781931722742
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Center Street
• Length: 161 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Well Researched, Well Written, Very Helpfull

I travel and speak about gaming addiction and right now this is the only book on gaming that I sell. I am going through this book for the second time because it is so good. If you are a parent and have a concern about your child's gaming this book is a great investment. This books only limitation is that it has an over the shoulder point of view of gaming. The Bruner's lack of first hand experience sometimes shows. But what they lack in game experience they more than makeup for in parental expertise. I own several books on this topic and if you are a parent and you only buy one book on this subject you should buy Playstation Nation.

Useful and Practical-Help when in doubt...

I purchased this book because of my concern for my 12-year old son and his future. This book affirmed my strength to resist letting him lose: a zest for real life, social skills, and maturing. It's too easy to turn to a virtual world than to face the real world and build coping skills needed for life. Without being overly dramatic or too technical, the Bruner's provided factual and subjective information while citing other authors, sources, and scholars on video game addition.

Mom of Two Boys

This book was the push I need to stop game playing in our home. The authors spelled out exactly what was happening with my two boys and online game playing. It was like reading dialogue from my boys and I. Since, the boys stopped playing online games our entire household is a much more peaceful place with the boys spending their time playing outside, reading, using their imaginations and I am no longer the bad mom constantly telling the kids to get off the computer. I feel like our children, teens, and young men are having their lives stolen by computer games. It is a free choice but it is truly addictive. Think of the hours wasted playing online games, especially while a child is growing up. I have friends whose husbands spend hours playing games. What a loss. I recommend this book to all.

A Wake Up Call for Parents

This is not another false alarm from overly anxious 'experts'. The research is compelling: video games are highly addictive. I have four boys who play and I see the signs of addiction: loss of interest in other formerly enjoyed ctivities, inability to stop playing or set limits on their own behavior, willing to risk negative consequences for more play time (sneaking, whining, etc.). I see video games the same way I see alcohol. Many people can drink alcohol without becoming addicted. Many kids can play video games without becoming addicted. Regardless of which category you believe your kids are in, read this book. Educate your kids and parents of kids who clearly have a problem limiting their play. I'm returning all video games this Christmas and am giving my kids board games instead.

High school counselor and mom

This is a chilling book as it describes the addiction to video games that are of serious concern regardless of the good or bad content of individual games. Boys and young men are becoming addicted to games that are interferring with their high school and college years and even into their marriages. One of the chapters is appropriatly entitled "Lost Boys". I grieve for the lost potental stolen away by video and computer games. I recommend this book highly to parents who are struggling with trying to control video games in their homes and achieve balance with something that was supposed to be for recreation but is now taking over all of their kid's free time. The behavior that I have observed regarding my own sons, their friends, and students at school is accurately described in my book.