Impact of School Esports on Student Health and Development

Understanding the effects of esports programs is crucial, as extracurricular video gaming is associated with high time costs, physical injuries, and problems with psychological functioning.

FREMONT, CA: The number of players and spectators participating in and observing esports is increasing annually. The worth of the esports sector is over billions of dollars, and professional esports players (e-athletes) can earn as much (or more) as traditional athletes. The quick expansion of esports is primarily attributable to the high levels of participation among young people. The number of high schools esports developmental and grassroots programs and competitions in the U.S. increased. Concerns over sedentary behavior, psychological development, and physical and psychological welfare have accompanied the rise in esports' popularity.

Many esports leagues and organizations run similarly to other sports; universities have begun to incorporate esports in their sports portfolios, and esports meets practically every philosophical criterion for traditional sports. Researchers increasingly recognize esports as a sport in traditional sports; the action and the sport's social framework have enhanced mental and physical health. These elements have also facilitated the development of self-regulation skills and good youth development. Few kids engaged in these programs have reported harmful gaming behaviors.

Initial findings in esports indicate similar trends of grassroots esports programs can result in the development of transferable psychological abilities. Evidence in cross-sectional research of e-athletes shows that the organizational structure of esports offers fewer opportunities for developing social support, self-regulatory abilities, psychological skills, and physical activity (PA) behavior. There is a need to evaluate the impact of community or school esports programs on adolescents' psychological development, health, and physical activity (PA) behavior.

Despite negative associations with video gaming and esports, playing video games was related to cognitive, motivational, social, and health benefits. Pedagogical supervision in teenage esports programs can aid in the identification of potential symptoms of problematic gaming. Such esports programs are becoming more prevalent in school curricula. There is limited empirical information regarding the benefits of involvement in esports programs for adolescents. Such programs may positively affect the development of communication, teamwork, problem-solving, professional and academic skills, social and emotional learning, social belonging, and mental health. It is impossible to conclude the causal relationship between participating in such a program and student growth.