Gamer Youth do More Good for the World

A national survey about teen gaming trends has had some surprising results. The study, conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, and supported by the MacArthur Foundation looked at the varied experiences of young gamers and the social impressions that gaming can leave.

For just a taste, here are some tidbits:
76% of teens play games with others at least some of the time
44% of teens play games where they learn about societal issues
52% of teens play games where they need to think about moral and ethical issues

And..."the survey indicates that youth who have these kinds of civic gaming experiences are more likely to be civically engaged in the offline world. They are more likely than others are to go online to get information about current events, to try to persuade others how to vote in an election, to say they are committed to civic participation, and to raise money for charity."

Want to read more?
The press release
The full survey report (PDF)
MacArthur grantmaking in digital media and education

U.S. Teens Have More STDs

Everything is bigger in the U.S. Yes, we need 22 ounces of coffee, yes please super size that, yes my mc-mansion can eat your mc-mansion. But the substantial size gap between the pregnancy rate of U.S. teens is frightening when compared to the pregnancy rates of other industrialized nations.

Check out the results of Advocates for Youth and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte sponsored annual study tour. The tours go to France, Germany, and the Netherlands to explore why adolescent sexual health outcomes are so much more positive in the three European countries than in the U.S.

Here are some staggering facts:

Syphilis

In the United States, the teen syphilis rate is over six times higher than that of the Netherlands, over five times higher than the rate in former West Germany, and nearly three times higher than that in former East Germany. Data are not available for France.


Gonorrhea

In the United States, the teen gonorrhea rate is over 74 times higher than that in the Netherlands and France, over 66 times higher than the rate in former West Germany, and over 38 times higher than that in former East Germany.


Chlamydia

In the United States, the teen chlamydia rate is over 20 times higher than that in France. Data are not available for Germany or the Netherlands.



These statistics combined with the fact that both teens in Europe and The U.S. start having sex at roughly the same time seems to clearly point out that our all or nothing attitude is not serving our teens well.