Les mondes virtuels menacent-ils la santé mentale des enfants et des adolescents ?

Abstract

Video games and the Internet cause enthusiasm but also worry. Among the possible risks, addiction (dependency), isolation, retiring within oneself, and loss of reality, are often put forward. Available data show that serious problems remain exceptional and non-specific, and that these new technological supports do not create new pathologies. Excessive use and isolation have to be solved on an educational basis. Nevertheless, virtual reality, whose applications for the general public are still considered part of the future, needs particular attention.