Apr. 26--Parents shouldn't worry about "Grand Theft Auto IV" warping their children into homicidal sociopaths, according to Cheryl K. Olson, co-founder of the Harvard Medical School Center for Mental Health and Media.

"One of the most important things for parents is to not panic about it," said Olson, co-author of "Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth about Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do." "Just because they are playing a thug in a game doesn't mean they admire that character in real life."

Olson and Lawrence Kutner, her husband and co-author, spent two years surveying more than 1,200 middle school students and 500 parents in a $1.5 million study of the effects of violent video games on children.

Among their findings is that children make clear but complex distinctions between video game violence and real-life violence -- and they like both the realism and "unreality" of violent games, Olson said.

" 'Grand Theft Auto' is a special case because it is such an open environment," she said. "The things you see on the local TV news are scary clips. Your child might be doing that, but they might not."

Still, mature-rated games are designed for adults -- the "Grand Theft Auto" games are a prime example -- and parents should do more research about the games their children want beyond just checking the ratings, she said.

"Get a sense of what the plot is, what happens in the game, look at the game play videos on the Web," she said. "Just because it is called a game doesn't mean it is for children."

Olson also suggested that if any parents are unsure whether any game is suitable for their child, they could rent the title first and then watch them play.

"Get him to teach you about the game," she said. "Kids love to teach their parents something, and games are a great opportunity to do that."

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Last updated: 05/01/2008 - 03:06 PM