TPP 523: Raising Good Gamers, with Dr. Rachel Kowert

Research psychologist Dr. Rachel Kowert comes back to the podcast for a fascinating and updated conversation about kids and gaming, and why so much of what parents hear about video games doesn’t necessarily line up with what the research actually tells us. In our conversation, we dig into Rachel’s new white paper, Raising Good Gamers, and unpack the research around violent video games, gaming disorder, mental health, and the social, emotional, and skill-building benefits gaming can offer. Rachel also shares her SPACE framework, a practical approach for helping parents move beyond fear and toward curiosity, connection, and collaborative boundaries around their kids’ gaming lives.

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About Rachel Kowert, Ph.D

Rachel Kowert, Ph.D is a research psychologist, award winning author, and globally recognized leader in facilitating policy development for more than 15 years through data-driven research focused on mental health and trust and safety in digital games. She has spoken about her work to thousands of people across the globe, including the United States Congress, United Nations, and Department of Homeland Security. Dr. Kowert is the founder of Psychgeist, a multimedia content production studio for the intersection of science and games, which includes Psychgeist YouTube channel (200+ videos), Most Recent Save podcast, and The Psychgeist of Pop Culture and Games book series’ published by Play Story Press. She currently serves as the Research Director for Games for Change and is a Visiting Researcher at the University of Cambridge.

Things you'll learn from this episode 

• How the conversation around kids, screens, and video games is evolving as research challenges common fears and assumptions

• Why violent video games aren’t directly linked to real-world violence and what “gaming disorder” actually means

• How increased gaming can sometimes signal underlying mental health challenges or serve as an important coping strategy

• Why gaming can support friendships, connection, confidence, competency, and executive function skills

• How the SPACE framework helps parents stay engaged and curious about their child’s gaming world

• Why collaborative, flexible boundaries can support healthier gaming habits while preserving connection and trust

 

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Rachel Kowert’s website

• Raising Good Gamers website

• Games for Change

• Games for Change on Instagram

• Games for Change on Facebook

• Entertainment Software Association (ESA)

• The Truth About Video Games and Your Child’s Physical, Social, and Psychological Well-Being with Dr. Rachel Kowert (Tilt Parenting podcast)

• A Parent’s Guide to Video Games: The Essential Guide to Understanding How Video Games Impact Your Child’s Physical, Social, and Psychological Well-Being by Dr. Rachel Kowert

• Purplicious Cow on CurseForge

 

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