Most parents worry about their kids’ obsession with technology in general, and video game play, in particular. Here’s some interesting news to ease your mind…

A new study that’ll relieve parents suggests that students who spend their free time playing video games actually academically outperform their peers in math, science, and reading.

The study found that “students who played online games on a daily basis scored 17 points above the average score in science and 15 points above the average score in math.”

But the news is less positive when it comes to social media usage:

“In comparison, teens who used social media sites daily scored 20 points lower in math than teens who steered clear of Facebook and the like.”

While the causal connection is unclear, the leader of the study posits:

“When you play online games you’re solving puzzles to move to the next level and that involves using some of the general knowledge and skills in maths, reading and science that you’ve been taught during the day.”