Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson are co-founders of the Center for Mental Health and Media at Massachusetts General Hospital. They conducted research on the effects of video and computer games on teens. Based on their research, they wrote the book "Grand Theft Childhood" which discusses both the risks and benefits of video games on children. The book provides parents with advice on limiting risks to children from games and creating rules for game play based on individual family needs.

1. Lawrence Kutner & Cheryl Olson CHERYL K. OLSON, SC.D. LAWRENCE A. KUTNER, PH.D. CO-FOUNDERS OF THE CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDIA AT MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL/ HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL By Kamar Ali

2. What they did Lawrence Kutner is an American child psychologist. He is a member of the faculty at Massachusetts General Hospital, and the author of a number of popular books on child psychology. He and his wife were both founders of the Centre for Mental Health and Media at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Lawrence Kutner is the executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Dr. Olson conceived and led a groundbreaking two-year, $1.5 million research project to study teens and video/computer games, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. With her husband, Dr. Larry Kutner, she turned that research into a book called Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games, and What Parents Can Do.

3. Grand Theft Childhood, and what it says: What should parents, teachers and public policy makers be concerned about? The real risks are subtle, and aren't just about violence, gore or sex. Video games don’t affect children in the same way. Some children are at significantly greater risk. Grand theft childhood gives parents practical, research based advice on ways to limit many of those risks. And it also shows how video games, or even violent video games can benefit children and families in unexpected ways. Instead of giving a one size fits all prescription grand theft childhood you need to decide how you want to handle this sensitive issue in your own family. You'll learn when and what kinds of video games can be harmful, when they can serve as important social tools or learning tools, and how to create and enforce game playing rules in your household. You’ll find what’s really in the games that your children play, and when to worry about them playing with strangers on the internet. You’ll learn how games are rated and how to make the best use of those ratings, as well as the important information that the ratings don’t tell you. In this ground breaking and timely book, Drs. Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olsen cut through the myths and hysteria, and reveal the surprising truth about kids a violent games.

4. How dose this directly relate to us? This directly relates to us, because Kutner and Olsen explore how the media in games can affect people mentally and physically, for the good and the bad. It also explores how the media in games can have a direct influence on the people playing games.