Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 1

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND IT’S BACKGROUND

Introduction

Nowadays, development in technology brings many things that people don’t have many

years back. More and more people are starting to use the internet. One of these things is online

gaming that is provided by the internet. At the same time, online games have become extremely

popular among the young generation thus leading to addiction. As of today’s, millennium, new

forms of technology made wherein its main purpose to seek convenience, things may move fastest

motion people also goes into reverse motion where other negative effect arises. To think the target

market of these online games is young people or most especially students to whom it may result

to such addiction that may ruin their performance in the class session.

According to recent researches, online gaming has become one of the most addictive

internet activities. Computer games have become a very popular leisure activity among children

and adolescent in recent years. The worldwide popularity of gaming, especially among children is

shocking. Due to technological advancement, video and online games are increasingly attractive

and challenging with beautiful graphics, lifelike images, realistic characters and highly

sophisticated game systems. Many youngsters enjoy gaming without experiencing any detrimental

consequences. However, some teenagers fail to maintain balance between gaming and school

work, family responsibilities and social commitments.

A child’s addiction to online games can affect many things most particularly his/her

education. Online games may have significantly negative consequences, especially in life of the

students, through causing distraction and interfering with important reaction of out-game life
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 2

actions, such as academic performances, health and social life. But there are also beneficial things

of playing online games according to some research. It enables the mind of the players to be more

active, especially those puzzled-based games. It helps the players to come up with a decision in

tight situations, especially those adventure games that keep the players to be alert, active, and

strategic. Everyone who plays video games has a different reason for playing, and the usage of the

game leads to different effects for each individual. Childhood upbringings, peer influences,

pressures at school and family issues are all factors that have a strong connection with the effects

of gaming on individuals. Online games maybe therapeutic for some people, but the small amount

of people who are negatively affected by gaming impact are many.

Statement of the Problem

This study will aim to determine and sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age

1.2 Gender

1.3 Educational Status

2. How does the academic performance of students affect by the following gaming factors?

2.1. Type of Games

2.2. Number of Hours Spent

2.3 Money spent

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of online gaming among students?
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 3

Significance of the Study

The findings of the study will have a great help or will be significant to the students,

parents, and researchers.

Students. This study is primarily important to student, for it will give them information

about the impacts they may get from online gaming.

Parents. This study will help the parents to have enough knowledge about the impacts of

online gaming among their children.

Researchers. This may serve as a basis for future research that they will conduct.

Assumption of the Study

After the research, it is expected to know the impact of online gaming addiction to STI

students. To know the profile of these respondents, other advantages and disadvantages of these

online gaming addiction to students specially how it affects their academic performance.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study will be conducted to determine the impact of online gaming addiction to STI

students. This study will specifically determine the effects of online gaming to students especially

in their academic performances, some of the advantages and disadvantages of being addicted in

online gaming.

The respondents involved in this study is the students in STI Calbayog who are addicted in

online games.
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 4

Definition of Term

The following are the terms used in this study. The words are defined according to how

they are utilized in the study for better comprehension of the study.

Advantage is a benefit or gain.

Disadvantage it is something that makes a situation worse or that makes somebody or

something less effective or desirable.

Internet is an electronic communication network that connects computer network and

organizational computer facilities around the world.

Online gaming are games that are played online via the Internet.

Impact to have an immediate and strong effect on something or somebody.

Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 5

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This section presents the related literature and studies after the thorough and in-depth

search done by the researchers.

Related Literature

French & Dwyer (2002) claimed that online game players “don’t have normal social

relationships anymore” and play online games in order to cover feelings of anger, depression and

low self-esteem.

The authors Both Orzack (2004) and French (2002) found out that in internet search for

“gaming addiction” yields lists of physical and psychological symptoms from dry-eyes and carpal

tunnel syndrome to “problems with school or work,” offered as indicative of problem usage

behavior.

In the research conducted by Ahn and Randall (2008), they were able to discover that

Massively-Multiplayer-Online Games or MMOG affects both the social and academic lifestyles

of students. Based on their surveyed data, students who are addicted in online games registered

more F grades as compared to non-addicted students. This statistic corresponds with the amount

of playing time of addicted students on the MMOGs. Their surveyed data also shows that

approximately 50% of MMOG addicted students were also reported as actively engaged in a

physical altercation. Addicted students are mostly involved in arguments with their teachers and

as well as their friends.

Stated by Hassan (2011), online gaming is good and bad. Good for those who know their
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 6

limits and bad for those who fix themselves in the seats for long hours and cut off the interaction

with rest of the world.

According to Bachhuber and Saulnier (2012), playing online games is an effective way

of enhancing a student’s reading comprehension. Through formative testing, they found out that

online games can help a student improve his/her grammar, vocabulary and comprehension

because they can have an interactive way to learn English or any other language.

As of today, most people relate online games to low academic performance. Through the

years, studies have yielded different results. Some of them say that they are co-related when some

say that they are not.

According to Anderson and Dill (2000), there is a negative correlation between the two.

Thus, meaning that there is no relation between the number of hours played by a player and his

grades. At times, the students defend the games they are playing by saying that they do learn

something from it. A paper from EDUCAUSE backs these students up by suggesting that the

faculty learn and know about these games so as to help students in in class learning experience

(Hitch and Duncan, 2005).

Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 7

CHAPTER 3

METHOD AND PROCEDURES

This chapter presents the method of research, the subjects of the study, the method of

gathering data, the research instruments or tools and the statistical treatment of the gathered data.

Method of Research

The researcher will then administer the questionnaire to the respondents, conduct test and

analyze the pertinent records to get the necessary data, retrieve the questionnaire from the class,

collate and classify the questionnaire to examine and compare carefully in order to note points

and verify the order, necessary for the completeness of the study. Statistically analyze and

interpret the data in a paragraph form.

Subjects of the Study

The subjects of this study will be the 16 selected randomly students in STI Calbayog from

different levels or strands who are addicted in online games.

After choosing the respondents, each of them we’re given a survey questionnaire to

answer.

Description of Research Instrument

The main tool that will be used in gathering the data for this research is the researcher-

made instrument which is the questionnaire. The questionnaire is divided into three main parts.

Part I includes personal data information, which was used to draw important information

about their gender, age, and educational status or level.

Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 8

Part II includes the game session and activities of the online game players. It determines

the type of computer game being played, how often the students’ play online games, the number

of hours spent in playing the games and the money spend in playing online games.

Part III of the questionnaire was used to draw information about the perceptions of the

students playing online games about the behavior and other performance-related factors.

Data Gathering Procedure

At first, the researchers looked for necessary resources that could help them in their study.

They did an intensive reading from the internet and asked opinions from the online game players.

From these, they were able to construct ideas and questions necessary for the questionnaire.

A letter of transmittal was then prepared and was submitted to their research adviser, to

their school academic head and principal for the approval in producing and distributing the

questionnaire.

The researchers asked the permission from their research adviser to allow them to proceed

with the distribution of the questionnaire to the students in STI Calbayog.

With the permission granted, the researchers started in distributing the questionnaire. The

researchers clearly explained all the directions and items to the students - respondents to ensure

understanding and correctness of their responses.

Retrieval of the questionnaires was done after two days. The responses were tallied,

analyzed and interpreted in accordance to the items found in instruments.

Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 9

CHAPTER 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE STUDY

This chapter presents the analysis and interpretation of data.

1. Profile of the Respondents

The study included several profile variables to gain the information about the

respondents of the study. These were presented in the following table.

1.1 Age. Table 1 shows the characteristics of respondents in terms of age.

Table 1

Age Distribution of the Respondents

Age Frequency Percentage

2 13%
11-15
14 88%
16-25
TOTAL 16 100%

Results indicate that out of 16 respondents, the ages 11-15 have a frequency of 2

with a percentage of 13% and age 16-25 have a frequency of 14 with a percentage of 88%.

1.2 Gender. Table 2 shows the profile of the respondents in terms of gender.

Table 2

Gender Distribution of the Respondents

Gender Frequency Percentage

12 75%
Male
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 10

Female 4 25%

TOTAL 16 100%

Out of 16 respondents, 12 of them are male which is equivalent to 75% while 4 of

them are female which is equivalent to 25%.

The findings revealed that majority of the respondents who are playing online games

were male.

1.3 Educational Status. Table 3 shows the profile of the respondents in terms of

educational status.

Table 3

Educational Status of the Respondents

Educational Status Frequency Percentage

Grade 11 12 75%

Grade 12 4 25%

TOTAL 16 100%

It shows that 12 of the respondents are Grade 11 with 75% while 4 of them are

Grade 12 with 25%.

2. Game Sessions and Activities

2.1 Table 4 shows the profile of the respondents in terms of online games commonly

played by them.

Table 4
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 11

Online Games Commonly Played by the Respondents

Games Frequency Rank

Arcade 4 4

Action/Shootin 11 1
g
Driving/Racing 6 2

Other 5 3

TOTAL 27

Table 4 shows the online games commonly played by the respondents. The most

played online game is the action/shooting game which has a frequency of 11 and the second

is the driving/racing with a frequency of 6 and the third is other games with 5 frequency and

then the arcade with a frequency of 4. This are the games that are played by the respondents.

2.2 Table 5 shows the length of time the respondents play online games (in terms of week).

Table 5

Length of time the respondents play online games (in terms of month)

Weeks Frequency Percentage Rank

1-2 times 3 19% 3

3-4 times 5 31% 2

5-6 times 2 13% 4

1 whole week 6 38% 1

TOTAL 16 100%
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 12

Table 5 shows the length of time the respondents play online games (in terms of

week). It shows that out of 16 respondents, 6 of them play online games for about 1 whole

week which is equivalent to 38%; 5 of them are playing online games 3-4 times a week

which is equivalent to 31%; 3 of them are playing online games for 1-2 times a week which

is equivalent to 19%; and 2 of them are playing 1-2 times a week which is equivalent to

13%.

It indicates the respondents play online games for a whole week.

2.3 Table 6 shows the length of time the respondents play online games in a week (in terms

of hour).

Table 6

Length of time the respondents play online games in a week (in terms of hour)

Hours Frequency Percentage Rank

1-3 hours 6 38% 1

4-7 hours 4 25% 2

8-10 hours 2 12% 3

11-15 hours 4 25% 2

TOTAL 40 100%

Table 6 shows the length of time the respondents play online games in a week (in

terms of hour). It shows that 4 respondents are spending 1-3 hours of playing online games

in a week which is equivalent to 38%; 4 of them are spending 11-15 hours for playing online

games in a week which is equivalent to 25%; 4 of them are spending 3-7 hours for playing
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 13

online games in a week which is equivalent to 25%; and 2 of them is spending 8-10 hours

for playing online games in a week which is equivalent to 12%.

It indicates that almost all of the respondents are spending 1-3 hours in a week in

playing online games.

2.4 Table 7 shows the amount of money the respondents spend for online gaming (per

week).

Table 7

Amount of money the respondents spend for online gaming (per day)

Money Frequency Percentage Rank

Php 50-100 9 56% 1

Php 150-200 2 13% 3

Php 250-300 1 6% 4

Php 350-500 4 25% 2

TOTAL 40 100%

Table 7 shows the amount of money the respondents spend for online gaming (per

week). It indicates that 9 out of 16 respondents are spending almost Php 50-100 for playing

online games which is equivalent to 56%, and 4 of them are spending Php 350-500 for

playing online games which is equivalent to 25%, and 2 of them are spending Php 150-200

which is equivalent to 13%, and 1 student is spending Php 250-300 which is equivalent to

6%.

It indicates that almost all of the respondents are spending almost Php 50-100 for

online gaming.
Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 14

3. Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages Frequency Percentage Rank

1. Improved your hand-eye coordination

4 25% 4

2. Improve your responsiveness

9 56% 2
3.Improve your perseverance
determination 7 44% 3
4. Being fast in problem solving, quick
in thinking 9 56% 2

5. Bring you happiness, satisfaction

11 69% 1

Disadvantage Frequency Percentage Rank

1. Not enough sleep, always feeling tired

12 75% 1

2. Blurred Vision
7 44% 2
3. Cannot be concentrated regarding to
studies 7 44% 2
4. Having aggressive behaviors, feelings
or thoughts 4 25% 3

5. Being socially isolated

4 25% 3
6. hump back/bad posture 4 25% 3

7. limbs had less energy to work 4 25% 3

Impact of Online Gaming Addiction to STI Students 15