Universidad de Manila

Cecilia Muñoz Palma St., cor. Antonio Villegas St.,

Mehan Gardens, Ermita, Manila

A Qualitative Study on the Cause and Effect of Gaming Addiction

Among Senior High School Students
Of Universidad de Manila

An Undergraduate Research Paper Presented

To Universidad de Manila

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Senior High School Major

In Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Submitted to:
Prof. Reginald Pabico

Belmonte, Roi John D.

Latoreno, Mark TJ M.
Pascua, Jorgemartin
Dagangon, Gwynneth Valerie R.
Daguman, Casandra Mariz M.
Mustacisa, Diana Rose Q.

2019
 Chapter I: The Problem and Its Background

A) Introduction, Background of the Study

Technology has come a long way. With the invention of computers, cellular phones,

and the Internet, it is inevitable to avoid gaming with the use of these modern devices.

Most people tend to use their vacant hours on playing online/video games for fun

and entertainment. Others are freeing their time from loads of paper and legworks.

Specifically, those students who are piled with school works and needing a break. They

tend to engage themselves in online/video gaming and this may lead to gaming

addiction.

According to the quarterly assessment of Global Games Market Report, as of 2017,

the Philippines ranked #29 worldwide in terms of game revenues with a total of 29.9

million of gamers nationwide. In the survey conducted by Philippine Consumer Gamer

Insights on the same year, 18% of male and 16% of female in the age group 10-20

years old are active mobile players.

In the age group of 10-20, most of them are students ranging from late elementary to

early college stage. With this, students may be addicted to gaming for self-satisfaction

and to pass time.

In Universidad de Manila, it is evident that Senior High School (SHS) students,

particularly Grade 11 students, tend to engross themselves in playing video games,

consuming their time, sometimes making them unprepared for school.

 In recent years gaming addiction (computer game addiction, console gaming

addiction, or even excessive play on portable systems) has received increased attention

not only from the media, but also from psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health

organizations, and gamers themselves (Conrad).

It wasn’t officially classified as a disorder then, but on January 2018 the World Health

Organization (WHO) declared gaming addiction as a mental health disorder. Gaming

disorder is defined in the draft 11th Revision of the International Classification of

Diseases (ICD-11) as a pattern of gaming behavior (“digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”)

characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over

other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily

activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative

consequences (World Health Organization, 2018).

Gaming addiction is serious problem as it tends to affect the students in their overall

performance and social skills.

Earlier studies show that gaming can affect a gamer either positively (Granic, Lobel,

et al., 2014) or negatively, especially students (Wang, Zhu, 2011). Some students fail in

their academic performance while some defect their social skills within their family and

their peers due to gaming addiction.

All of these ideas point to the significant effects of gaming. Therefore, it is viewed

that we must know why gaming is addictive and how does it affect a student in Senior

High School.
 The main objective of this research is to find the causes of gaming addiction and its

effect on the SHS students.

Knowing the reasons and the effects of gaming addiction can easily help the

students manage their time, to be more accountable in school and to focus on their

studies.

This is mainly for the purpose of knowing the cause and effects of gaming addiction

among senior high school students, and to help them avoid being addicted to it.

1. Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this critical qualitative research is to understand the cause

and effects of gaming addiction for Senior High School Students at Universidad

de Manila. At this stage of the research, gaming addiction is generally defined as

the excessive use of gaming (computer game addiction, console gaming

addiction, mobile gaming addiction). This research aims to answer the following

questions:

1. Why does the students engage themselves in video gaming?

2. What makes the video games addicting?

3. How does the addiction of playing video games affect the study of the

Senior High School students?

4. How does the addiction of playing video games affect the lifestyle of the

students?

5. How much time does the students spend on playing video games?

6. Do the students think twice when they realized that they spent too much

time on playing video games?

 7. Are there more negative effects that gaming addiction cause to gamers

than positive ones?

8. What are the skills do the students get from video games?

C) Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study will focus on the causes and effects of video gaming among the Senior

High School (SHS) Students of the School Year 2018 – 2019 of Universidad de Manila,

located at C.M. Palma Street, Ermita, Manila City, Philippines.

This study will observe the common objectives on why students play video

games and will elaborate its effect on the students’ study and lifestyle.

A questionnaire-checklist will serve as the main instrument for gathering data on

the 50 participants, in which 25 will come from Grade 11 students and the remaining 25

will be from Grade 12 students. Data gathering will be from the start of September until

the last day of the semester.

The limited access on participants decreases the generalizability of the findings.

This study will not be generalizable to all student gamers.

The results of the study will greatly benefit the SHS students by knowing how

they can reduce their gaming addiction and recognize its effects on their life.

D) Significance of the Study

The findings of the study will redound to the awareness of the society to gaming

addiction and its causes and effects considering that gaming has become rampant
since the beginning of digital gaming. Society has increased awareness on gaming

addiction since gaming caused obvious effects on youngsters especially on students.

Gaming mainly targets teenagers’ attention to entice the teenagers to spend their

time to gaming rather than spend it on useful tasks. Students who are addicted to

gaming affect their lifestyle and academic performance.

For the researchers, the study will help them discover missed causes and effects

of past researches. Thus, the uncovering of the study on gaming addiction will help

teens (mainly students) to avoid the excessive habit of playing video games.
 Chapter II: Conceptual and Theoretical Framework

We are living in a digital world, where almost everything depends on the usage of

the Internet. After the invention of the Internet, gaming sites and video gaming became

more popular to the people, especially to the younger generation. For this, the

excessive time for playing video games is introduced, which may lead to gaming

addiction.

A) Review of Related Literature

1.1. Foreign Literature

According to the USA Today Network (2018), the World Health Organization says

that compulsively playing video games now qualifies as a new mental health condition;

in a move that some critics warn may risk stigmatizing too many young players.

Also, in the article of Kimberly Young (2009), excessive gaming has been identified

as a specific subtype of Internet addiction (Block, 2008). “Video games may look

innocent, but they can be addictive as gambling or drugs and just as hard to kick,”

explained by Keith Bakker, director of Amsterdam-based Smith and Jones Addiction

Consultants and founder of the center.

Another worthy article by The Guardian (Przybyliski and Orben,2018), Video games

played on smart phones, tablets, computers and consoles have been a popular form of

leisure for some time now. In Europe, recent figures indicate that games are played by

more than two thirds of children and adolescents, and a substantial number of adults

now play games – 38% in the UK, 64% in France, 56% in Germany and 44% in Spain.
1.2. Local Literature

According in the Pinoy Gamer forum, “As gamers; gaming is a form of leisure, a

hobby or an escape from the harsh world we have in Philippines. We are not saying this

is not serious issue, but we feel as gamers that the media is being biased with this. So

instead saying gaming is an addiction takes a look why people are getting addicted from

the first place.”

In the article on Gameshogun (Cuneta,2011), addictions to Internet games,

particularly massive multiplayer online role-play games (MMORPGS), have emerged as

a threat to public health - a new epidemic. Although they pose no direct physical

danger, they take a toll on the mental wellbeing of players. This disease is as equally

debilitating as an addiction to drugs or alcohol. The article also posed that the effects of

the gaming is not that bad to be considered as an addiction.

While in the article of Center Courses (2016), they listed the top online games listed

as; DOTA 2, LOL, WOW, Crossfire, Counter-strike, Hon, Dragon Nest, and Band

Master. These games are the ones who are so popular for the gamers in the

Philippines.

B) Review of Related Studies

2.1. Foreign Studies

According to the study of Ko, Yen, et.al. (2005), Adolescents in Taiwan have been

encouraged to use the Internet to increase academic competitiveness. However, Lin

and Tsai (2002) reported that 11.7% of high school students have developed addiction

to Internet use, which can impair academic performance, psychological well-being, and
interaction with peers and family members (Whang et al., 2003). Adolescent

psychosocial development may also be impeded.

Also, in the study of Wittek, Finseras, et. al. (2015), Video gaming is one of the most

popular contemporary recreational activities. It has been shown that 59 % of all

Americans play video games (Ipsos MediaCT 2014). An average of 48 % of Europeans

has played video games (Ipsos MediaCT 2012), and that 56 % of young adult

Norwegians (aged 16–40 years) play video games regularly (Mentzoni et al. 2011).

Among adolescents, the proportion of players is even higher, as demonstrated in a

survey showing that 97 % of Americans aged 12–17 years play video games (Lenhart et

al. 2008).

Another noteworthy study to review by Ng and Wiemer-Hastings (2005), users who

tried to cutback the time they spent on the Internet to avoid these addiction-related

problems could not. Young concluded that users do become addicted and that there is a

potential for more addictive applications in the future. With the availability of three-

dimensional (3D) graphics in games, it became possible to build 3D visual

representations of the once text-only MUDS. Now, users are able to see and interact

with others in virtual worlds. These massively multiplayer online role-playing games

(MMORPGs), such as "Everquest" and "Ultima Online," have been categorized as

"heroinware" by many of its users, as they contain all of the addictive elements of IRC

and MUDS. MMORPGs, which are run continuously in real time, feature social and

competitive aspects, making devotion to the game mandatory. While traditional

videogames end at some point or become repetitive and boring, MMORPGs are
endless, because the main feature of MMORPGs is its system of goals and

achievements.

2.2. Local Studies

In the Philippines, a study by Rayo (2012), majority of the gamers of the country are

playing DOTA and regarding it as their specialty compared to playing games like

Ragnarok, Tantra, etc. These factors make playing DOTA to become a ‘booming’

culture here in the country, and it continues to flourish since 2003.

In the study of Lumbay et. Al (2017), majority of the computer gamers had already

been playing computer games while they were still a junior high school student, and

most of them plays DOTA this result strongly suggests that computer gaming exists not

only among college students but also amongst high school students. Most of the

gamers were good performers in the academe, this supports the belief of Prensky

(2006), that video and computer game playing, done appropriately, is actually very

beneficial to today's "Digital Native" kids, who use them to prepare for life in the 21st

century. The rest of the results compliments with the results of the previous studies

cited in the review of related studies in this study (e.g. all of the gamers were males,

most the gamers were adolescents).

Also, according in the study of Cortes et. al (2012), studies indicate that children who

play computer games can improve visual intelligence skills. Parents believed that

computer use is related to better academic performance of the children. It was found

that high school students who used educational software at home scored significantly

higher on computer literacy tests than other students. Computer use at home is also
associated with improvements in general academic performance. Other studies also

found that students who own computers at home had higher over-all grades, particularly

in Math and English, than those without home computers.

D) Hypothesis of the Study

This study is designed to assess the cause of gaming addiction among senior high

school students and its visible and significant effects in the academic performance and

lifestyle of the students. This study also expects to identify the commonly used games

among the students.

E) Assumptions of the Study

This study is dependent to the assumption that the students will answer the

questionnaire accurately and subjectively in expressing their experiences in playing

online games.

F) Definition of Terms

● Contemporary recreational activities- activities that are often done for

enjoyment, amusement or pleasure and are considered to be fun at the present

time.

● Compulsively playing video games- uncontrollable urge to play video games.

● Digital Native- a person born or brought up during the age of digital technology

and therefore familiar with computers and the internet from an early age.

● Excessive gaming- unnecessary time for playing games; too much time spent

on playing.
● Heroinware- an addictive computer game, especially one played to the extent it

interferes with the everyday life of the player.

● Stigmatizing- describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval.

● IRC- Internet Relay Chat; is an application layer protocol that facilitates

communication in the form of text.

● MUDs- Multi-User Dungeon and Multi-User Domain is a multiplayer real-time

virtual world, usually text based. MUDs combined elements of role-playing

games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction and online chat.

● MMORPG- Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games; are a combination

of role-playing video games and MMOG (massively multiplayer online games) in

which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual

world.

● DOTA- Defense of the Ancient is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) mod

for the video game Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, Warcraft III:

The Frozen Throne.

● Everquest- is a 3D fantasy-themed MMROPG by Sony Online Entertainment

lunched on March 16, 1999. It was the first commercially successful MMROPG to

employ a three- dimensional game engine.

● LOL- League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena video game

developed and published by Riot game for Microsoft Windows and MacOS.

● Ultima Online- is a MMORPG, released on September 24,1997. It is a fantasy

role-playing game set in the Ultima universe. It is known for its extensive player

vs player combat system.

G) Research Paradigm

PROCESS
Analysis of data through:
A) questionnaires
INPUT
B) informal interviews
Profile of SHS gamers
C) statistical treatment
A) age
B) grade level
C) video game that they are
playing
Schedule of SHS gamers
A) school
B) home
C) gaming time OUTPUT
Known cause and effects
Data Collection of gaming addiction to SHS
students.

Common game genre that

are played by SHS students.
 Chapter III: Methodology

This study aims to know the cause and effects of gaming addiction; hence this

chapter will elaborate the methods and techniques that are used in this study. This

study focuses primarily on Senior High School Students in Universidad de Manila.

A) Research Design

This research used a qualitative design through phenomenological design to

analyze in detail. Phenomenological design emphasizes subjective measurement and

discusses the meaning of the perceived experience or the interpretation of the said

data, uses unstructured or semi-structured data collection such as interviews and

questionnaires, the process is transparent and uses the first-person perspective

therefore utilizing the data collection and interpretation of the research.

This research design is appropriate in this study as the data collection involves

subjective data and also involves experiences which were analyzed and interpreted.

B) Respondents of the Study

Purposive sampling technique is using to decide the respondents of the study.

The technique involves handpicking subjects that is usually suit very specific intentions.

The process of selecting the respondents is non-probability sampling in which not all the

students has an equal chance of being selected.

The researchers will select 40 participants as the size of the sample. Divided into

4 groups, 10 participants each, group 1 for STEM, group 2 for ABM, group 3 for ICT and

group 4 for GA.

 C) Instruments of the Study

The study used a questionnaire as the primary source of data or instrument.

Questionnaire is the commonly use in normative survey and in the measurement of

attitudes and opinions (Good,1991). Also, this study mainly focuses on the behavior of

the respondents thus the questionnaire is the best instrument for this study as it will

gather data effectively and completely and is commonly used for behavioral and social

research based from Calderon and Gonzales, 2005.

The questionnaire is written subjectively for the purpose of getting the opinion

and experiences of the respondents. In the questionnaire it is included there the name

of the student (optional), age, their section and strand that is needed specifically. The

questionnaire provided 5 questions that suggests the respondents the game they are

playing, the time span, and the cause and effects of their gaming that is needed to be

answer specifically for data gathering.

D) Statistical Treatment

To fully analyze and interpret the data collected from the questionnaires, this study

will use the statistical treatment, Percentage Frequency Distribution wherein this will

determine the frequency counts and distribution of the answers of the respondents.

Formula: %= F/N x 100

Where:

% is the percentage

F is the frequency
 Chapter IV: Presentation and Analysis of Data

Table 1.1:

What game(s) do you commonly play?

Game STEM ABM ICT GA

PFD
Mobile
3 8 5 1 42.5%
Legends
League of
2 4 7 3 40%
Legends
DOTA 2 3 3 3 2 27.5%
Rules of
1 5 6 0 30%
Survival
Counter-
1 6 6 3 40%
Strike
Arena of
0 1 2 0 7.5%
Valor
Crossfire 3 7 5 1 40%
Clash of
1 5 4 1 27.5%
Clans
World of
0 1 5 1 17.5%
Warcraft
Dragon Nest 1 1 4 0 15%
▪ Clash ▪ Tekken (1) ▪ Pokémon ▪ Wordlink
Royale (1) ▪ 4 Pics 1 (1) (1)
▪ Superstar Word (1)
BTS (2) ▪ Big Fish
▪ Paladins (FB
(1) Game) (1)
▪ PlayerUnk ▪ Roblox (1)
Others: 30%
nown
Battlegrou
nd Mobile
(PUBG
Mobile) (1)
▪ Minecraft
(1)
Interpretation 1.1.

In this table, it shows that among the 40 respondents, the most game that is

being played is Mobile Legends with a PFD (percentage frequency distribution) of

42.5%,followed by League of Legends, Counter-Strike and Crossfire with 40%, and

followed by Rules of Survival and other games with 30%, followed by DOTA 2 and

Clash of Clans with 27.5%, next is World of Warcraft with 17.5%, and Dragon Nest with

15% and the last game is Arena of Valor with 7.5%. In this table, it shows also that ICT

students tend to play more online games followed by ABM, STEM and GA respectively.

Table 1.2:

How much time do you spend in gaming?

Number of hours STEM ABM ICT GA PFD

0-1 hour 0 1 1 3 12.5%

1-2 hours 3 0 2 5 25%

2-3 hours 2 3 0 1 15%

3-4 hours 4 2 3 1 25%

4-5 hours 1 0 2 0 7.5%

5 or more hours 0 4 2 0 15%

Interpretation 1.2.

This table shows that most of the respondents tend to play games for 1-2 hours

and 3-4 hours. It is followed by 2-3 hours and 5 or more hours with 15% Next is 0-1

hours with 12.5% and last is 4-5 hours with 7.5%. This can also interpret that in the

strand ABM most of the respondents tend to play longer than STEM, ICT and GA

respectively.

Table 1.3:

What is your schedule in School and Home?

Schedule in
STEM ABM ICT GA
School
7am to 1pm
0 0 1 0
(AM Shift)
1pm to 8pm
10 9 9 9
(PM Shift)
7am to 8pm
0 1 1 2
(Whole day)
▪ 10am to 8pm
Others - - ▪ Depends (1)
(1)

Interpretation 1.3

This table shows that most of the respondents are in school from 1pm to 8pm.

Table 1.4:

Schedule in
STEM ABM ICT GA
Home/House
7am to 1pm
7 3 2 5
(Morning)
1pm to 8pm
0 1 2 0
(Afternoon)
 8pm to 7am
8 6 5 4
(Night)

Others - - ▪ Depends (1) ▪ Depends (2)

Interpretation 1.4

This table show that most of the respondents are in their home from 7am to 1pm

and from 8pm to 7am.

Table 1.5:

Do you think you are addicted in gaming? (Reasons why or why not)
STEM ABM ICT GA PFD
YES 9 6 8 2 62.5%
Fun and 55%
8 4 9 1
exciting
Urge to 32.5%
progress in 7 3 3 0
the game
Online friends 1 2 4 0 17.5%
The game is
6 4 6 0
addicting 40%
I gain certain
skills from 4 3 3 1 27.5%
gaming
▪ Way of
procrastina 7.5%
▪ Stress ▪ Stress
Others: tion (1) -
reliever (1) reliever (1)
▪ Creativity
(1)
Interpretation 1.5

In this table it is stated that out of 40 respondents, 62.5% of them admitted or

thinks that they are addicted in playing games. 55% of them stated that they are

addicted in gaming because it is 'fun and exciting," while 40% says that the 'game is

addicting., and 32.5% says that they are playing because of the urge to progress in the

game, 27.5% of them says that , I gain certain skills from gaming, 17.5% of them says

that the game is addicting because of their' online friends, and 7.5% have their own

reasons specified in the table.

Table 1.6:

STEM ABM ICT GA PFD

NO 1 4 1 8 37.5%
Focus in
0 2 1 6
academics 22.5%
Gaming is
0 1 0 3
boring 10%
I don’t like
0 0 0 2
games 5%
Family time 0 0 0 3 7.5%
Love/Social life 1 1 0 3 12.5%
No time in
0 1 0 3
playing games 10%
Others: - - - -

Interpretation 1.6

In this table it is stated that out of 40 respondents, 37.5 % says that they are not

addicted in playing games with the reasons, 22.5%% focus in academics, 12.5%

love/social life, 10% gaming is boring and no time in playing games, 7.5% family time

and 5% stated that they don't like games.

Table 1.7:

Give the positive and negative effects of gaming in your life and in school:
PFD
Positive STEM ABM ICT GA Total
80%
Stress reliever 9 9 10 4 32
37.5%
Gaining more friends 3 6 5 1 15
77.5%
More strategic thinking 10 9 7 5 31
45%
Gaining analytical skill 6 6 5 1 18
Being knowledgeable in
4 6 7 3 20
technology 50%
Gaining more skills that
4 7 4 1 16
are applied in real life 40%
Others: - - - - 0

Positive Total: 36 43 38 15 132

Interpretation 1.7.

This table shows all the positive effects gaming has done to the respondents as

stated by themselves. The effects are as follows: 80% stress reliever,77.5% more

strategic thinking, 50% being knowledgeable in technology, 45% gaining analytical

thinking, 40% gaining more skills that are applied in real life, and 37.5% gaining more

friends. It is clearly stated that most of the respondents play online games due to the

positive effect of stress relieving.

Table 1.8:

Negative STEM ABM ICT GA Total PFD

Lack of sleep 8 9 7 5 29 72.5%

Skipping meals 3 4 3 4 14 35%

Spending more money 3 5 6 5 19 47.5%

Unable to comply in
8 4 2 3 17
school requirements 42.5%
Lack of time with family
4 4 4 3 15 37.5%
and friends
Physical pain and illness 4 4 5 3 16 40%

Others: - - - - 0

Negative Total: 30 30 27 23 110

Interpretation 1.8.

In this table, it is shown all negative effects of gaming to the respondents

specified as, 72.5% lack of sleep, 7.5% spending more money, 42.5% unable to comply

in school requirements, 40% physical pain and illness, 37.5% lack of time with family

and friends, and 35% skipping meals. In this table it is evident that the most negative

effect of gaming to the respondents is lack of sleep.

 Chapter V: Significant Findings, Conclusion, and Recommendation

A) Significant Findings

According to the study conducted by Przybylski (2014) to the children aged 0-15

years on the time they spend playing electronic games these are the following results;

Low levels (1 hour daily) as well as high levels (3 hours daily) of game engagement was

linked to key indicators of psychosocial adjustment. Low engagement was associated

with higher life satisfaction and prosocial behavior and lower externalizing and

internalizing problems, whereas the opposite was found for high levels of play. No

effects were observed for moderate play levels when compared with non-players.

Regarding with the data that the researchers gathered it is also shown that the

respondents gaming time also ranges form 1-4 hours resulting variety of effects.

Also, in the article of Kimberly Young (2009), excessive gaming has been

identified as a specific subtype of Internet addiction (Block, 2008). "Video games may

look innocent, but they can be addictive as gambling or drugs and just as hard to kick,"

explained by Keith Bakker, director of Amsterdam-based Smith and Jones Addiction

Consultants and founder of the center.

In the study conducted, 25 out of 40 participants said or admitted that they are

'addicted' in playing online games, with the reasons it is fun to play, and it serves as

their stress reliever.

While in the article of Center Courses (2016), they listed the top online games

listed as, DOTA 2 LOL, wow, Crossfire, Counter-strike, Hon, Dragon Nest, and Band

Master. These games are the ones who are so popular in the Philippines.
 With the study conducted, MMROPGs are also the one who are so popular

among the respondents. The following games are as follow, Mobile Legends League of

Legends, DOTA2, Rules of Survival and more.

Most of the gamers were good performers in the academe, this supports the

belief of Prensky (2006), that video and computer game playing, done appropriately, is

actually very beneficial to today's "Digital Native" kids, who use them to prepare for life

in the 21st century. The rest of the results compliments with the results of the previous

studies cited in the review of related studies in this study (e.g. all of the gamers were

males, most the gamers were adolescents).

Supporting this, the respondents answered the questionnaires with more positive

effects on their life than the negative ones. Such as stress reliever gaining more friends,

more strategic thinking, gaining analytical skill, being knowledgeable in technology and

gaining more skills that are applied in real life.

Also, according in the study of Cortes et. al (2012), studies indicate that children

who play computer games can improve visual intelligence skills. Parents believed that

computer use is related to better academic performance of the children. It was found

that high school students who used educational software at home scored significantly

higher on computer literacy tests than other students. Computer use at home is also

associated with improvements in general academic performance. Other studies also

found that students who own computers at home had higher over-all grades, particularly

in Math and English, than those without home computers.

B) Conclusion

With the collected data, the researchers came up with the following conclusions:

a. Most of the respondents are addicted in gaming. The researchers concluded

that the reason why students engage themselves in video gaming is because

the students find gaming fun and exciting, and how the game itself is

designed to be addicting.

i. The researchers also noticed that even if most of the students’

schedule in school is in the afternoon, they can allocate time in their

gaming. This can cause why some of the respondents said that they

need to focus in academics and not get addicted to gaming.

b. The researchers noticed that the reason why some respondents of the study

are addicted to gaming is because of how they want to progress in the game

they are playing like ranking up or leveling up. This is because of the game

design they are playing.

i. Most of the respondents voted that they play Mobile Legends and

Crossfire, different genre of game but are design to entice the players

to have the urge to progress in the game even more.

ii. The illusion of leveling up and getting better in the game with the use

of labeling like “Grandmaster”, “Legend” or “Mythic” in Mobile Legends

and “Sergeant”, “Lieutenant” and “General” in Crossfire.

c. The main reason of how video games affect the study of the respondents is

stated in the Table 1.8 from Chapter IV. The researchers inferred that the
 main effect of gaming addiction in their study is the failure to in school

requirements.

i. But, some respondents got around the problem, yet they faced a new

problem where they lack sleep because of gaming after midnight.

Some faced physical pain and illness like headache and eye strain

because of gaming addiction.

ii. Though, gaming addiction really affect the students in their academic

performance and focus in studying. Thus, the researchers conclude

that gaming addiction has a direct effect on gaming addiction.

d. The researchers conclude that video games also have a direct effect on the

lifestyle of the students. It is because of how they skip meals and spend more

money just in playing video games instead of just fulfilling their hunger. They

also lacked time with their family and friends.

e. The researchers averaged the respondents time on spending video games by

3.35 hours. This amount of time considering the schedule of the students in

school and in their house, can cause lack of sleep if they spent those hours in

after midnight. But, if they spent those hours in the morning, their love life and

family time can be affected.

f. In Table 1.2, the researchers noticed that only some students think twice

when they realized that they spent too much time on playing video games.

Some students said they spend more than 2 hours of playing video games

which is not healthy anymore. The healthy number of hours in gaming is just

only 1 hour based from the study of Andrew K. Przybylski in Electronic

 Gaming and Psychosocial Adjustment. The respondents averaging to 3.35

hours means that most of them don’t think twice when playing too much.

g. The researchers observed that gaming has an overall positive to gamers

since they cause happiness and stress relieving sensation from playing. But,

gaming addiction has an overall negative, since excessive amounts of gaming

can cause eye strain and headache, lack of sleep, and direct negative effect

on academic performance. Gaming is healthy but unhealthy in excessive

amounts.

h. Despite of the negative effects of gaming, the researchers gathered data from

the respondents that says that gaming can be a source of new knowledge or

new skills. Some gained analytical skills in gaming and some gained actual

skills that are applied in real life like Mathematics. 20 of the respondents said

that they gained knowledge in technology.

In summary, gaming addiction is caused by various factors coming from the

game itself with its game design and from the gamer with their willingness to play more

and more and urge to progress in the game. These causes are strong enough to cause

gaming to be excessive easily by some gamers who cannot think twice when they

exceed the healthy amount mark of one hour.

Gaming addiction has a direct effect on the gamers’ lifestyle, health and

academic performance. The researchers inferred that they lack time with their family

and friends, lack sleep and lack compliance in school requirements, based from the

collected data.
 All in all, gaming addiction affect gamers negatively. Though, gaming just in itself

doesn’t affect much negatively, but positively. The causes of gaming are just based on

how they use gaming: too much gaming, negative; enough time of gaming, positive.

C) Recommendation

With the outcome of the study, the researchers recommend the following:

For future studies like this:

a. The sample size is recommended to be larger to scope the gamers outside of

school and the gamers of different age groups.

b. The future researchers are recommended to seek the deeper effects of

gaming addiction. This is to give more light to others that gaming addiction

can cause such negative or positive effect.

For future studies that are related to this:

a. The future researchers are recommended to give more attention to the

reasons why gaming is addictive. With more specific points like game design,

game advertising, music design, etc. Since gaming addiction can come from

the game itself as proved in the study.

b. The future researchers are recommended to conduct interviews to gamers

that are considering themselves to be addicted to gaming.

With these recommendations to be considered of the future researchers, it can

help the future studies greatly and help the awareness of others to gaming addiction

with its causes and effects to students and gamers.

D) References

1 Electronic Gaming and Psychosocial Adjustment

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/early/2014/07/29/peds.201

3-4021.full.pdf

2 The Culture of DOTA in the Philippines (revised) | J Franco Ray

http://www.academia.edu/22222828/The_Culture_of_DOTA_in_the_Philippines_

revised

3 Philippines PNP-CIDG: Addiction to Online Gaming is a Disease

http://gameshogun.ws/philippines-pnp-cidg-online-gaming-is-a-disease/

4 Weekly Gaming Update - GameCon PH And Gaming Addiction Disorder

https://pinoygamer.ph/threads/weekly-gaming-update-gamecon-ph-and-gaming-

addiction-disorder.4340/

5 Kids on Computer Game Addiction in the Philippines

https://centrecources.blogspot.com/2016/03/kids-on-computer-game-addiction-

in.html?m=1

6 Why it's too soon to classify gaming addiction as a mental disorder

https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2018/feb/14/gaming-

addiction-as-a-mental-disorder-its-premature-to-pathologise-players

7 It's time to stop running from gaming addiction

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-06-27-gaming-addiction
8 Video game addiction is a mental health disorder, WHO says, but some

health experts don't agree

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/nation-now/2018/06/18/gaming-disorder-

who-classifies-video-game-addiction-health-disorder/709574002/