ONLINE GAMING ADDICTION: EFFECTS TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES OF

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITY OF CEBU

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the

Senior High School Department
University of Cebu – Main
Cebu City

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

the Grade 12 Senior High School Students
of First Semester S.Y. 2022 – 2023
in Practical Research 2

JOHNY SINGS
BRANDON INGRAM
MANNY PAQUE
JAMES JONES
HARLEY DAVIDSON
JOHNY JOHNSON
LIAM PAYNE

STEM 1A

SEPTEMBER 2022
 CHAPTER I

THE STUDY AND ITS BACKGOUND

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

With the restrictions of outdoor activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it

can be observed that more and more people are immersing themselves in video

games. Seah and Caims (2008) stated that immersion is a term used by gamers

and game-reviewers as an important element of videogames. It is colloquially

understood as the sense of being lost in the game where players lose awareness

of their surroundings and their day-to-day concerns. Whilst immersion is

generally understood to be a positive element of the experience, it is widely held

that becoming too absorbed in videogames can be unhealthy and lead to

addiction. Indeed, addiction clinics are being established to deal with videogames

and in extreme cases, people have died because of obsessively playing games.

Therefore, considers the immersive experience of playing videogames

concerning addiction.

While online gaming has greatly increased in popularity to teenagers in

recent years, it can be greatly observed that it has caused negative impacts

especially to the academic performance of the students. Academic performance

is defined as the grades achieved by students in the different courses, they are

enrolled in. According to Lemmens and Valkenburg (2015), gaming has come to

a multiplicity of problems due to excessive involvement in gaming. Thus, making

it harder for students to focus on their performances in school.

 Furthermore, online game addiction, shares many features with gaming

disorder due to psychoactive substances and with gambling disorder, and

functional neuroimaging shows that similar areas of the brain are activated.

Governments and health agencies worldwide are seeking for the effects of online

gaming to be addressed especially on its association to the alarming decrease of

academic performances to student and for preventive approaches to be

developed.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020) included Gaming

Disorder or GD (previously called Internet Gaming Disorder or IGD) in the

International Classification of Diseases under Mental Health. WHO (2020)

defined GD as a pattern of gaming behavior (digital or video) described by

uncontrollable gaming, preference to gaming over other daily activities, including

school activities and assignments, and persistent gaming regardless of the

problems. (WHO, 2018).

Additionally, the rise of excessive online gaming is emerging in the

Philippines, with 29.9 million gamers recorded in the country (Labana et al,

2020). It was further proved in the study conducted by Ferrer (2019) which

revealed that Filipino students’ absences, tardiness and other behavioral

problems that also resulted failing grades and very poor academic performance

is highly associated to their addiction to online games. The Department of

Education (2019) had urged parents to monitor students’ activities outside school
especially on the number of hours that these students spend in computer and

gaming shops as they report that 65% Filipino Students have worsen GPA as

they increase immersion to online gaming.

Moreover, youths in Cebu are no exemption to this. It can be greatly

observed that there are more and more students addicted to video games with an

increasing number of students who are reported to have neglected studies

because of this. The Department of Health (DOH) released a result from a

conducted survey in 2019 revealing that Cebu is one of the provinces that has

most number of students with computer game addiction or has gaming disorder.

Although there are numerous researchers who previously conducted

studies on the impact of online game addiction to students’ academic

performance, there are only very few studies that focuses on students from

senior high school. Also, most of the recent conducted studies only focused on

students’ level and their experiences in online game addiction but not really on

how online game addiction impacted the students’ academic performance

especially now that they are no longer required to report to school and are now

attending classes online.

Furthermore, the purpose of this study is to provide awareness to students

on how online game addiction can cause myriads of negative impacts not only to

their academic performance but also to their mental and emotional function. Also,

the researchers are hopeful that the results of the study can be of help to

educators in improving students’ academic performance by addressing students’

addiction to online games.

Theoretical Background

The study is anchored on Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory by Jeffrey

Gray’s (1982), Flow theory by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1997) and Self-regulation

Theory by Albert Bandura (1991).

Reinforcement sensitivity theory proposed the existence of

neurobiologically based systems underpinning the personality traits of

neuroticism and extraversion. More specifically, he argued that neuroticism

primarily reflects sensitivity to punishment, whereas extraversion primarily

reflects sensitivity to rewards. Although these motivational systems are

necessary for survival, they can lead to psychological dysfunction (e.g.,

fear/anxiety and impulsivity, respectively) when any system is too dominant.

reinforcement sensitivity theory of personality, which focuses on how individuals

respond to signals of reward versus signals of punishment. For some individuals,

perceiving a signal of an actual or potential threat, punishment, or loss can lead

to increased levels of anxiety. That anxiety can lead to an attempt to avoid the

potential threat (escape). Per Gray’s theory, the Behavioral Inhibition System

(BIS) is activated when a potential threat is detected, which can in turn activate

the fight-or-flight system (Gray, 1990; Gray & McNaughton, 2018). When,

instead, a signal of potential reward or gain is perceived, the Behavioral

Activation System (BAS) may be activated, in turn leading to reward-based

approach behaviors.

Subsequently, this theory posits that the more one sees games as

rewards and satisfaction, the more they are reinforced to be spend more time

and efforts to play the game. When motivational systems are activated and too

dominant, the students may focus on improving and winning the game as the
satisfaction from winning the game serves as their reward while their loss is their

punishment. Eventually, since games already are the primary reinforces of the

students, they may already lack interest and will lose interest in any other

activities such as school activities-leading to behavioral problems in school and

poor academic performance.

Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory is supported by Flow theory by Mihaly

Csikszentmihalyi (1997). It is based around having an optimal experience while

involved in some activity (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975). In order to achieve this “flow

state” there are a number of things that the experience must provide. It must

have clear objectives, provide immediate feedback on performance, be

challenging but not so much as to overcome the individual’s skills, immerse the

individual and of course be interesting in general. These are all things that video

games can provide (Wan & Chiou, 2006). The objectives of games are clear.

They provide immediate feedback through levelling and other reward systems.

They can provide desired challenge but generally allow the player to match their

skill level to the challenge.

Moreover, students find video games to be extremely interesting and

immersive. It is believed that most individuals play video games to achieve this

flow state as it makes the experience much more enjoyable. Consequently, one

would assume that individuals who often achieve this flow state in a particular

game would be more prone to becoming addicted. However, Wan and Chiou

(2006) found that the frequency of this flow state was actually negatively

correlated with addictive tendencies. On the other hand, Hull, Williams and

Griffiths (2013) found in their study that certain factors in the flow
experience, namely the perceptions of time being altered during play was in fact

significant in predicting addiction.

This theory supports explains why students who are addicted to video

games choose to play online games instead of working on their school tasks.

This theory supports the study as it gives clearer understanding and explanations

on what makes students so immersed to playing online games that would

eventually cause their academic performances deteriorate. Furthermore, this

theory posits that one of the possible reasons why students neglect school tasks

and responsibilities over online game is because they find flow and optimal

experience in online game than those school activities.

Lastly, Self-regulation Theory by Albert Bandura (1991) focus on the role

individuals play in directing the course of their development by selecting and

pursuing goals, and modifying goal pursuit based on opportunities and

constraints. Adolescence brings new challenges for the maturation of self-

regulation as the person experiences changing physical, cognitive, emotional and

social capacities, and encounters expanding educational, social and societal

demands and opportunities. Self- regulation takes on new adaptive significance

in adolescence, as it addresses the capacity to select and pursue personally

meaningful and societally valued goals, and the ability to resist or redirect

impulses that might pose risks to health, growth, and life satisfaction. Following

an explanation of theoretical approaches to the processes of self-regulation, the

constructs associated with self- regulation theories are applied to homework,

leisure time physical activity, reflecting on purpose in life, parenting, and therapy.
 This theory supports the study as it discusses natural tendencies of a

person to develop modified goals based on the opportunities and challenges

faced. Although it is normal for adolescence to pursue what they think is

meaningful for them, it can be understood in this theory that adolescents who

failed to develop self-regulation may succumb to addiction. Students, therefore,

may pursue personal and societally valued goals, such as playing online games,

but must also develop the ability to redirect and regulate one’s self for them not to

compromise their studies.

Thus, all of these theories give light to the reasons behind students’ online

game addiction and how this affects their school performances. These theories

also comprehensively discuss the process of how online game can be really

addicting.