CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction
According to a study, estimated 10 - 30% of students experience some degree of academic

stress during their academic career. (Saleh Alsulami, 2018) The body's response to academic

related demands that exceed adaptive capabilities of students is defined as academic stress. Most

of student’s cope up with their academic stress by eating sweets, playing different sports,

sleeping, reading their favorite book, or watching a movie. But there are some students who

plays online games to cope up.

Online Games are games that are played through the internet or computer network. Online

games can range from simple ones to complex virtual worlds populated by many players

simultaneously. (Khorasan University, n.d.) Since not every student does not prefer eating foods

and playing heavy sports, playing online games act as a coping mechanism towards academic

stress for some. And playing online games do not just help to cope up but also to relieve tension

and pressure that every student feels.

Ever since these online games have been introduced, it became a subject for negative

stereotypes. And its negative effects are the only ones that are often being highlighted.

Therefore, the study aims to allow its positive effects to be seen in line with how the STEM

students use it as their coping mechanism towards academic stress.

Background of the study

Online games became widely known in the early 1980s, people play games to pass time, beat
boredom, as escapism from life’s challenges, to set and meet new milestones and for

entertainment. It grows in popularity because of its accessibility, availability, wide selection of

games, sociable and is easy to play and research have shown that online games can help relieve

stress. (Richard,2018)

The first online game is NIMROD (1951), were for one or two players sitting at a single

computer which was being used only to play this game but nowadays innovation and

technology improved the ways on how to play online games. The most popular kind of online

game in these times are mobile games or games that are played using the cellphones.

Nowadays online games are not just use to entertain but to compete with each other and to

entertain audiences while playing a game. This does not only relieve your stress but also to earn

money.

A research also found out that playing online games can get better academic results. "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 math, reading, and science that you've been taught

during the day." says economist Albert Posso. Students who play online games almost everyday

score 15 points above the average in Math and 17 points above the average in Science.

(Dockrill, 2016) The researchers have observe that Grade 11-STEM students have their ways in

coping up with their academic stress, but some students cope up with academic stress through

playing online games.

Statement of the Problem
The research entitled, “Online Games as Coping Mechanism towards Academic Stress of

Grade 11-STEM Students” aims to have a survey and concrete answer with the topic. With that,

the research would learn if they could suggest online gaming in coping up with academic stress.

The research sought to answer the following question at the end of the study:
Can online games be a coping mechanism to students?
How online gaming help students to cope up with their academic stress?
What made them choose to play online game?
Why they like to play online games?

Significance of the Study

This research is conducted to benefit the following.
Students. This study will help students to know that online games has positive effects on how

they cope up with their academic stress.

Parents. This study will also help the parents to understand that students use online games to

cope in their stress.

Teachers. They will also know the benefits of online games with regards to students’

academic stress.

Future Researcher. This will serve as guideline in their studies and may help them throughout

their research.

Society. This study will end the stereotyping of the society nowadays, they will know that

online games have benefits too.

Scope and Delimitation
The study focuses on understanding if online games can help the grade 11-STEM students to

cope up with their academic stress. The research is about how playing online games can be a

coping mechanism of student. This research will be conducted only for Grade-11 Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students of Sapang Palay National High

School – Senior High School (SPNHS-SHS) this study is illimitable by the age and gender of

Grade 11-STEM students. Plus, it will show the benefits of online games and if the research

could suggest playing online games as a student’s coping mechanism.

Conceptual Framework
INPUT

- Grade 11- STEM students

who play online games
- Usual stereotyping to
students who play online
games

PROCESS

- Survey Questionnaire

OUTPUT

- Data from the survey

- Perspectives of the students