NEHS Senior High School

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

Region III

NEHS- Senior High School

Cabanatuan City

STRESS COPING STRATEGIES OF ONLINE GAMERS

Researchers:

Alycris Japhet Capule

Jalen Coronado

Jess Rhel Manalastas

Shekainah Mejia

Erine San Andres

STEM 11-A

A research proposal submitted to the faculty of NEHS Senior

High School, Philippines as partial fulfillment of the
requirements in Practical Research I
Second Semester School Year 2021-2022
 NEHS Senior High School

Appendix A.

APPROVAL SHEET
 NEHS Senior High School

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chapter I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND………………………………… 1

1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
2. RATIONALE AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE………………… 3
2.1. ONLINE GAMES 3
2.2. STRESS 4
2.3. COPING STRATEGIES 5
3. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 7
4. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 8
5. ASSUMPTION/S OF THE STUDY 9
6. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY 9
7. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 10
8. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS 11

Chapter II: METHODS AND PROCEDURE 13

1. RESEARCH DESIGN 13
2. LOCALE OF THE STUDY 14
3. RESPONDENTS OF THE STUDY 16
4. SAMPLE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE 16
5. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT 17
6. DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE 18
7. DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE 18

Chapter III: PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION 20

1. FINDINGS 21
1.1. COMMON STRESSORS IN AN ONLINE GAME 22
1.2. TOXICITY 22
 NEHS Senior High School

1.3. FPS DROP/ DEVICE LAG 23

1.4. OVERHEATING DEVICES 24
1.5. SLOW INTERNET 25
1.6. SKILL DIFFERENCE 26
1.7. BUGS PRESENT IN THE GAME 27
2. EFFECTS OF THE COMMON STRESSORS IN AN ONLINE GAME 27
2.1. ANGER, AGITATION 27
2.2. LOSS OF MOTIVATION TO DO EVERYDAY TASKS 28
2.3. LOSS OF ACADEMIC FOCUS 29
2.4. RAISES COMPETITIVENESS 29
3. STRESS COPING STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY ONLINE GAMERS 30
3.1. TALKING TO FRIENDS/FAMILY 30
3.2. DOING HOBBIES/ACTIVITIES 31

Chapter IV: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 33

1. SUMMARY 33
2. CONCLUSION 34
3. RECOMMENDATIONS 35
4. REFERENCES 36

LIST OF TABLES

1. Themes that Emerged 21

LIST OF FIGURES

1. Conceptual Framework 7

LIST OF APPENDICES
 NEHS Senior High School

A. Approval Sheet

B. Interviewer’s Guide Questions 41

 NEHS Senior High School
1

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Internet gaming is one of the most popular leisure

activities globally (Wittek, 2016). It is particularly

popular among teenagers, young people, and students. People

who play online games interact on a more physical and

emotional level than those who watch movies or television

(Norcia & Jacquement, 2019).

Video games are a common cultural issue that has a

significant impact across all countries. One of the

important cognitive effects of video games is creating

stress on video game players (Aliyari, H., 2018). The impact

of video games on stress have piqued researchers' curiosity

in recent years. Video games have been linked to stress in

various studies. (Ferguson et al., 2016; Hasan et al.,

2013; Hasan, 2015).

Players will have a stress reaction in real life as a

result of a difficult in-game circumstance. According to a

study. Teens who played violent games had little increase in

 NEHS Senior High School
2

anger perceptions that turn into stress, though the

increases were barely noticeable; teen girls used to have a

slight increase in stress. (Ferguson CJ, Trigani B, Pilato

S, Miller S, Foley K, Barr H., 2016)

The negative effects of stress from the current

situation can be alleviated through positive and effective

coping mechanisms. In psychology, the term coping is

associated with the activities that people under the

presence of stress try to do, to lessen and divert the

situation they are in at the moment. This exhibition of

behavior is greatly associated with the psychological

mechanisms of an individual that can be logically explained

(Khan et al., 2011).

The most effective strategies aimed to resolve negative

emotions (either through problem-solving or the application

of personal coping strategies) or sought social support from

other gamers (Lobel, A., Grancic, I., and Engels, R., 2014).

The researchers pursued this study to provide further

information about online gamers' stress coping strategies.

 NEHS Senior High School
3

RATIONALE AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter will help gain more insights into the

study. Materials such as published and unpublished books,

thesis and dissertation of information about the stress,

online gamers, and stress coping strategies are included in

this review. The following are related to this present

study.

ONLINE GAMES

An online game is a digital game played on physically

separated machines such as a handheld device, a gaming

console, or a personal computer and cannot be played without

a live network connection (Byron, 2008). Newon (2015) stated

that these games are designed to be played socially with

other players and typically require them to "engage with

other networked individuals in the context of the game

itself, whether it's in the form of a collaboration,

competition, or rivalry”. Being around since the early

1980s, players used to connect their devices through modems

 NEHS Senior High School
4

to play such games together. Nowadays, players from

different geographical locations can connect to the game via

broadband network connections through their chosen gaming

platform, and has now become one of the most popular types

of games. (Zolfani S., Farrokhzad M., Turskis Z., 2013).

STRESS

According to Berger (2020), stress is a feeling of emotional

or physical tension. Any situation or thought that makes you

annoyed, frustrated, furious, or nervous can trigger it.

According to him, stress is your body's reaction to a

challenge or dStress has 2 main types, Acute stress and

Chronic stress (Berger, 2020). Acute stress is the short-

term type of stress that is triggered by an on-set event and

also goes away quickly. Chronic stress is the long-term type

of stress, it's the opposite of acute stress and it occurs

for a longer period.

emand. Stress can be beneficial in brief spurts, such as

when it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline. However,

if you are under a lot of stress for a long time, it might

be harmful to your health.

 NEHS Senior High School
5

Stress can come from many sources, and one example of this

are video games. Playing video games can cause varying

levels of stress according to the genre. Fighting games like

Mortal Kombat induced cardiovascular stress response but

also gives out positive emotions after gameplay. While

puzzle games such as Tetris does not induce cardiovascular

stress response but gives out negative emotions after

gameplay (Porter & Goolkasian, 2019). Suggesting that

playing video games does cause stress according to what

games you are playing.

COPING STRATEGIES

According to Lazarus and Folkman (2011), Stress is an

interactive process between a person and their environment

in which coping determines the impact of stressful events on

bodily and psychological well-being. Coping would come to be

described as cognitive and behavioral attempts made in

response to external or internal pressures that the

individual perceives to be threats to their well-being as a

result of this well-known transactional strategy.

In addition, according to Richaudde Minzi & Sacchi, (2011),

the behavior and the perspective of an individual are

 NEHS Senior High School
6

important in the assessment of coping mechanisms. Coping

includes adjusting to unexpected demands or pressures. This

necessitates a greater effort and expenditure of energy than

is required in normal living. Long-term mobilization of

effort can lead to an increase in stress hormones, as well

as physical deterioration and sickness. Moreover, instances

of stress alleviation for a short period for the prevention

of further emotional and psychological stress such as

anxiety are categorized as an avoidance coping mechanism

(Khan et al., 2011). This action helps the individual to

gain a sense of threat recognition, create strategies and

build the confidence to confront the stressor.

 NEHS Senior High School
7

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This study conceptualized the factors that may affect

online gamers and what can trigger their stress while

playing online games.

 NEHS Senior High School
8

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In recent times, most online gamers experience stress

over an online game. Stress was concerned as one of the

negative factors that can influence the behavior of an

online gamer. The researchers pursued this study to help

fellow online gamers who experience stress brought by an

online game as well as their coping strategies to resolve

these problems.

This study aims to determine the stress coping strategies of

online gamers in Nueva Ecija Senior high School.

Specifically, it will seek to answer the following

questions:

1.1) What are the common stressors in a typical online

game?

1.2) What are the effects of these common stressors?

 NEHS Senior High School
9

1.3) What are the stress coping strategies applied by

the participants to deal with stress?

Assumption/s of the Study

1) The common stressors in an online game have significant

effects on online gamers.

2) Online gamers have stress coping strategies they employ

to counter these stressors.

3) The stress coping strategies online gamers employ are

effective for them.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study was limited to the determination of the

stress coping strategies of Nueva Ecija Senior high School

online gamers when they encounter stress.

 NEHS Senior High School
10

The study also focuses on the stress coping strategies the

gamers experience while playing online games. It is limited

to 15 online gamers-participants. The participating strands

are STEM, HUMSS, and ABM.

One limitation of this study is the inability to generalize

findings to other schools' divisions, player bases, and

games due to the demographics of the participants and type

of game they are playing. The participants also have

different experiences and perspectives related to the online

games they play although they play the same game. In

addition, the likelihood of obtaining biased information

through interviews is also possible.

Significance of the Study

This study may be beneficial for the following:

A. Online Gamers- For online gamers, the result of this

study will be most beneficial to them in which they will be

able to identify the strategies they need on coping with

stress.
 NEHS Senior High School
11

B. Parents- For the parents, through the results of this

study, Parents will be informed or aware about what online

gamers do to cope with stress.

C. Students- For the students, the result of this study will

give students an idea of what online gamers do to cope with

stress.

D. Future Researchers- For future researchers, the results

of this study could be extremely beneficial. It could be

useful to anyone who wants to conduct research related to

this study.

Operational Definition of Terms

The following terms were operationally defined:

Online gamers- These are the persons/ players that play a

game on the Internet that offers online interaction with

other players.

Online games- It is a video game that is either partially or

primarily played through the Internet or any other computer

network available.
 NEHS Senior High School
12

Stress- It is defined as our body's response to pressure.

Many different situations or life events can cause stress.

It is often triggered when we experience something new or

unexpected that threatens our sense of self, or when we feel

we have little control over a situation.

Stressors- It is defined as anything that can cause stress

or something that causes strain or tension.

Coping strategies- It is defined as what people do to try to

minimize stress and the process by which a person

consciously attempts to master, minimize, or tolerate

stressors and problems.

 NEHS Senior High School
13

CHAPTER 2

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Research Design

A qualitative, phenomenological research design was

employed to determine the stress coping strategies of online

gamers in Nueva Ecija Senior high School.

From the word "phenomenon" which means something known

through sensory experience, phenomenology refers to the

study of how people find their experiences meaningful with

the primary goal to make people understand their personal

experiences. Phenomenology is a form of qualitative research

that focuses on the study of an individual’s lived

experiences within the world (Neubauer, B.E., Witkop, C.T. &

Varpio, L, 2019).
 NEHS Senior High School
14

The phenomenological research design was appropriate

for the study as the researchers will deal with the common

stressors of online gamers, as well as the causes and

effects of said stressors.

Locale of the Study

The study took place at Nueva Ecija Senior High School

which is located at Llanera St., Cabanatuan City, Nueva

Ecija. We chose our interviewees carefully and who had the

ability to answer our questions. The interview took place

via Zoom meeting. Nueva Ecija Senior High School is situated

at the heart of Cabanatuan City, located along Llanera cor.

General Tinio St. Cabanatuan City.

RA 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education

Act of 2013, made the Senior High School program universally
operative in the 2016-2017 school year.

The NEHS Senior High School department occupied the

Annex building and other Grade 7 classrooms in its first
year of existence. The Administration Office and the Faculty
Room were two among them. Because the SHS department was
still integrated with the Junior High School at the time, it
 NEHS Senior High School
15

was overseen by the school principal, Dr. Monica B. Mallari.

During the first year of operation, thirty-one (31)

Senior High school teachers with varied fields of

specialization were hired to meet the educational needs of

630 students enrolled in the various Tracks and Strands at

NEHS Senior High school. The Assistant Principal, Mrs. Elsa

V. Galiste, who was essential in the SHS Department's

operation, an Administrative Officer, a Registrar, and three

(3) Administrative Assistants were among the hired people.

The required number of pupils to be classified as a

"Very Large Stand Alone Senior High School" was met the
following school year (2017-2018), with 1325 students
enrolled in both grades. Mr. Johnny P. Bacani, a secondary
school principal, has been named the new school head of the
Nueva Ecija Senior High School, which is applying to become
a "Very Large Stand Alone Senior High School" by the Dep-Ed
Nueva Ecija Division office. Mr. Leo C. Diao, the new
Assistant Principal for Academics, was also sent to NEHS
SHS, but Mrs. Elsa V. Galiste, the Assistant Principal for
Operations, was retained.
 NEHS Senior High School
16

Respondents of the Study

The 15 respondents that participated in the study were

from Nueva Ecija Senior High School and from different

strands as they were chosen personally by the researchers

with their permission. The information gathered from the

participants was analyzed and interpreted by the researchers

and have determined the results of the study.

Sample and Sampling Procedure

Purposive Sampling was utilized by the researchers that

determined the respondents of the study.

Purposive sampling is a non-probability sampling method

that occurs when the respondents selected for the sample are

chosen by the judgment of the researcher. It is believed

 NEHS Senior High School
17

that it will result in saving time and money if the

researchers can obtain a representative sample by using

sound judgment. (Black, 2016)

Using their judgment, the researchers chose 3

respondents from their friends/family members as the online

gaming community is not limited by age or distance.

Research Instrument

A research instrument is a mechanical tool that is

applied and implemented when working in delicate and precise

work. In this study, a semi-structured interview was used to

gather information about online gamers' stress coping

strategies.

The instrument that was used in the study is a

questionnaire made by the researchers. This was used to

gather fast, efficient and inexpensive information from the

participants of the study.

A semi-structured interview includes a mix of closed

and open-ended inquiries, as well as follow-up why and how

questions (Adams, 2015). They are conducted using an

interview questionnaire or schedule that consists of primary

 NEHS Senior High School
18

questions or question stems that are predetermined or

scheduled, followed by sub questions or "probes" (McIntosh,

Morse, 2015).

Each participant was assured of confidentiality and

will be given a label or code.

Data Gathering Procedure

The data of this study were gathered using a semi-

structured interview prepared by the researchers. The

researchers conducted the interview in a video conferencing

app (Zoom). The data gathered was then analyzed and

interpreted by the researchers.

Data Analysis Technique

In order to determine what stress coping strategies the

online gamers- participants’ use, the data/transcript from

the participants was collected and analyzed. This was done

to discover similar and different content and to draw

conclusions from it.

 NEHS Senior High School
19

Thematic and content analyses are qualitative methods

that were employed in this study. Thematic analysis

interprets the meanings of the participants, whereas content

analysis is a literal portrayal of their responses. In a

mental health environment, both methodologies provide two

ways of comprehending meanings and experiences, as well as

valuable knowledge. (Crowee, Inder, & Porter, 2015).

After the data has been arranged and organized using a

Data Matrix, the researchers analyzed and identified the

information that will likely answer the research questions

and continued to explore others.

 NEHS Senior High School
20

CHAPTER 3

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The results, analysis, and interpretation of the data

gathered by the researchers can be found in this chapter.

This chapter includes answers to the research questions

as well as evidence to back them up. Semi-Structured

Interviews were used for online gamers who encounter various

stressors and the stress coping strategies they employ. The

data collected about the respondents’ strategies will be

analyzed by the researchers, resulting in valuable and

meaningful data.
 NEHS Senior High School
21

FINDINGS

Themes that Emerged

The data matrix below shows the prominent themes that

were established in the interviews held by the researchers:

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY THEMES

Common Stressors in an ● Toxicity

online game ● Fps Drops/Device Lag

● Overheating Devices

● Slow Internet

● Skill Difference

● Bugs present in the game

Effects of the Common ● Causes Anger, Agitation

Stressors in an online ● Loss of Motivation to do

 NEHS Senior High School
22

game Everyday tasks

● Loss of Academic Focus

● Raises Competitiveness

Stress Coping Strategies ● Talks to friends/family

employed by Online Gamers ● Does Various

Hobbies/activities

Common Stressors in an online game

Five major themes emerged from the responses of the

participants during the conduct of the interview. The five

common stressors that the participants have experienced were

identified as: 1. Toxicity, 2. Fps Drops/Device Lag, 3.

Overheating Devices, 4. Slow Internet, 5. Skill Difference,

and 6. Bugs present in the game.

Toxicity

Toxicity in online games is a sophisticated and

systemic issue. Toxic behaviors appear to be more prevalent

in esports communities. Negative behavior, such as

 NEHS Senior High School
23

harassment, can create barriers to players obtaining high

performance and can impair players' enjoyment, resulting in

them to leave the game. Toxicity refers to a wide range of

disruptive activities, including both abusive statements

directed at other players and disruptive gameplay behaviors

that break the game's rules and social conventions.

(Adinolf, Turkay, 2018)

All of the participants had stated that they experience

toxicity constantly while playing online games. Online Gamer

6 had stated "If I don't know what to do in the game, they

get toxic, because there are roles in video games and when

I fail to accomplish that, they get angry and become rude".

Online Gamer 15 also added "Especially in this certain

game, random players usually trash talk".

FPS drop/Device Lag

The number of times successive images appear on a

display in one second is measured in frames per second. In

gaming, the faster the framerate, the better the image flow
 NEHS Senior High School
24

on the screen while Low frame rates cause image disturbances

and flashes. One of the most annoying aspects of gaming is

being subjected to high FPS drops. Lag is a gamer's greatest

nightmare, both in terms of graphic stuttering and

processing rates, and it may quickly become irritating.

(Ognjanovic, 2022).

Online Gamer 15 stated "I mostly play on my smartphone

so I always experience FPS drops". Online gamer 4 pointed

out "My phone is not for gaming and I frequently experience

fps drops". Online Gamer 5 also added that he doesn't play

online PC games anymore because of FPS drops.

Overheating Devices

Phones might overheat due to excessive use or having

too many active apps. Overheating can also be caused by

malware, malfunctioning software, or direct sunlight. Phones

get warm all the time, but excessive heat can suggest a more

serious problem (Corrigan, Latto, 2022).

 NEHS Senior High School
25

Majority of the participants have stated that they often

experience overheating and it can sometimes lead to the game

force stopping. According to Online Gamer 6 "There are

games with save points and it can be quite frustrating

because when my game stops it doesn't save my progress".

Slow Internet

Internet connections have become vital in this age of

digital advancements. As of 2022, the Philippines is ranked

63rd out of 178 countries in terms of broadband speed, and

89th out of 138 countries in terms of mobile speed. In the

event that the citizens' internet connections become slow,

they are less likely to be inspired to engage in today's

information society (Salac, Kim, 2016). The connection delay

can be both irritating and worrisome, and it might prevent

us from meeting our daily goals and/or work obligations

(Local Circuit, 2016). One factor of slow internet speed is

the sort of connection you have and the amount of bandwidth

it can provide. The 3 types of internet connection present

here in the Philippines are DSL, Fiber, and Wireless

Broadband (Adrian, 2021). Online Gamer 5 stated that they

used to have bad internet, but now have fast internet

 NEHS Senior High School
26

because they migrated. Another possible factor of slow

internet speed is the location of the user, as the signal

varies depending on the coverage area. In the case of DSL,

the speed you get is determined by your distance from the

network centralizer. Latency would be decreased if you lived

closer to a network centralizer, but your internet speed

would suffer if you lived further away (Smith, 2020). Online

Gamer 4 added that because they live on a farm, the internet

speed there is slow.

Skill Difference

Skill Difference is one concept of serious games and

what it entails is the starting point. Furthermore, serious

games allow learners to experience scenarios that are

impossible in the real world due to safety, expense, time,

and other factors. but they are also said to benefit the

players' skill differences. Following that, some potential

negative consequences of serious games. Military games,

government games, educational games, business games, and

healthcare games are just a few of the markets in which

these games are used.

 NEHS Senior High School
27

Online Gamer #12 said, "When I play individually there

are random teammates that are unskilled that's why I can't

avoid stressing out". Online Gamer #5 also added that " The

people who lack skills in the game are the ones who I hate

to play with". This shows that Online Gamers dislike playing

with a random player who lacks skills.

Bugs present in the game

Video games are challenging to design and test because

they are complex, emergent systems. This complexity

invariably results in failures in the game, significantly

reducing some players' enjoyment. (Lewis, Whitehead, Fruin,

2010)

Effects of the Common Stressors in an online game

Three major themes emerged from the responses of the

participants during the conduct of the interview. The three

effects of common stressors that the participants have

experienced were identified as: 1. Anger, Agitation, 2. Loss

of Motivation to do Everyday tasks 3. Loss of Academic

Focus, and 4. Raises Competitiveness.

 NEHS Senior High School
28

Anger, Agitation

Excessive use of online games can lead to tangled

situations and aggressive outcomes. Different psychological

factors, such as self-esteem, behavior, and impulsivity by

traits, have been shown to influence the development and

maintenance of this. (González, get al. 2018)

Majority of the participants have experienced anger and

agitation. According to Online Gamer #4, he often gets

swayed by his emotions of anger. Online Gamer #5 adds that

he also cannot control his emotions when he has bad games.

Loss of Motivation to do Everyday tasks

Motivation has been hijacked since video games are now

so widely available that they are the most convenient way of

meeting basic requirements without having to risk going out

into the world and engaging in other activities. (Streiter,

2013) Computer games can help people with self-monitoring

and coping mechanisms. If you play video games primarily to

avoid or escape from other tasks, you're more likely to

engage in addictive behavior. (Reid, 2017) In contrast,

 NEHS Senior High School
29

video game addiction leads to a loss of motivation, a lack

of a defined life purpose, and immobility. (Kabir L., 2018)

Loss of Academic Focus

The quality of leisure life and the level of

concentration, which is most crucial to learning, have

gradually been corroded by video games and the internet

(Lin, Hsu, Wu, Chang, 2013).

Online Gamer 8 describes the theme as “the progress of

finishing school works slowing down because of stress”.

Online Gamer 3 adds that he is in a bad mood whenever he

gets losestreaks and at the same time, loses motivation and

gets lazy in doing his school works.

Raises Competitiveness

Competitiveness and Anger are interrelated. A study by

Adachi, P. (2011) reveals that video game competitiveness is

a crucial factor in the link between video games and

 NEHS Senior High School
30

aggressive conduct, with highly competitive games creating

higher levels of hostility than less competitive games.

Most of the participants have experienced the urge of

playing even more after losing a match. Online gamer 15

pointed out "I really get angry when my enemies taunt, and I

get the feeling of wanting to destroy them" they also added

"Especially when I'm feeling competitive, I want to make up

for my losses". Online gamer 6 also stated "I want to play

more games after losing and I aim to improve".

Stress Coping Strategies employed by Online Gamers

Two major themes emerged from the responses of the

participants during the conduct of the interview. The two

Stress Coping Strategies employed by the participating

Online Gamers were identified as 1. Talking to

friends/family and 2. Doing Various Hobbies/ Activities.

Talking to Friends/Family
 NEHS Senior High School
31

Some people tend to keep their emotions inside, so as

means of coping, having access to helpful people has been

beneficial. It is reported that conversing with friends and

relative members can assist in reducing stress (Reeve et

al., 2013).

A Majority of the Respondents stated that talking to

their friends/family has a significant effect on reducing

their stress. Online Gamer #5 quoted "I have brothers who

have the same experiences as me. So when I vent, they vent

as well, we vent on each other". Online Gamer #7 added that

it is nice to feel vulnerable at times.

Doing Hobbies/Activities

According to a study, those who participate in hobbies

are less likely to experience stress, despair, or bad mood.

Outdoor activities might help you feel better and more

relaxed. (Conner, DeYoung, Silvia, 2016)

Hobbies provide a sense of enjoyment and independence

in life, which can assist to reduce the negative effects of

 NEHS Senior High School
32

chronic stress. (Scott, 2020) Stress levels have been proven

to be reduced by engaging in activities during leisure.

(Parkhurst, 2021)

Most of the participants have claimed that playing

basketball relieves their stress. Online gamer 12 said that

" In the afternoon, I usually play basketball or volleyball

because it can lessen the stress I'm feeling as I become

tired of playing then I go to sleep." Online Gamer 15 stated

"I love to bike, especially with my friends". Online gamer 4

pointed out "When I'm stressed, I usually practice guitar

and piano", and Gamer 2 said “ When I’m stressed, I watch

Tiktok videos or read books from Wattpad”.

 NEHS Senior High School
33

CHAPTER 4

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY

Stress is a feeling that everyone has already

experienced, Online Gamers are not exempt from this.

This study aimed to determine the common stressors of

online games, the effects of these stressors, and most

importantly, what Stress Coping Strategies online gamers

employ to counter these stressors.

The researchers used a phenomenological research design

and applied a purposive sampling method to determine the 15

respondents. The respondents were interviewed using a semi-

structured questionnaire to collect meaningful data. The

 NEHS Senior High School
34

data collected were analyzed thematically and was

interpreted in accordance with the study's goals.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the findings, the following conclusions were drawn:

1. The Common Stressors being faced by the participants

while playing online games are: a.) Toxicity, b.) Fps

Drops/Device Lag, c.) Overheating Devices, d.) Slow

Internet, e.) Skill Difference, and f.) Bugs present in the

game

2. The Identified Effects of the Common Stressors the

participants experiences are: a.) Anger, Agitation, b.) Loss

of Motivation to do Everyday tasks c.) Loss of Academic

Focus, d.) Raises Competitiveness.

 NEHS Senior High School
35

3. The Coping Strategies employed by the participants with

the stress brought by playing online games are: a.) Talking

to friends/family and b.) Doing Various Hobbies/ Activities.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings, and conclusions made, the following

recommendations are suggested:

1. Use of therapy as a stress coping strategy to evade

stress and other negative effects on online gamers.

2. Normalizing using the "mute chat" button to prevent

trash-talking and other rude actions online gamers might

encounter.
 NEHS Senior High School
36

3. Taking a break from online games to prevent being

stressed and agitated.

4. Trying different coping strategies that can help gamers

to relieve their stress can affect the well-being of an

individual.

5. Playing other online games that don't have toxic

communities can reduce some gamers' stress.

6. Online game developers should provide a non-toxic

community by creating an exhibition game that includes rules

and regulations to prevent negative actions.

REFERENCES

Abdullah A., et. al (2015). The Routledge Handbook of

Language and Digital Communication. Routledge. Retrieved
from https://books.google.com.ph/books?
id=ofMsCgAAQBAJ&dq=online+games+definition&lr=&source=gbs_
navlinks_s

Adachi, P. (2011). Playing Highly Competitive Video Games

May Lead to Aggressive Behavior. Retrieved from
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2011/08/video-
games#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThese%20findings%20suggest%20that
%20the,competitive%20games%2C%E2%80%9D%20wrote%20Adachi.
 NEHS Senior High School
37

Adams, W. C. (2015). Conducting semi-structured interviews.

FPSHandbook of practical program evaluation, 4, 492-505.
Retrieved from https://books.google.com.ph/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=zntNhoO6gCUC&oi=fnd&pg=PA365&dq=semi+structur
ed+interviews&ots=UoinG_bNXT&sig=PhyYDuemiVnd3P0tRQer3uAv2
vc&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=semi%20structured
%20interviews&f=false

Adinolf & Turkay (2018). Toxic Behaviors in Esports Games:

Player Perceptions and Coping Strategies. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328544495_Toxic_B
ehaviors_in_Esports_Games_Player_Perceptions_and_Coping_St
rategies

Adrian, M. (2021) The Fastest Internet Plans In The

Philippines In 2021. Retrieved from
https://www.imoney.ph/articles/broadband-internet-
providers-philippines/

Aslund C., et. al (2015). Effects of adolescent online

gaming time and motives on depressive, musculoskeletal,
and psychosomatic symptoms. National Library of Medicine.
Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4816887/

Aliyari, Hamed., et. al (2018). The Beneficial or Harmful

Effects of Computer Game Stress on Cognitive Functions of
Players. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6037427/#__se
c7title

Black, K. (2016). Business Statistics: For Contemporary

Decision Making, 9th Edition (9th ed.). Wiley. Berger, K.
(2020). Stress and your health. Retrieved from
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm#:~:text=St
ress%20is%20a%20feeling%20of,danger%20or%20meet%20a
%20deadline.

Byron T. (2008). Safer Children in A digital World: the

Report of the Byron Review, Department for Children,
Schools and Families. London, UK Hashemkhani Zolfani S.,
Farrokhzad M., Turskis Z. (2013). Investigating on
 NEHS Senior High School
38

successful factors of online games based on explorer.

Technická univerzita v Liberci. Retrieved
from https://otik.uk.zcu.cz/handle/11025/17505 

Kabir L., (2018). Do Video Games Make You Lazy?.

Retrieved from https://www.healthygamer.gg/blog/do-video-
games-make-you-lazy?
fbclid=IwAR0WjH8Jv2qrUlQo9A5VJuJ5VqKWDhBZMDx52u6I5oovzZDOI
kQiB0c5Rbw

Castillo J., et. al (2017). Online Gaming: Impact on the

Academic Performance and Social Behavior of the Students
in Polytechnic University of the Philippines Laboratory
High School. KnowledgeE. Retrieved from
https://knepublishing.com/index.php/KnE-Social/article/vie
w/2447/5372#content/citation_reference_2

Corrigan, C., Latto, N. (2022). Why Your Phone Gets Hot and
How to Fix It. Retrieved from
https://www.avg.com/en/signal/why-your-phone-gets-hot-and-
how-to-fix-it

Conner, T., DeYoung C. G., Silvia, P. J.(2016).

Everyday creative activity as a path to flourishing.
Retrieved from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760.2016.
1257049?journalCode=rpos20

Crowee, M., Inder, M., Porter, R (2015).

Conducting qualitative research in mental health: Thematic
and content analyses. Retrieved from
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004867415582
053

González‐Bueso, V.; Santamaría, J.; Fernández, D.; Merino,

L.; Montero, E.; Ribas, J. Association between Internet
Gaming Disorder or Pathological Video‐Game Use and
Comorbid Psychopathology: A Comprehensive Review. Int. J.
Environ. Res. Public Health. 2018, 15, 668,
doi:10.3390/IJERPH15040668.
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/5/1516
 NEHS Senior High School
39

Goolkasian P., et. al (2019). Video Games and Stress: How

Stress Appraisals and Game Content Affect Cardiovascular
dand Emotion Outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology. Retrieved
from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6524699/

Goolkasioan P., et. Al (2019). Video Games and Stress:

How Stress Appraisals and Game Content Affect
Cardiovascular and Emotion Outcomes. Frontiers in
Psychology. Retrieved from
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00
967/full

Hu J., et. al (2017). Sensation Seeking and Online Gaming

Addiction in Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of
Positive Affective Associations and Impulsivity.
Frontiers in Psychology. Retrieved from
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00
699/full

Lewis, C., Whitehead, J., & Wardrip-Fruin, N. (2010, June).

What went wrong: a taxonomy of video game bugs. In
Proceedings of the fifth international conference on the
foundations of digital games. Retrieved from
https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/1822348.1822363
Lin, FL., Hsu, TY., Wu, TS., Chang, CL. (2013). The Effects
of User Involvement in Online Games, Game-Playing Time and
Display Duration on Working Memory . In: Harris, D. (eds)
Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics.
Understanding Human Cognition.

McIntosh, M. J., & Morse, J. M. (2015). Situating and

constructing diversity in semi-structured interviews.
Global qualitative nursing research. Retrieved from
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/233339361559
7674

Neubauer, B.E., Witkop, C.T. & Varpio, L. (2019). How

phenomenology can help us learn from the experiences of
others. Perspect Med Educ 8, 90–97. Retrieved
 NEHS Senior High School
40

from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40037-019-
0509-2#citeas

Ognjanovic, A. (2022). How to fix FPS drops and stuttering

in PC games. Retrieved from https://windowsreport.com/fix-
high-fps-drops-windows-10/#:~:text=FPS%20drops%20can
%20occur%20if,gradually%20move%20onto%20updating
%20drivers.

Parkhurst, E. (2021). How Hobbies Improve Mental Health.

Retrieved from
https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/how-
hobbies-improve-mental-health

Porter, AM., et. Al (May 2019). Video Games and Stress: How
Stress Appraisals and Game Content Affect Cardiovascular
and Emotion Outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology. Retrieved
from
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00
967/full

Porter, A. M., & Goolkasian, P. (2019). Video Games and

Stress: How Stress Appraisals and Game Content Affect
Cardiovascular and Emotion Outcomes. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6524699/#:~:t
ext=Based%20on%20the%20study%20findings,complex%20effects
%20on%20stress%20outcomes.

Reeve, K. L., Shumaker, C. J., Yearwood, E. L., Crowell, N.

A., & Riley, J. B. (2013). Perceived stress and social
support in undergraduate nursing students’ educational
experiences. Nurse Education Today

Salac, R. A., & Kim, Y. S. (2016). A Study on The Internet

Connectivity in The Philippines. Asia Pacific Journal of
Business Review. Kyung Hee University Management Research
Institute. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.20522/apjbr.2016.1.1.67
 NEHS Senior High School
41

Scott, E. (2020). The Link Between Video Games and Stress

Relief. verywellmind. Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-video-games-relieve-
stress-4110349#citation-1

Scott, E. (2020). The Importance of Hobbies for Stress

Relief. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/the-
importance-of-hobbies-for-stress-relief-3144574

Smith, Adam (2020) Does your location affect your internet speed?
Retrieved from https://dotslaz.com/does-your-location-affect-
your-internet-speed/

Susi, T., Johannesson, M., & Backlund, P. (2007).

<i>Serious Games : An Overview</i>. Retrieved from
Institutionen för kommunikation och information website:
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-1279</div
> </div>

Streiter, N. (2013). Video Games & Lack of Motivation -

What to Do if Your Son Has Lost Motivation. Retrieved from
https://gamequitters.com/video-games-lack-of-motivation/#W
HY-GAMERS-LOSE-MOTIVATION-IN-LIFE

The Local Circuit (2012)New Study Shows that Slow Internet

is a Stressor. Retrieved from
https://www.thelocalcircuit.com/slow-internet-stressor/#:~
:text=Aside%20from%20just%20the%20normal,by%20just%20three
%20percentage%20points.

Appendix B

INTERVIEWER’S GUIDE QUESTIONS

 NEHS Senior High School
42

PART I.

1. What are the common stressors in a typical online game?

a. What negative experiences do you usually get from other

players while playing video games?

- How often do you encounter these negative

experiences?

b. What negative experiences do you get from playing the

game itself?

- How often do you encounter these negative

experiences?

c. What negative experiences do you get concerning your

electronic devices?

- How often do you encounter these negative

experiences?

d. What negative experiences do you get from your

network/internet?

- How often do you encounter these negative

experiences?
 NEHS Senior High School
43

PART II.

2. What are the effects of these common stressors?

a. In what way do these stressors affect you emotionally?

- What emotions do you feel when you encounter these

stressors?

- How often do you get agitated? If so, how long?

b. In what way do these stressors affect you mentally?

- How do these stresses affect your critical thinking?

- What mental problems have originated from these

stresses?

- Have you considered quitting playing online video

games overall? If so, what actions did you take?

c. In what way do these stressors affect you physically?

- Do you get violent physical reactions when you

encounter these stressors? If so, what are these actions and

how often does these happen?

d. In what way do these stressors affect you in terms of

academics?
 NEHS Senior High School
44

- How does these stresses affect your ability to focus

in your classes?

- How do these stresses hinder your ability to finish

school works?

- Do you get the urge to play even more after losing a

match? Have you missed classes because of this reason? If

so, how often and can you elaborate on one situation?

e. In what way do these stressors affect you in terms of

daily life?

- How long does the stress last after playing?

- How does these stresses affect the way you deal with

the people you talk to everyday?

- How does these stresses affect your motivation to do

everyday things?

PART III

3. What are the stress coping strategies applied by the

participants to deal with stress?

 NEHS Senior High School
45

a. What initial actions do you usually take or do to respond

to these stresses?

- How long have you been sticking to this routine?

- If there is no routine, what motivates you to employ

these strategies?

b. Do you have any hobbies or activities you like to do?

- How do these hobbies/activities help you counter

these stresses?

c. Do you have anyone to talk to like family or friends?

- How does talking to them help you relieve stress?

d. How effective are these strategies?

- What suggestions or improvements do you want to make

next time?