HOW ONLINE GAMING AFFECTS THE MENTAL HEALTH OF COLLEGE

STUDENTS IN BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY

____________________

A Thesis Proposal Presented to the

Faculty of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Bataan Peninsula State University - Balanga Campus
City of Balanga, Bataan

____________________

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

Course of Research 1

___________________

by:

MALIBIRAN, ERICKA P.
SONIO, ALYN I.
SIOCHI, KYLA C.

February 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE                                                                                                                      I

CHAPTER 

                I. THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND 

Introduction                                                                                                  4

Statement of the Problem                                                                             9

Significance of the Study                                                                              10

Scope and Delimitation of the Study                                                            10

Notes in Chapter I                                                                                         11

               II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK         

Relevant Theories                                                                                         13

Related Literature                                                                                         15

Related Studies                                                                                             18

Conceptual Framework                                                                                21

Paradigm of the Study                                                                                  21

Hypothesis of the Study                                                                               22

Definition of Terms                                                                                      22

Notes in Chapter II                                                                                       24

           

             III. METHODS OF RESEARCH 

Methods and Technique of the Study                                                         26

Population and Sample of the Study                                                           27

Research Instrument                                                                                    28

Construction & Validation of the Instruments                                            28

Data Gathering Procedures                                                                          29

 Statistical Treatment of Data                                                                       31

Notes in Chapter III                                                                                     33

Letter of Request to the Respondent                                                            34

Survey Questionnaire           35

                                                                                

 
  

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter includes the introduction, statement of the problem, significance of the study, scope,
and delimitation of the study.

Introduction

Online gaming is rampant among adults, teenagers, and children all over the world. This

part of the entertainment industry is considered one of the most successful ones because of how

this aforementioned age demographic enjoys and supports this business. The success of this craft

has led to positive and negative effects on people. On the positive side, there are existing

educational online games that provide a beneficial impact such as helping the cognitive

development, engaging and improving social interactions, developing a strong memory, having

better problem-solving skills, having the capability to synchronize their brains, hands, and their

eyes, and enhancing their comprehension skills. The negative impact of online gaming creates

obstructive inner nature such as poor social development, addiction, agitation, being anti-social,

and isolation (Zaki Al Fuad et. al, 2017).

These impacts can have repercussions in a much larger scope on an individual’s mental

health. These issues on psychological health has been existing for the longest time even before

the technology era. It worsened over time because it has been diverted to something that has a

compelling effect on its users – online gaming. According to a study entitled “Internet use and

electronic gaming by children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems in

Australia – results from the second child and adolescent survey of mental health and wellbeing”,

Children growing up in Australia today have never known a world without the Internet and
electronic games and, for them, the term ‘being connected’ has an entirely different connotation

than it did for their parents as children. (Zikkers et. al, 2016) There are links between problem

behaviors associated with Internet use and electronic gaming, mental disorders, and risk-taking

behavior in young people.

In the Philippines, online video gaming is a growing industry. The country ranks 29th in

game revenues across the globe (Elliot, 2020). In 2017, there were more than 29.9 million

gamers recorded in the country. The greatest number of gamers was 21-35 years of age, followed

by teenagers 10-20 years of age. Teenagers are estimated for 30.5% of the total population in the

country. Overall, this age group is already facing mental health issues, such as anxiety, mood

disorders, and depression. In 2017, newzoo.com reported that the active gamers in the

Philippines were 52% males and 48% females.

World Health Organization recognizes online game addiction as a mental health

condition. There is also a relation between online game addiction and depression which poses a

serious threat that needs to be tackled and aimed at (Labana, 2020). As positively correlated to

the rate of depression among adolescents in Manila, online game addiction can attribute to the

booming internet industry and the lack of sufficient mental health interventions in the country.

According to Hadjisai & Imperial, intervention recommendations include strengthening

depression management among adolescents and improving mental health services for this

vulnerable population groups in schools within the communities ( December 2020)

Depression and Social Anxiety

The latest China Internet Network Information Center's (CNNIC) report revealed that the

growth rate of mobile online game has reached 9.6% and adolescents are the main user

group (Wang, 2019). In the present era of technology, it is no doubt that most of users that are

affected by the addiction to online gaming is mostly on this age bracket. In comparison with

most segments of society, adolescents are more vulnerable to Internet-related addiction because

of their psychological and developmental characteristics, the easy access to the Internet with a

portable device, and the positive expectation of mobile gaming (Sheng, 2019).

They are more prone to this time-consuming hobby that greatly affects their mental state

especially when it comes to depression and social anxiety because of the limited interaction with

a real-life scenario and real human contact. They have lost touch with the actual views of truth

because they are more exposed in the virtual setting where most of what they see is fantasy.

According to Hofmann (2012), individuals with high social anxiety and those with high

levels of depression endorse difficulty identifying, understanding, and tolerating their emotions,

which may further contribute to their maladaptive patterns of emotional experience. In relation to

losing touch of reality, these addictions actually connect the idea that hinders an individual from

adapting to new or difficult circumstances. They prefer to be in their “comfort zone” which led

them to being socially anxious and depressed because they want to stay in a world (online

gaming) that does not exist. They find solace in their addiction to online gaming.

In the International Journal of Management, IT and Engineering (2019), online gaming

exhilarates people and galvanizes them to compete with others, it makes players mentally

vigorous and sharper too. Due to excessive usage of online gaming, people get addicted to it
which will cause many health and mental issues including depression, stress, and anxiety.

Potential consequences of video game use have been identified as well, such as a lack of real-life

friends (Kowert et al, 2014), stress and maladaptive coping (Milani et al, 2018), and

psychosomatic problems (Muller et al, 2015; Milani et al., 2018).

General Anxiety Disorder

The addiction to online gaming has its after effect mainly on emotional and mental

health. According to Wang et. al, (2020), General Anxiety disorder is associated with Internet

Gaming disorder which can contribute to higher emotional difficulty. In the aspect of behavioral

inhibitions, it is confounded in GAD and IGD comorbidity – aggression, stress, depression, sleep

deprivation.

In May 2013, the classification of IGD is similar to gambling disorder and contains nine

criteria: (a) preoccupation with Internet games; (b) withdrawal symptoms when Internet gaming

is discontinued; (c) tolerance: the need to spend increasing amount of time engaged in Internet

gaming; (d) unsuccessful attempts to control participation in Internet gaming; (e) loss of interest

in hobbies and entertainment as a result of, and with the exception of, Internet gaming; (f)

continued excessive use of Internet games, despite the knowledge of psychosocial problems; (g)

deception of family members, therapists, or others regarding the amount of Internet gaming; (h)

use of Internet gaming to escape or relieve a negative mood; and (i) loss of a significant

relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of participation in Internet games.

(Wu, 2017)
 According to Grinspoon (2020), GAD should be well-assessed and interventions planned

when treating young adults with IGD. Behavioral inhibition confounds the association between

GAD and IGD. Further study is necessary to evaluate how to mediate in behavioral inhibitions to

lessen the risk of GAD and IGD comorbidity.

Panic Anxiety Disorder

When online gamers play, there is always a stimuli that triggers an emotion for them to

feel mixed positive and negative emotions. According to Granic (2014), Games do not elicit

only positive emotions; video games also trigger a range of negative ones, including frustration,

anger, anxiety, and sadness. In addition, this scenario is quite similar to having a panic attack

which is defined as a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when

there is no real danger or apparent cause (nhk.uh, 2021). Playing online games usually

triggers these emotions. In relation to this, as with many mental health conditions, the exact

cause of panic disorder is not fully understood. But it's thought to be linked to a combination of

things, including: a traumatic or very stressful life experience, as mentioned above.

        Hence, some of the studies have provided insight into the possible conflicts of online games

to the mental health of young people. Increasingly, electronic and computer games or online

games are becoming incredibly popular, posing a significant risk to children, teenagers, and even

adults. perhaps leading to mental problems like social anxiety, depression, general anxiety

disorder, and panic anxiety disorder. Teenagers used to spend most of their time playing with

other youngsters, but today's children spend the majority of their time playing computer games

as soon as they understand and are familiar with the controls and mechanics, despite the fact that

these games cannot build any emotional or real human relationships.

Statement of the Problem

Generally, the researchers will intend to determine the effect of online games on the

mental health of college students in BPSU. 

Specifically, this study will seek to answer the following questions;

1. What is the demographic profile of the college students in Bataan Peninsula State University –

Balanga campus in terms of;

a. age;

b. sex;

c. course; and

d. year level?

2. What is the self-assessment of the college students regarding their usage of online games in

terms of;

a. number of hours spent;

b. frequency of playing online games; and

c. type of online games?

3. Status of the respondents as it affect by online games;

a. depression;

b. social anxiety; 

c. general anxiety disorder

d. panic anxiety disorder

4. How is the relationship between the usage of online games and the mental health of the
respondents be described?
5. How the social cognitive theory explains the relationship between online gaming and the
mental health status of the respondents. 

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be beneficial to the following:

Respondents. The respondents will have an awareness of the importance of mental health aside
from the enjoyment and entertainment that online games are giving to them.

Students. This study will be beneficial to the students because it can address the importance of
mental health no matter how exciting and addicting the online games. 

Online gamers. It can give enough awareness and information about the possible effect of
online gaming on their mental health that can help them to lessen their addiction or obsession
with online games.

Parents. This study will be beneficial to the parents of students that are online gamers because it
can help them to inform and guide their children when it comes to online gaming about the
effects on their mental health.

Future Researchers. This study will be beneficial to future researchers because it can fulfil the
limited resources they have in conducting a study.

Scope and Delimitation

  The general intent of this study is to identify how online gaming affects the mental health
of college students in Bataan Peninsula State University (Balanga Campus). Since the pandemic,
many college students are into online games because we’re not allowed to go out. It's one of the
forms of entertainment during this time of the pandemic.

The primary subjects of this research study will consist of 252 random college students at
Bataan Peninsula State University (Balanga Campus) enrolled in the academic year 2020-2021.
The respondents must be online gamers. Moreover, survey questionnaires via Google Form will
be the tool used to collect quantitative data.
Notes in Chapter I

Dryman, M. T., & Heimberg, R. G. (2018). Emotion regulation in social anxiety and depression:
A systematic review of expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal. Clinical Psychology
Review, 65, 17-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2018.07.004
Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. American
Psychologist, 69(1), 66-78. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034857
Grinspoon, P. (2020, December 22). The health effects of too much gaming. Harvard Health
Blog. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-health-effects-of-too-much-gaming-
2020122221645
Labana, R. V., Hadjisaid, J. L., Imperial, A. R., Jumawid, K. E., Lupague, M. J., &
Malicdem, D. C. (2020). Online game addiction and the level of depression among adolescents
in Manila, Philippines. Central Asian Journal of Global
Health, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.5195/cajgh.2020.369

Lee, C., & Kim, O. (2016). Predictors of online game addiction among Korean
adolescents. Addiction Research & Theory, 25(1), 58-
66. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2016.1198474

Marino Cladia for Journal of Behavioral Addictions volume 9: issue 3 entitled Social anxiety and
Internet gaming disorder: The role of motives and metacognitions published on 2020, October
12. Article from https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00044

Panic disorder. (2021, February 16). nhs.uk. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/panic-

disorder/
Porter, A. M., & Goolkasian, P. (2019). Video games and stress: How stress appraisals and game
content affect cardiovascular and emotion outcomes. Frontiers in
Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00967
Rikkers, W., Lawrence, D., Hafekost, J., & Zubrick, S. R. (2016). Internet use and electronic
gaming by children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems in Australia –
results from the second child and adolescent survey of mental health and wellbeing. BMC Public
Health, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3058-1
Santos, V., Nardi, A., & King, A. (2015). Treatment of internet addiction in patient with panic
disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder: A case report. CNS & Neurological Disorders -
Drug Targets,  14(3), 341-344. https://doi.org/10.2174/1871527314666150225123532
Sha, P., Sariyska, R., Riedl, R., Lachmann, B., & Montag, C. (2019). Linking internet
communication and smartphone use disorder by taking a closer look at the Facebook and
WhatsApp applications. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 9,
100148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2018.100148
Shi, J., & Kirsh, B. (2013). Gender differences within online gaming: A systematic scoping
review protocol. Psychology and Social Behavior Research, 1(5),
142. https://doi.org/10.12966/psbr.12.02.2013

The Philippines’ games market: Data and insights. (2020, May 4).
Newzoo. https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/data-and-insights-on-the-philippines-games-
market

Wang, C., Wu, Y., Su, C., Lin, P., Ko, C., & Yen, J. (2017). Association between internet
gaming disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 6(4), 564-
571. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.6.2017.088

Wang, J., Sheng, J., & Wang, H. (2019). The association between mobile game addiction and
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 Chapter II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This chapter includes the ideas, thesis, generalization or conclusion, methodologies and

others. Those that were included in this chapter helps in familiarizing the information that are

relevant or similar to the present study. Conceptual framework, hypothesis, and definition of

terms are also included in this study.

Relevant Theories

One theory related to the objectives of this study is the Social Cognitive Theory

introduced by Bandura, (1968). It explains that human behavior results from dynamic relations

between personal, behavioral, and factors. The behavioral factors include the health-related

information and skills in regulating and taking action. The theory also explains that people can

acquire knowledge by just observing others, for instance, by observing the skills, beliefs,

strategy, rules, and attitudes of others and this theory is also a direct response to behaviorism.

People learn about the utility and suitability of behaviors by observing other people’s behavior

and they end up acting based on what they believe will be the outcome.

To relate the Social Cognitive Theory with this study, college students who are playing

online games too much can possibly be influenced by the characters they see in online games,

and they may end up following the actions of the characters in the online games which can affect

their mental health.

Another theory that the study is being anchored is the bidirectional cyclical model

between the gaming addiction and stress among adolescents proposed by Rajab, et.al, (2020).

According to this theory, too much online gaming can lead to inadequate sleep, poor

performance in school, and negative psychosocial consequences including anxiety, social phobia,
lower self-esteem, poorer self-control, and impaired social network which in turn make

adolescents prone to higher levels of stress. This theory is also related to this study as this

explains that the college students who have an excessive gaming habit will result in mental

health problems including anxiety, and stress. 

Wang, et.al, (2019) also proposed a structural model regarding the mobile games effect

on students as presented in the figure 1 below. Playing online games is addictive and

accordingly, those who are addicted to online games suffer poorer mental health, increased

emotional difficulties, and enhanced depression and anxiety. Wang et.al, (2019) proposed this

structural model and it was proven that mobile game addiction is related to depression, social

anxiety, General Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Anxiety Disorder. This study was also anchored to

this structural model, at which the researchers will determine the effect of online games on the

mental health of college students in terms of depression, social anxiety, General Anxiety

Disorder, and Panic Anxiety Disorder.

 Figure 1. Theoretical Framework of the Effects of Online Gaming

Related Literature

Online games. As stated in the internet matters, (2021) online games are video games

which offer online interaction with other players. These are important to understand as they offer

a huge amount of fun, enjoyment, teamwork, collaboration, and imaginative adventure for the

students. Online games contribute an essential part of students’ development and socialization

once they play healthily. However, it is still important for parents to understand online gaming

hence they can encourage safe and healthy habits in their children and technology from a young

age.

According to Angeles, (2020) online games have always been a thing in the Philippines

as these play a huge part in the lives of many Filipinos. Accordingly, there are few games that

are probably the most played in the Philippines which include the Valorant, Genshin impact,

Ragnarok M: Eternal Love, Roblox, Wild Rift, Dota, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang

Bang, Players Unknown’s Battleground, Counter Strike: Global offensive, Call of Duty: Mobile,

Apex Legends, Fortnite, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Seige. 

Mental Health. In the article of Kanojia, (2020) it is stated there that video games seem

to  be blamed for all sorts of negative effects on mental health as some studies indicate that

gaming results in people becoming anxious, depressed, angry, or even violent. It is found that

video gaming is associated with positive emotions and social relationships while playing but it

can also be associated with maladaptive coping strategies, negative emotions and attitudes, low

self-esteem, loneliness, and poor academic performance. Aside from that, online games are
correlated with increased depression and anxiety, causing the students to get stuck in life and end

up being unhappy.

In the report of Raymer, (2021) it was stated that video game addiction has grown at

alarming rates over the past few years and for this reason, concern is growing in the mental

health community around video game addiction and the gaming population. Mental illness

always arises when the players play online games for an extended period to the extent of their

actions. An addictive behavior and various psychological and health issues are associated with it

such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, fatigue, and negative self-esteem pertaining to Internet

Gaming Disorder (IGD) and this can lead to multiple negative impacts including poor academic

performance for students.

Depression. As discussed by Legg, (2017) a lack of sleep, poor eating habits, and not

enough exercise are a recipe for depression among college students. College is a stressful

environment for young people and there are many factors that contribute to the risk of

depression. One of the factors that cause depression to the students is the excessive use of online

games. There are also some studies that found a positive relationship between depression and

internet gaming. According to Kanojia, (2020) people who are unhappy or depressed are drawn

to video games due to the fact that they help to suppress negative emotions. People develop a

gaming habit that causes them to get stuck in life and not moving towards their goals. 

Based on the statement of King and Delfabbro, (2016) online games are often played by

people who have emotional distress and in the long term, heavy usage can isolate people from

real-life relationships leading to a more serious mental health issue which is depression. 

Social Anxiety. During college, anxiety is very common to students. As mentioned by

LeBlanc and Marquez, (2019) the most common anxiety disorder in adolescence is social anxiety
which is the state of tension or discomfort experienced by individuals in social situations. It is

indicated that online game addiction was associated with an individual’s social anxiety and those

with a serious tendency for online gaming addiction have significantly higher social anxiety

levels than those who use online games normally. The amount of social anxiety may increase

when teenagers spend more time playing online games. According to Maldonado, et.al, (2016)

social anxiety occurs among young people because of their bad experience and tension.

Excessive use of online games and social anxiety affect one another.

General Anxiety Disorder. According to Lehenbauer-Baum et. al. (2015), previous

reports have suggested that Internet addiction is associated with various psychiatric disorders.

Studies have shown a high comorbidity between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorders,

especially affective disorders (e.g., depression) and anxiety disorders (e.g., GAD and social

anxiety disorder). In this study, it shows the association between the mental and affective

disorders when it talks about General anxiety disorder. It is all interconnected.

As with its definition, according to Medline plus, It is a mental disorder in which a person is

often worried or anxious about many things and finds it hard to control this anxiety. It also states

that stress may have something to do with the development of GAD.

Panic Anxiety Disorder. According to Granic (2014), Games do not elicit only positive

emotions; video games also trigger a range of negative ones, including frustration, anger,

anxiety, and sadness. In addition, this scenario is quite similar to having a panic attack which is

defined as a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is

no real danger or apparent cause (nhk.uh, 2021). This study is relevant to the topic because of

how it states that the balance betweet negative and positive emotions in playing online games is
caused by a trigger. When a person plays an online game, they usually has this sudden jolt of

emotion depending on the situation in the game itself – it can be anger, frustration, or

excitement. The point of this relevant study to shoe the connection between the abrupt emotion

that was triggered by an instance in the game.

Online Games to Mental Health. Kamal and Wok, (2020) examined the impact of

online gaming on mental health among International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

students. By employing quantitative research design and survey questionnaires, it was revealed

that the most popular type of online game is Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) followed

by Mobile Legend, Call of Duty, Defense of the Ancients, and Free fire. It was also found out

that the level of online gaming addiction and mental health among IIUM students were low and

there is also a statistically significant relationship between online gaming and mental health in

terms of depression, social anxiety, and loneliness. 

Another study was conducted by Wang, et.al, (2019) regarding the association between

mobile gaming and depression, social anxiety, and loneliness among the high school students of

Guizhou Province. Based on the result of their study, they found out that mobile games were

positively associated with social anxiety, depression, and loneliness. They also found that male

students who are playing excessively online tended to suffer more social anxiety, loneliness, and

social anxiety compared with females. It was recommended that mental health educators should

be aware of the negative effects caused by excessive mobile gaming and attention should be

given to male adolescents who are addicted to mobile gaming.

Online Games Addiction. According to the study of Labana, et.al, (2020) online game

addiction is recognized as one of the mental health conditions. It has been recorded that there are

29.9 million gamers in the Philippines and the incidence of depression is also increasing hence
they examined the association between online game addiction and depression in Filipino

adolescents. Their study revealed that males have a high level of online game addiction

compared to females and it was proven that online gaming was positively correlated with

depression in their study. Based on the result, they concluded that high levels of online game

addiction could potentially be attributed to the booming internet industry and lack of sufficient

mental health intervention in the country. It was recommended to improve mental health services

in the Philippines.

The number of people using online platforms for gaming has increased exponentially and

it was reported that the excessive use of online games has an impact on the mental health of

players. Go, et.al, (2019) also conducted a study regarding the impact of increased online gaming

play time on mental health of those who are addicted to mobile games. They employed the use of

cross-sectional online questionnaires design and their results revealed that there is a significant

correlation with higher levels of play time associated with poorer mental health of the players. 

Zamani, et.al, (2019) conducted a related study at which the effect of addiction to

computer games on mental health of students of Guidance School in City of Isfahan was

examined. It was stated that computer games are the most popular entertainment nowadays and

the opponents of these games emphasize on their negative effects which are much higher than

the positive effects of the games such as increasing the coordination of eyes and hands. It was

revealed in their study that in a psychological dimension, it seems that computer games have a

negative relationship with the mental health of adolescents and have a direct effect on their

violent behavior, anxiety, depression, and isolation of those adolescents who play online games.

Computer games addiction was found to have positive correlation with the mental health of the

students.
 Another study was conducted to examine the impact of online games on students’ mental

health. According to Guerada, (2021) a person can be diagnosed with a game addiction by a

psychologist or a psychiatrist if he has a game playing pattern that is severe enough to have a

negative impact on himself, his family, social, education, work, and other important things. It

was found that the impact of online gaming addiction on students is manifested through a lack of

focus on other daily activities, lack of attention in class, and constant thinking about games.

Further, it was also revealed that game addiction occurred with other mental disorders such as

stress, depression, and anxiety disorders. 

Arif, (2021) further mentioned that a relationship between depression and violent content

in video games is possible and this implies that adults and children tend to be exposed to

violence in real –life. Accordingly, those who have an excessive online gaming habit have poor 

mental health outcomes which include depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic disorder similar to

the result of the recent related studies. Some of the effects of excessive online gaming to people

are anger or rage, compulsivity, isolation, and loneliness. 

In the study of Rajab, et.al, (2020) it was stated that adolescents have easy access to

electronic gadgets and the internet, yet data on gaming addiction among adolescents are

negligible. They determined the prevalence of gaming addiction and its association with mental

health among Saudi school students. It was revealed in their study that addiction to gaming was

strongly associated with the stress as the students have a high level of stress found. It was

recommended for authorities to consider gaming addiction a serious problem for the young

population and make this growing phenomenon an adolescent health priority. 

Benefits of Online Games to Mental Health. There are some studies that claim and

prove that playing online games have benefits to students. In the study of Dumrique and Castillo,
(2018) the impact of online gaming to the students of Polytechnic University of the Philippines -

Laboratory High School was determined. In this case, it was found out that boys are more of a

player compared to girls and most of them played clash of clans, league of legends, and cross

fire. It was further found out that playing online games does not affect them physically and

mentally, but it enhances their skills instead. In order to still function well in their studies, they

know their limits in playing and only play online games during vacation and weekends with a lot

of time compared to when they have classes. 

Brennan, (2021) also claimed that video games when appropriately played have benefits

to mental health of students. Some of the benefits of playing video games are mental stimulation,

feeling accomplished, mental health recovery, social interaction and emotional resilience. Too

much gaming can become a problem, but in moderation, it can do great things for people’s

mental health.

Conceptual Framework
                         

Figure 1 Conceptual Framework of the Study

The process of this study on the other hand pertains to the flow or the step in conducting

the study which include the assessing of the respondents by using questionnaires distributed

through Google Form Links.

The results to be obtained also need to have a statistical treatment to analyze and interpret

it based on how the participants responded to it. Meanwhile, the output of this study is the mental

health of the respondents in terms of depression, social anxiety and loneliness, self assessment of

the respondents regarding their usage of online games and relationship of online games and

mental health.
Hypothesis of the Study

H : There is no significant relationship between the usage of online games and mental
0

health of college students in Bataan Peninsula State University.

H : There is no significance difference on mental health when they are grouped

0

accordingly.

Definition of Terms

The following are the terminologies used in this study and the researchers defined these

conceptually and operationally.

Demographic Profile – it refers to the characteristics of the respondents which include

age, gender, course, and year level.

Depression – Conceptually, it is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of

sadness and loss of interest and can interfere with your daily functioning. Operationally, it

pertains to the mental health issue of college students due to online gaming.

Mental Health – this includes the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of the

college students in BPSU which are affected by their online gaming.

Online games - refers to the games that are played over some form of computer network,

most often the internet. These are the games played by the respondents online which happen to

have an effect on their mental health.

Social anxiety – conceptually, it is the state of tension or discomfort experienced by

individuals in social situations. Operationally, it is one of the mental health issues of college

students due to excessive online gaming.

 General Anxiety Disorder - Generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD) is marked

by excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events for no obvious reason.

People with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and can't

stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school.

Panic Anxiety Disorder - Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings

of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). You may

have feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid, fluttering or

pounding heart (heart palpitations).

Notes in Chapter II

Are there mental health benefits of video games? (2021, April 6).

WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-benefits-of-video-games
Dumrique, D. O., & Castillo, J. G. (2018). Online gaming: Impact on the academic performance
and social behavior of the students in Polytechnic University of the Philippines laboratory high
school. KnE Social Sciences, 3(6), 1205. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v3i6.2447
Effects of gaming addiction on physical and mental health. (2021, September 20). Leading News
Portal Jammu Kashmir - The Northern
Herald. https://www.thenorthernherald.com/newsdetail/32320/health-fitness/effects-of-gaming-
addiction-on-physical-and-mental-health
Generalized anxiety disorder: MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia. (n.d.). MedlinePlus - Health
Information from the National Library of
Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000917.htm
Goh, C., Jones, C., & Copello, A. (2019). A further test of the impact of online gaming on
psychological wellbeing and the role of play motivations and problematic use. Psychiatric
Quarterly, 90(4), 747-760. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-019-09656-x

Guerada, K. (2021). Impact of online games on children's mental health. Journal La

Medihealtico, 2(1), 13-19. https://doi.org/10.37899/journallamedihealtico.v2i1.281

Internet gaming disorder: A real mental health issue on the rise in adolescents and young adults.
(2021, October 5). Counseling Today. https://ct.counseling.org/2021/09/internet-gaming-
disorder-a-real-mental-health-issue-on-the-rise-in-adolescents-and-young-adults/

King, D. L., & Delfabbro, P. H. (2016). The cognitive psychopathology of internet gaming

disorder in adolescence. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(8), 1635-
1645. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-016-0135-y

Labana, R. V., Hadjisaid, J. L., Imperial, A. R., Jumawid, K. E., Lupague, M. J., &

Malicdem, D. C. (2020). Online game addiction and the level of depression among adolescents
in Manila, Philippines. Central Asian Journal of Global
Health, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.5195/cajgh.2020.369

Markey, P. (2016). Video games and mental health. Encyclopedia of Mental Health, 356-
361. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-397045-9.00066-5

Wang, C., Wu, Y., Su, C., Lin, P., Ko, C., & Yen, J. (2017). Association between internet
gaming disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 6(4), 564-
571. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.6.2017.088

Zul Kamal, N. S., & Wok, S. (2020). The impact of online gaming addiction on mental health
among iium students. International Journal of Heritage, Art and Multimedia, 3(11), 01-
20. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijham.311001
 CHAPTER III

METHODS OF RESEARCH

This chapter shows and discusses the steps or way of the researchers in gathering the

necessary data and information that will be used in the entire study. Respondents and focus of

the research will be described and the procedure of data collection and instrument to be used by

the researchers are being discussed in this study.

Methods and Techniques of the Study

The method to be used by the researchers to enhance this study and to make it reliable

and valid is the descriptive quantitative design which emphasized objective measurements and

the statistical, mathematical or numerical analysis of data collected through survey

questionnaires by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computation technique

(McCombes, 2019). To identify the effect of online games on the mental health of college

students in Bataan Peninsula State University – Balanga campus, the descriptive correlational

design will be utilized by the researchers as an appropriate method to treat all problem

statements of the study. 

To conduct this study, the researchers will use the adopted survey questionnaires which

will be provided through Google forms and will be given to the college students as the selected

participants of the study. Using a descriptive survey method, the said participants will be

assessed regarding their demographic profile, mental health, and usage of online games. Hence,

at the end of the study, the researchers will be able to determine if online games have a

significant relationship to the mental health of college students at Bataan Peninsula State

University – Balanga campus.

Population and Sample of the Study

In this section, the researchers will employ the use of sampling techniques in order to

determine the population and sample of the study. It is one of the most important steps of

research methodology as it is rarely practical, efficient and ethical to study the whole population.

In computing for the population size of the study, the researchers used the RAOSOFT calculator

which helped generate the sample size of the research or survey. Thus, to draw representative

samples, the researchers will use the simple random sampling method. Simple random sampling

is a method to cull a smaller sample size from a larger population and this sampling technique

will be used to make generalizations about the larger group(Thomas, 2020).This sampling
technique is being preferred by the researchers as it is easy to use and provides accurate

representation of the larger population. In addition to that, simple random sampling creates a

balanced sample that carries the greatest potential for representing the larger population as a

whole, it is also much less complicated and most straightforward among other sampling

methods.

This sampling method is highly subjective and determined by the researchers as this

technique will provide in-depth and reliable information regarding the effect of online games on

the mental health of the college students in Bataan Peninsula State University – Balanga campus.

The researchers will use Raosoft calculator to determine the sample size of the study from the

population of college students in BPSU- Balanga Campus. Then, the researchers will apply the

simple random sampling to the selected college students wherein everyone in the sample size

will be given a chance to participate in the study.

Research Instrument

The tools used to collect, measure and analyze data related to the research interest are the

research instruments. The tool used mainly to collect data for the quantitative type of research is

the survey questionnaire as it was stated by Canals, (2017) that this tool provides a cheap, quick,

and efficient way of obtaining large amounts of information from a large sample of people. In

conducting this study, the researcher will use survey questionnaires as the research instrument of

this study in order to determine the effect of online games on the mental health of the college

students in Bataan Peninsula State University – Balanga campus. However, due to the fact that
conducting surveys and tests personally is prohibited because of COVID-19 pandemic, the

survey questionnaires will only be distributed to the participants through Google forms.

The researcher grouped the content of the survey questionnaires into three parts. The part 1

of the questionnaire is about the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of their age,

gender, course, and year level. Part 2 is on the other hand about the self-assessment of college

students regarding their usage of online games in terms of number of hours spent, frequency of

playing online games, and type of online games they play. In part 3, the questions were adopted

from the study of Nur Shazreen Zul Kamal and Saodah Wok of International Islamic University

Malaysia, the questions are about the mental health of the college students in terms of

depression, social anxiety, General Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Anxiety Disorder.

Construction and Validation of Instrument

Research instrument is composed of the research questions to be answered by the

respondents in order to gather reliable information and as an important part of research, it will

also be validated by the research experts before conducting the study hence, the questions will be

held properly and clearly. Aside from that, a good researcher may accept the guidance from the

professionals or experts who are knowledgeable in the field of research as well as the

experienced instructors.

The purpose of the validation is to determine the validity and reliability of the instrument

conducted by the researchers. The validation of the research instrument will be done by asking

research experts on validating questionnaires as they will provide information to enhance the

quality of questions, the language and grammar used by the researchers and the proper way of

asking questions.
 The content of the questionnaire will be sent to some of the authors and to the Research

teacher. After incorporating the corrections, a revised copy of the questionnaire was printed. The

research instrument was given to one specialist in Psychology Management and to the class

adviser for the content validation in regards to the terminology that was used. Corrections were

considered in the final copy of the instrument.

Data Gathering Procedures

This part of research study is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted

variables in an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and

evaluate outcomes. Before going to a testing proper, the researchers will make a request letter as

the first step of conducting a research. The researchers will retrieve the request letter upon

approval. The researchers will also allot their time in working to chapter one to three first before

conducting a survey 

The survey questionnaires are composed of three parts, including the questions demographic

profile, the mental health of the participants in terms of depression, social anxiety, General

Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Anxiety Disorder and the usage on online games of college students

in Bataan Peninsula State University – Balanga campus. 

In this study, data collection techniques will be applied by the researchers. This will be

done in order to collect adequate and relevant data to determine the effect of online games on the

mental health of the college students in Bataan Peninsula State University – Balanga campus.

Nevertheless, the method to be used is the descriptive survey research design as this is the

appropriate method to treat the entire problem statements of this study.

In selecting the participants, raosoft calculator will be used to determine the sample size

from the selected participants of the study. The selected participants are the college students in
Bataan Peninsula State University – Balanga campus. The researcher themselves will ask

permission from the respondents for them to willingly participate as respondents of the study

with some ethical considerations. After that, the survey questionnaires will be distributed to the

selected participants. 

The researchers will conduct a survey method to obtain the data of this study. However,

the questionnaires are only through Google forms due to pandemic. This will be done in order to

assess the effect of online games to the mental health of the selected participants. The researchers

will also do the retrieval of the questionnaires. Once all data are already gathered by the

researchers, they will properly tally, analyze and study the output for the further statistical

treatment of this study.

Statistical treatment of Data

To make use of the data in the right form and to determine if the results of an experiment

are meaningful, statistical treatment is necessary. It also shows if the experimental data supports

the hypothesis. Quantitative data basically involves descriptive data such as survey data and

observational data. As soon as the researchers gather the data, they will be compiled, sorted,

organized and tabulated. They will be subject to statistical treatment in order to answer the

questions proposed in the study.

Frequency Distribution and Percentage 

Frequency distribution is an overview of all distinct values in some variable and the number

of times they occur. It tells how frequencies are distributed over values and it is the most used for

summarizing categorical variables. This statistical tool will be used by the researchers in order to
treat the problem statement no. 1 and no. 2 which are the demographic profile of the college

students and their usage on online games.

Mean

Mean will be used to evaluate/describe the mental health of college students in BPSU –

Balanga Campus in terms of depression, social anxiety, General Anxiety Disorder, and Panic

Anxiety Disorder. Arithmetic is the sum of a collection of numbers divided by the numbers of

numbers in the collection. The collection is often sets of results of an experiment, or set of results

from a survey (Math’s Fun, 2004).

Standard Deviation

It is a measure of the dispersion of a set of data from its mean. The more spread apart the

data, the higher the deviation. Standard deviation is calculated as the square root of variance. It

was used to compare the variability of the pursuance in the indicators of the system. 

Mean and Standard deviation are the statistical tools to be used by the researchers to treat

the problem statement 3 which is the mental health of college students in BPSU – Balanga

Campus in terms of depression, social anxiety, General Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Anxiety

Disorder.

Pearson’s R correlation

Pearson’s correlation coefficient is the test statistics that measures the statistical relationship

between the two variables and this will be used to treat the problem statement no. 4. In this

study, this statistical method will be used to measure if online games have significant

relationship with the mental health college students in BPSU – Balanga Campus
Notes on Chapter III

Bolarinwa, O. (2015). Principles and methods of validity and reliability testing of questionnaires
used in social and health science researches. Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, 22(4),
195. https://doi.org/10.4103/1117-1936.173959
Canals, L. (2017). Instruments for gathering data. Qualitative approaches to research on
plurilingual education / Enfocaments qualitatius per a la recerca en educació plurilingüe /
Enfoques cualitativos para la investigación en educación plurilingüe, 390-
401. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2017.emmd2016.637
Document data collection. (2019). Data Collection Research Methods in Applied
Linguistics. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350025875.ch-010

APPENDIX A

Letter of Request to the Respondents

February 01, 2022

Dear Respondents, 

We are the researchers from Bataan Peninsula State University - Balanga Campus, asking
for your permission to be part of our respondents to our research study entitled “Effects of online
games to mental health of college students”. We are asking for your kind responses that represent
your perspectives. We assure that the responses are kept with utmost confidentiality. Your
responses will be a great help for us, the researchers. We will appreciate your help. 

Your response will be held in a strictly confidential manner.

Sincere thanks for your cooperation and assistance.

_______________________
  Researchers’ Representative

APPENDIX B

Survey Questionnaires

Effects of Online Games to Mental Health of College Students

SECTION A: Demographic Profile (Please check as appropriate) 

1) Please specify your age: 

2) Please indicate your gender 

 Male [ ] 

Female [ ] 

3) Please indicate your course: 

4) Please indicate your year level

First Year [ ] 

Second Year [ ] 

Third Year [ ] 

Fourth Year [ ] 

SECTION B: Usage of Online Games

This section is concerned with your self-assessment regarding your usage of online
games in terms of number of hours spent, frequency of playing, and type of online games being
played.

1) Please indicate the number of hours spent in playing online games 

 Not at all [ ] 

0-1 hrs []

2-3 hrs []

4-5 hrs []

6-7 hrs []
 8 hrs above []

2) Please indicate your frequency of playing online games in a week

Once a week [ ] 

Twice a week [ ] 

Thrice a week [ ] 

Everyday [ ] 

3) Please specify the type of online games you play

Mobile Legends [ ] 

League of legends [ ] 

Call of Duty [ ] 

Valorant []

Wild Rift []

If others, please specify: 

SECTION C: Mental Health

This section is about mental health as affected by playing online games in terms of
depression, social anxiety and loneliness.

Depression
Rate your response on a scale of 1 to 5; 

(1= Strongly Disagree; 2= Disagree; 3= Neutral; 4= Agree; 5= Strongly Agree)

Statement 1 2 3 4 5
I get easily irritated when someone or something interrupts me when I am
playing online games
I always have arguments with others (family, friends) over my time spent on
online games.
I lose interest in talking to my family if I cannot connect to the internet to
play online games
I suffer from distress due to financial problems since I get obsessed with
online games.
I feel my life is nothing if I cannot connect to the internet to play online
 games.

Social Anxiety
Rate your response on a scale of 1 to 5; 

(1= Strongly Disagree; 2= Disagree; 3= Neutral; 4= Agree; 5= Strongly Agree)

Statement 1 2 3 4 5
I always feel that other people will judge me whenever I play online games.
I have changes in mood that I cannot explain when playing online games.
I am afraid that life without online games would be boring, empty, and
joyless.
I am not able to stop or control myself of worrying of being embarrassed
whenever I play online games.
I have visible signs of nervousness (sweaty palm, shaky hands) if I cannot
play online games.

General Anxiety Disorder

Rate your response on a scale of 1 to 5; 

(1= Strongly Disagree; 2= Disagree; 3= Neutral; 4= Agree; 5= Strongly Agree)

Statement 1 2 3 4 5
I feel restless whenever I don't play online games.
When I stop playing online games, I get apprehensive and I cannot control it.
I’m becoming easily annoyed or irritable of my surroundings whenever I am
trying to play online games.
For the times I don't play online games, I feel afraid as if something awful
might happen.
I feel like I have trouble relaxing and concentrating for an hour without
online gaming

Panic Anxiety Disorder

Rate your response on a scale of 1 to 5; 

(1= Strongly Disagree; 2= Disagree; 3= Neutral; 4= Agree; 5= Strongly Agree)

Statement 1 2 3 4 5
I feel shortness of breath, dizziness, shivering/shaking, nausea, or feeling
cold/hot whenever a day passes without playing online games.
I feel intense discomfort within minutes when not playing online games.
I fear going mad or losing control when someone is bothering me during
 online gaming.
It feels like I am going crazy whenever I try to stop playing online games.

I play online games as always to the point that I'm scared to lose it. I feel
lightheaded or faint as a result of playing online games

Thank you for your cooperation!

This questionnaire is adopted from the study of Nur Shazreen Zul Kamal and Saodah Wok

(2020)

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/

347652081_THE_IMPACT_OF_ONLINE_GAMING_ADDICTION_ON_MENTAL_HEALTH_

AMONG_IIUM_STUDENTS