Discourse on the Effect of Video Games to the Mental Health of Grade 10 San

Cristobal Integrated Highschool Students

John Biechard M. Alip

John Rowell E. Villafranca
Zymon A.Glorioso
Ericko James L. Lambit
Rhiana Monique T. Macay
Kherby Federsan's A. Antonio
Euries b. Devera
Akisha Gwen A. Capistrano
Jade Jhemberly Anenias
 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background

Introduction

Throughout the 20th-21st century, video games have been invented,

developed, and consumed in most places, encompassing the whole world --
changing how people entertained ourselves for better or worse. A video game is a
medium of entertainment where the “player” is presented a game in which
electronically manipulated images are produced by a computer program on a
screen. From “Tennis for Two”, — the first video game created — to “Mario”, — the
most popular video game franchise — to modern video games — which continues to
introduce innovations not only for the video game industry, but also to its
neighboring industries. People of all status, age, and gender are getting more and
more hooked to video games; the prevalence in consumption of video games usher
alongside it a worldwide epidemic for video game addiction, sleep deprivation,
insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders, depression, aggression, and anxiety
(Grinspoon, 2020). Although there are various research studies showing that video
game consumption is associated with an increase in cognitive function (National
Institute of Health. Oct 24, 2022) and playing video games is positively correlated to
an increase in well-being (Johannes et al., 2021).

Video gaming is an enormously popular leisure activity, with more than two billion
gamers worldwide (Heiden, et al., July 26 2019). This massive pool of population it is
imminent that video games will affect us – especially on our mental health. Thirty
percent of American families own a video game system, while over ninety percent of
children older than two years old play video games (Alanko, 2023). This is a
testament to the availability of video games for everyone, that even children can
start playing video games at such a young age and three out of four American
household owns a video game console.

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 A study released in 2016 showed that s ymptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and depression
could explain variance in addictive use (i.e., compulsive and excessive use
associated with negative outcomes) of two types of modern online technologies:
social media and video games. (Andreassen et al., 2016). This clear example of
video game consumption having a correlation with symptoms also seen in
established mental disorders show the negative effects of abuse in playing video
games and video game addiction. In studying the correlation between video games
and mental health, we can accentuate or refute previous studies based on the result
of a smaller and more focused sample. In this we could also find possible causes for
the correlation between video games and mental health, which could be of use for
further research.

Background of the study

Based on the report of Statista in 2023, there are more than 1.93 billion video
gamers across the globe (Clement, 2023). This surge in video gaming is not only a
testament to how advanced we have gone as a species but also the prevalence of
decadence through video game abuse. Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds
experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease
in this age group (World Health Organization, 2021). The statistic shows just how
much the epidemic in mental health disorder affects adolescents worldwide and
despite constant ignorance towards this issue, it continues to grow exponentially
year-by-year to such degree that one in seven adolescents experience a mental
health disorder. The increase in both mental health disorders among adolescents
and the surge of video games could indicate a relation between the two.

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A study done in 2021 showed that, nearly one-third (29%) experienced poor mental
health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Concurrently, the gaming
industry has expanded rapidly, with over 214 million gamers in the United States
alone. The two studies indicate correlations between excessive gaming and mental
health problems, such as depression and anxiety. For instance, a 2019 study found
that 8.5% of youths aged between 8-18 suffer from gaming disorder (Iowa State
University, 2019). It is clear that video games causing poor mental health is not just
a big issue but rather a continuously growing one which needed to be prevented or
else the future generation could suffer even more than we did.

A study done in Manila in the year 2020 showed that, Fifty-three out of 300
respondents (12.0% males, 5.7% females) had high level of online game addiction
as reflected in their high VAT scores (Labana et al., 2020). The same study showed
that relatively, 37 respondents (6.7% males, 5.7% females) had moderately severe
depression and 6 (2.0%) females had severe depression. After further study it is
concluded that video games and depression have a positive correlation among the
sample. The clear correlation between the two further solidifies the purpose of this
study, to further expand upon previous studies in order to increase awareness.

This research attempts to shed light on the intricate relationship between video
games and adolescent mental health. By examining various studies made by the
World Health Organization among other studies, one could conclude that correlation
between video game and mental health decline is an important issue. From the
immersive nature of modern video games to the sedentary habits they promote and
the potential for addictive behavior and exposure to harmful content, there are clear
reasons for apprehension. Findings suggest the importance of promoting a balanced
approach to gaming while prioritizing mental health awareness and intervention
strategies, as advocated by Granic, Lobel, and Engels (2014) and Gentile et al.

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(2017). By acknowledging these complexities, this study attempts to raise
awareness to the said issue and attempts to promote possible solutions given by
previous studies and would be given by future studies.

Theoretical Framework

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research is to expand upon a

statement in the article written by Li, et al., The Association between Video Game
Time and Adolescent Mental Health: Evidence from Rural China (Nov. 22, 2022), the
article stated, “The wide prevalence of adolescent mental health problems is a
serious global public health concern.” This research tries to identify how video
games have an effect in this “serious global public health concern” and how much
does it contribute in this prevalent mental health decline. This research is also
inspired by a statistic shown in a preceding study done by: Keiling, et al. Child and
adolescent mental health worldwide: evidence for action, (Oct. 22, 2011), the study
showed that, “Mental health problems affect 10-20% of children and adolescents
worldwide.” Grade 10 being a pivotal point in a Filipino teenager makes the said
statistic a major concern alongside identifying the mental health problems they face
in their academic and private life.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework employed is a research paradigm. In the research

paradigm, the independent variables – student’s profile and factors of playing video
games – can be seen in the left (red box) and the dependent variable – mental
health of grade 10 students – can be seen on the right (green box). The research
paradigm shows the direct relationship between the independent and dependent
variable.

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 Independent Variables Dependent Variable

1. Students’ profile

1.1. Age
1.2. Sex

2.Aspects of playing video

games Mental Health of
Grade 10 Students
2.1. Hours spent playing
video
games
2.2. Video game genre
2.3. Peer influence

Fig. 1 shows the independent variables – Students profile (age and sex) and
Aspects of playing video games (Hours spent, genre, peer influence) – and the
dependent variable — The mental health of grade 10 students.

Statement of Problems

Phenomenological research asks questions as such as “How does this 'lived

experience' present itself to the participant?” (Holloway, I. & Galvin, K..2017).

The research questions for this study are the ff.:

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Q1 What are the students:
 Age
 Sex
Q2. What are effects of video game to the mental health of grade 10 students based
on:
 Hours spent playing video games
 Video game genre
 Peer influence
Q3. Does the negative effects of video games outweigh the positive effects of
video games on Grade 10 students or vice versa?

Hypotheses

This research state the following hypotheses:

1. Video games have an inherently adverse effect on the mental health of the
youth.
2. Controlled use of video games (limiting player-to-player interaction to avoid
strangers and limited time for playing video games, among other measures)
can reduce the negative effects of video games.

Significance of The Study

The issue at hand – the effect of video games to the mental health of grade 10
San Cristobal Integrated Highschool students – is significant on many magnitudes,
as understanding how video games may create mental health issues and what other
possible effects it might have can show us to both the root of possible problems on
students and what those problems are in the first place. It is said that finding the root
of the problem is the most important step in fixing the problem, this paper will
attempt to prove that adage.

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Scope and Limitation

The study attempts to find the correlation between playing video games and
mental health. In this context, it would be attempted to answer the how and the what:
How video games affect mental health and; What are the effects of video game to
the mental health. The collection of data for the research will be limited to: Grade 10
Rizal (_); Grade 10 Bonifacio (_); Grade 10 Mabini ([_) and; Grade 10 Silang (_) at
May 2024.

Definition of Terms

Video games: a game played by electronically manipulating images produced

by a computer program on a television. (Oxford languages)

Mental health: a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the
stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their
community. (World Health Organization, 2022)

Sex: The state of being male or female. (Meriam-Webster Dictionary)

Phenomenological research: A form of qualitative research that focuses on the

study of an individual’s lived experiences within the world. (Neubauer et al., 2019)

Qualitative research: Explores and provides deeper insights into real-world

problems. (Tenny et al., 2022)

Peer influence: acting or thinking in ways that one might not otherwise act or
think, in response to experiences with friends and affiliates (Laursen, 2018)

Video game genre: What we give to different games in order to group them

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together. Games with the same mechanics and the same styles of gameplay would
be put into one genre. (Kelly, 2018)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A person experiences uncontrollable
and recurring thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviors (compulsions),
or both. (National Institute of Mental Health [NIH], 2022)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): An ongoing pattern of

inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or
development. (National Institute of Mental Health [NIH], 2023)

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 Chapter 2: Literature Review

Playing is a part of our childhood, but nowadays children engage to a virtual game
where you can play any types of game you want. More than 90% of children older
than 2 years old play video games. Children 8 to 17 years old spend 1 to 2 hours
daily playing games. Video games may prove to be a useful assessment and
treatment tool in compensating difficulties with multimodal treatment in (ADHD).