Running Head: ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS
Motivational Factors of Online Gaming in Intermediate Elementary Students
by
Christopher D. Harper
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY
We accept the Thesis as conforming to the required standard.
Dr. Rachel Moll, Faculty Supervisor
Faculty of Education,
Vancouver Island University
Dr. David Paterson, Dean
Faculty of Education,
Vancouver Island University
July 2020
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS ii
Abstract
Since their introduction in the 1980s, home video game consoles have held sway over the youth
of modern society. For nearly two decades, popular gaming consoles were unable to connect to
online networks, relying on a system of cartridges or CDs. Near the end of the millennium,
online gameplay was virtually an unknown entity, relegated to a limited number of PC games.
However, over the years, companies like Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft labored relentlessly to
develop innovative gaming experiences, while fueling a multi-billion-dollar industry. As a result, unintended consequences of deeply integrating online gameplay into our daily lives have emerged. One such problem affecting a growing number of adolescents is the addictive nature of modern video games and the resulting negative effects on peer relationships, self-concept, and personal and social awareness. This study focused on intermediate elementary students in SD 70
Alberni. 27 students responded to questions through an online survey to provide information about their motivations for playing online and sociodemographic factors. Two open-ended questions, “What do you enjoy most about online gaming?” and “What do you enjoy least about online gaming?”, were also included. The results of the data revealed that a significant portion
(37%) of intermediate elementary students in SD70 engage in risky online gaming behaviour.
Keywords: online gaming, motivational factors, player type, gaming disorder, intermediate elementary students, at-risk
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS iii
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my wife, Chelsea. Without your support and patience this would not have been possible. Shout out to my boys, Donovan, Desmond, and Darius. Thank you for being on your best behaviour while daddy was away at school. Many thanks to my instructors and my supervisor, Rachel, for their guidance through each stage of the process. Cheers to my cohort, for encouraging me to persevere through the process.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS iv
Table of Contents Abstract ...... ii
Acknowledgments...... iii
List of Tables ...... vi
List of Figures ...... vii
Definition of Terms...... viii
Chapter 1: Introduction ...... 1
Context...... 1
Gaming Platforms ...... 3
Problem Statement ...... 4
Purpose Statement ...... 4
Research Questions...... 5
Brief Overview of the Study ...... 5
Chapter 2: Literature Review ...... 6
Internet Gaming Disorder ...... 6
Social Development Theory ...... 7
Industry vs. Inferiority ...... 8
Impact of Gaming on Brain Development ...... 11
Motives for Gaming...... 12
Associated Dangers of IGD ...... 16
Conclusion ...... 19
Chapter 3: Procedures and Methods ...... 20
Participants ...... 21
Instrumentation ...... 22
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Procedures ...... 24
Validity ...... 25
Data Analysis ...... 28
Chapter 4: Results ...... 31
Chapter Five: Summary and Conclusions...... 44
Summary ...... 44
Discussion and Implications ...... 45
Limitations ...... 53
Suggestions for Further Research ...... 54
Conclusion ...... 55
References ...... 56
Appendix A ...... 64
Appendix B ...... 67
Appendix C ...... 69
Appendix D ...... 70
Appendix E ...... 72
Appendix F...... 74
Appendix G ...... 75
Appendix H ...... 77
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS vi
List of Tables Table 1: Stages in Psychosocial Development adapted from Notes on the life cycle. Ekistics,
32(191), 260-265...... 8
Table 2: Overall Mean, Mode, Standard deviation Scores for Motivating Factors / Player
Type ...... 34
Table 3: Factors: Mean Scores According to Grade ...... 35
Table 4: Factors: Mean Scores According to Gender ...... 36
Table 5: Factors / Player Type: Mean Scores According to Gaming Time ...... 37
Table 6: Individual Social Player Types ...... 39
Table 7: Individual Escape Player Types...... 40
Table 8: Individual Achievement Player Types...... 41
Table 9: Enjoyment Factor Themes with Example Quotes ...... 42
Table 10: Negative Aspects of Online Gaming Themes with Example Quotes ...... 43
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS vii
List of Figures Figure 1: Composite Escape / Coping Totals ...... 33
Figure 2: Composite Competition / Skills Development Totals ...... 33
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS viii
Definition of Terms
Sandbox Game: a video game with a gameplay element that gives the player a great degree of
creativity to complete tasks towards a goal within the game. Sandbox games are often
associated with open world concepts which gives the player freedom of movement and
progression in the game's world (“Sandbox game”, 2020).
Survival / Battle Royale: An online multiplayer video game genre that blends the survival,
exploration, and scavenging elements of a survival game with last-man-standing
gameplay. Battle royale games involve dozens to hundreds of players, who start with
minimal equipment and then must eliminate all other opponents while avoiding being
trapped outside of a shrinking "safe area", with the winner being the last player or team
alive (“Battle royale game”, 2020).
Griefing: The act of chronically causing consternation to other members of an online
community, or more specifically, intentionally disrupting the immersion of another player
in their gameplay (“Griefing”, 2020).
Grinding: Performing repetitive tasks, usually for a gameplay advantage or loot but in some
cases for purely aesthetic or cosmetic benefits. The general use of grinding is for
"experience points", or to improve a character's level (“Grinding (video games)”), 2020).
PvP: A type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live
participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer-
controlled opponents and/or players, which is referred to as player versus environment
(PvE) (“Player versus player”, 2020).
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 1
Chapter 1: Introduction
Technology is advancing at an alarming rate. It is commonly believed that the
development of super-computing ability will dramatically and irrevocably alter civilization
within the next twenty-five to thirty years. Current Central Processing Unit speeds have increased to a degree that systems are consistently being developed with applications that were unimaginable only a few years ago. The average teenager, for example, is carrying vastly more computing power in their pocket than was used by NASA during the Apollo missions. The benefits to society of technological evolution are virtually incalculable. Developments in medicine, telecommunication, robotics, urban planning, and countless other disciplines have impacted billions of lives worldwide. Indeed, the modern world could not exist without technological proliferation. Despite numerous societal gains, there are, however, unintended consequences of deeply integrating technology into our daily lives. One such problem affecting a growing number of adolescents is the addictive nature of modern video games and the resulting negative effects on peer relationships, self-concept, and personal and social awareness.
Context
I have played video games, virtually, my entire life. Ever since my introduction to the
Atari 2600 in the early eighties I have undeniably been hooked. I do not remember my first day
of school, the first time I rode a bike, or who attended my twelfth birthday party. But I do
remember in vivid detail every game I have ever owned on any gaming system. To this day, I
could walkthrough such classics as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Raiders of the Lost Ark
(widely considered two of the most frustratingly difficult games ever made for Atari 2600) without missing a trick. The games were simple, repetitive, and unchanging; yet they were captivating.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 2
As time passed, my commitment to gaming was unwavering. I have owned more than a
dozen Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and Microsoft consoles in addition to multiple gaming PCs. Nearly
everyone I knew growing up (myself included) had a subscription to Nintendo Power, and
together, my friends and I logged hundreds, if not, thousands of hours in each other’s basements
mastering our craft. Finishing difficult games like Ninja Gaiden, Master Blaster, Metroid, or
Castlevania was considered a badge of honour among our group. And like any community of
practice, we learned from one another, offered encouragement, and celebrated each other’s
accomplishments. We were driven by healthy competition and challenged ourselves to get
better. Gaming was an important aspect of our lives, and we took it seriously.
From an outsider’s perspective, it may appear as if my friends and I misspent our youth.
Admittedly, upon reflection, I can honestly say we may have been overzealous at times in our
affinity for gaming, but I would not classify our behaviour as disorderly. While there are
multiple reasons to account for the distinction between healthy and obsessive gaming, the single
most important difference between our zeal for gaming in the late eighties and modern-day gaming enthusiasts is the invention of the internet. For me, gaming was foremost a form of entertainment and relaxation. Despite its importance, it never took precedence over other equally important aspects of my life. I was socially active outside of gaming. I played soccer, baseball, hockey and rugby. I joined clubs at school and played in the concert and stage bands. I
understood my responsibilities as a student, and always held my grades in high regard. In 1989,
playing video games on the weekend was a social enterprise. It meant getting together with four
or five good friends and hanging around for an afternoon, taking turns playing one or two people
at a time. In 2019, the advent of online gaming has fundamentally altered the social nature of
video games, leading to a myriad of unintended negative consequences.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 3
Gaming Platforms
Since their introduction in the 1980s, home video game consoles have held sway over the
youth of modern society. For nearly two decades, popular gaming consoles were unable to
connect to online networks, relying on a system of cartridges or CDs. Near the end of the millennium, online gameplay was virtually an unknown entity, relegated to a limited number of
PC games. However, over the years, companies like Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft labored relentlessly to develop innovative gaming experiences, while fueling a multi-billion-dollar industry. In 1998, the Sega Dreamcast was released, equipped with a built-in modem. Four years later, with the release of the original Xbox, Microsoft began its Xbox live service, giving it a major overhaul a few years later with the release of Xbox 360. Sony quickly followed suit in
2005, by establishing the PlayStation Network to coincide with the release of the PS3 an PSP. In less than a decade, online console gaming grew from being virtually non-existent to hundreds of millions of users and continues to grow.
Sony’s PS4 stands as a testament to the popularity of the industry. An impressive 74 million units have been shipped since its introduction in 2013 (Sony Corporation,2017).
Similarly, since its release in March 2017, Nintendo has sold nearly 20 million Switch consoles along with 73 million 3DS units (Nintendo Corporation, 2018). Although Microsoft does not reveal total unit sales figures, the financial year 2018 Q3 earnings report indicates there are a shared 59 million Xbox Live accounts between Xbox 360 and Xbox One users (Microsoft
Corporation, 2018). With the recent surge in popularity of console-based gaming, the number of youths at risk of developing problematic gaming habits may be remarkably high. Current studies on problem gaming focus primarily on PC based gamers in their twenties and thirties.
Games such as Fortnite, PUBG, Overwatch, Apex Legends, Rocket League, and others can be played on multiple platforms that do not rely on subscription-based gameplay. The numbers of
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 4
regular players dwarf those of even the most popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing
Games (MMORPGs). Fortnite, for example, has a more than 250 million registered players. At its peak, the most successful MMORPG in history, World of Warcraft, had 12 million subscribers. With nearly 200 million consoles sold in last five years, the influence of internet gaming on youth culture is undeniable. Moreover, it has placed a younger, more impressionable segment of the gaming community at risk, who previously have not been accounted for by researchers.
Problem Statement
From an early age, students are increasingly engaging in problematic online gaming behaviour. “At-risk” gamers are likely to log more than five times as many hours online as other gamers, dramatically distorting their real-world outlook and psychosocial development
(Schneider, King, & Delfabbro, 2018). As a result, a growing number of intermediate elementary students may not know how to express their feelings appropriately, have difficulty self-regulating, and exhibit a multitude of behavioural issues that could negatively impact their academic performance.
Purpose Statement
Using an online survey, this mixed methods survey research aims to identify the motives of console-based online gamers in grades four to seven to identify player types and assess the prevalence of “at risk” intermediate students in School District 70. Additionally, qualitative data from two short answer questions related to the positive and negative aspects of online gaming were used in conjunction with the quantitative data to gain insight into the motivations of different player types.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 5
Research Questions
The study is guided by the following research questions:
1. What are the motivations of online gaming in intermediate elementary students?
2. What kinds of player types describe online behaviour of intermediate elementary
students?
3. In what ways could online gaming behaviour potentially impact students’ personal and
social awareness?
Brief Overview of the Study
Through the completion of an online survey and two written response questions, (See
Appendix A and Appendix B) intermediate elementary students in School District 70 shared
their online gaming habits over the past twelve months. The goal of the study was to determine
the motivational factors for online gaming of intermediate students in SD70 and identify “at-
risk” player types. The qualitative and quantitative data was interpreted to identify patterns in
gaming behaviour of different player types that could be influencing their personal and social
awareness.
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Chapter 2: Literature Review
Internet Gaming Disorder
Beginning in 2013, an emerging global phenomenon of young adults seemingly
“addicted” to online gaming caught the attention of the American Psychiatric Association
(APA). In response, a recommendation for research on how best to classify the disorder was
included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (Parekh, 2018).
As a result, diagnostic criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) were modeled on substance abuse by measuring nine psychometric properties including: preoccupation, withdrawal, tolerance, loss of control, giving up other activities, continuation, deception, escape and negative consequences.
As incidences of gaming addiction continued to rise worldwide, the World Health
Organization (WHO) also took measures to curb the problem. The 11th Revision of the
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) suggests individuals meet the criteria for gaming disorder by exhibiting behaviour in which they consistently placed value on gaming activities over daily interests for more than twelve consecutive months despite experiencing negative repercussions on educational, occupational, personal and social relationships (“Gaming
Disorder.”, 2018).
Using current DSM-V criteria, studies have shown that an estimated 4.6% of internet gamers worldwide are at risk of developing Internet Gaming Disorder (Fam, 2018).
Furthermore, 9.4% of teens in North America are afflicted with IGD, of which males are four times more likely than females to be diagnosed with IGD (Fam,2018). The research has clearly demonstrated that millions of youth are currently at risk for IGD, yet the catalyst for the emergence of IGD remains unclear.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 7
Social Development Theory
Since it was first published in the 1950s, Erik Erikson’s Childhood and Society has remained an influential text for social psychologists. Its appeal and longevity can be attributed to the notion that it considers both the “function” and “individual differences” in human development (Dunkel & Harbke, 2017). Social Development Theory suggests that at various stages in life, an individual is faced with a crisis in which two possible outcomes exist, one positive and one negative. At the end of each stage, by successfully resolving the crisis, an
individual will gain a positive psychosocial strength that raises the likelihood of successfully managing the conflict within the next stage of development. In contrast, negative outcomes result in difficulty developing essential life skills.
Table 1 outlines Erikson’s life stages in psychosocial development, including the
adaptive strength related to each stage. For this literature review, Industry vs. Inferiority will be
explored as it is associated with the development of primary school students between the ages of
6 and 12 years old. The process, however, should not be viewed as being bound by stages. It is
an ongoing process of emotional growth in which ideal psychological health is reached when a
“favorable ratio” between the two outcomes is reached (Dunkel & Harbke, 2017).
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 8
Table 1 Stages in Psychosocial Development adapted from Notes on the life cycle. Ekistics, 32 (191), 260-265 Stage Psychosocial Crisis Adaptive Strength / Virtue
Infancy Basic Trust vs Mistrust Hope
Early childhood Autonomy vs Shame and Will doubt
Play age Initiative vs Guilt Purpose
School age Industriousness vs Inferiority Competence
Adolescence Identity cohesion vs Role Fidelity confusion
Young adulthood Intimacy vs Isolation Love
Adulthood Generativity vs Stagnation / Care self‐absorption
Old age Integrity vs Despair Wisdom
Infancy Basic Trust vs Mistrust Hope
Industry vs. Inferiority
Relationships. School age (6 -12 years old) is a crucial point in child development. This stage is characterized by a transition from staying in the relative safety and familiarity of the home towards satisfying a growing interest in the outside world (Yount, 2008). According to
Yount, children at this age are compelled to push beyond the boundaries of the home, venturing out into their neighbourhoods and schools to incorporate friends into their social sphere of influence. To this end, healthy psychosocial engagement is dependent on their ability to establish and maintain positive peer relationships. School age children are characterized by a desire to be shown how to work productively within a group to complete tasks and projects
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 9
effectively (Capps, 2012). Participation in school-based activities and extra-curricular endeavors play a significant role in developing this essential life skill (Jones, 2011).
“Can-do” attitude. Another defining characteristic of Ericson’s fourth stage of psychosocial development is the establishment of a healthy feeling of competence. Capps
(2012) suggests, competence is best described as a “free exercise in dexterity and intelligence in the completion of tasks” (p.343). As children explore their environment, they continuously improve their social skills through a journey of personal discovery. Throughout the process, they become increasingly aware of their abilities and hone their talents to gain recognition by
“producing things” (Erikson, 1950, p.226). Recognition is a significant factor in achieving a positive resolution of crisis; it allows for a sense of pride in accomplishment. Through consistent reinforcement of their initiative by adults, children feel more confident in their ability to achieve goals while simultaneously building resilience (Svetina, 2014).
Teachers play a pivotal role in this area. In addition to offering guidance, encouragement, and recognition, teachers should create student-centered, active learning environments in which students can explore societal roles in groups and learn more about their individual potential and facilitate industriousness (Hamman & Hendricks, 2005). As students continue to stretch their limits, they gain proficiency in culturally important skills, acquire a sense of industry, and build the psychosocial strength of competence (Dunkel & Harbke, 2017).
Conversely, if a child has limited opportunities to explore their interests, receives minimal
encouragement from parents or teachers, and their accomplishments go unnoticed, they will
begin to develop a sense of inferiority in which they doubt their abilities, question their identity
and transition from a “can do” to a “who cares” attitude.
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Doubt. A negative outcome in Erikson’s fourth stage of psychosocial development has
serious consequences on an individual’s sense of self. At such an early age, a crisis of identity
can manifest itself in ways that jeopardize participation in prosocial activities. Driven by
feelings of self-doubt, school age children who generally thrive in cooperative working
environments, become hostile towards peers and alienate themselves from the group (Hihara,
Umemura, & Sugimura, 2019). Moreover, lacking the discipline to take initiative or see a task
through to the end, emotionally weak children will frequently engage in problem behaviour
(Yount, 2009). Consequently, opportunities for positive social adaptation diminish as their
inability to effectively manage emotions and behaviour results in harsh self-criticism and a
widened rift with family and friends (Eisenberg, Spinrad, Eggum, Silva, Reiser, Hofer et al.,
2010). If left unchecked, overwhelming feelings of doubt could cause serious psychosocial
damage later in life since an industrious, growth mindset is essential for resolving identity issues
that arise in adolescence.
Drivers. Testing limits and taking risks are common behaviours associated with adolescence. During this phase, prudence should be used to stay within acceptable boundaries since acting impulsively on uncalculated risks can turn pathological with lasting psychological consequences throughout life (Steinberg, 2007). From a developmental standpoint, the notion is
more complicated than it seems since adolescents are incapable of consistently making rational
decisions. Pre-teen and teenage decision making often involves a form of “hot” cognition called
affective decision making (ADM), that relies on emotional input from the subcortical region of
the brain and rational input from the prefrontal region (Poon, 2017; 2018). However, problems
arise because the regions of the brain develop at different times. The areas associated most with
rational thought, the dorsolateral and ventromedial pre-fontal cortexes, are in fact, the last
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 11
regions of the brain to develop (Smith, Xiao, & Bechara, 2012). Conversely, the “value driven”
regions associated with reward processing, the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens
develop earlier (Smith et al., 2012).
As a result, intermediate gamers may not be capable of limiting their gameplay to offset the potential psychosocial risks related to online gaming. Studies have shown that excessive online gaming is associated with impaired self-regulation (Weinstein, Livny, & Weizman, 2017).
Moreover, online gamers are susceptible to impaired cognitive control due to the association of
IGD with “impaired function of the prefrontal cortex and its connections with limbic region that
relate to high impulsivity” (Weinstein et al., 2017, p.328). Young gamers simply may not be
capable of independently weighing the risks of online gaming against the perceived benefits.
Impact of Gaming on Brain Development
The neural processes involved in performing affective tasks in children, are also
important when considering emotional and behavioural regulation. A study by Wu, Zhang,
Dong, Wang, and Yao (2017), using functional magnetic resonance imaging, revealed that an
increase in activity in the limbic regions of participants performing affective tasks resulted in
abnormal activation in the insula. This phenomenon caused disfunction of neural circuits that
involve ADM and emotional and behavioural control. As a result, the researchers concluded the
ability to regulate or control emotions or express feelings appropriately was severely impaired.
To function properly, the brain relies on glucose metabolism as an energy source. Using
positron emission tomography, Tian, Chen, Zhang, Du, Hou, Chao, and Zhang, (2014) measured
the glucose metabolism in the brains of internet disorder subjects while in a “gaming task state.”
They found significant decreases of glucose in several regions of the brain including the
prefrontal and insular regions of the brain. Given the regions’ role in socio-emotional processes,
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 12
attention, and decision making, the researchers hypothesized that prefrontal disfunction in
subjects with internet disorder is akin to those with drug addiction. Children with IGD exhibited
similar symptoms as those with substance addictions as moderate declines in industry and
identity were measured in third and fourth grade students who initiated substance use over a five- month period (Jones, 2011). Conversely, students who abstained from substance use made significant gains in all five Erikson Psychological Inventory subscales: trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, and identity.
Similarly, in a 2006 study, Matsuda and Hiraki, found potentially harmful consequences of videos game playing on healthy brain development. By means of near infrared spectroscopy, a restriction of oxygenated hemoglobin to various parts of the brain, including the dorsal prefrontal cortex was observed in children engaged in gaming. Due to the high attention demands of gaming, the regions of the brain experiencing high neural activity inexplicably do not receive adequate oxygenated blood flow. Over time, sustained restricted blood flow from the developing regions of a child’s brain could potentially have lasting impacts on cognitive and psychosocial abilities. Female adolescents with early substance problems, for example, were revealed to have 9.5% less overall grey matter volume compared to controls (Dalwani,
McMahon, Mikulich-Gilbertson, Young, Regner, Raymond, . . . Sakai, 2015).
Motives for Gaming
The reasons for playing games online are numerous. While it is reasonable to assume
most gamers play purely for enjoyment, studies have shown that obsessive gamers are motivated
by deep-rooted intrinsic factors much more complex than initially thought. To more readily
identify gamers predisposed to IGD a classification system was necessary. In 2011, building off
the works of Richard Bartle (1996), and Nick Yee (2006), Swiss researchers surveyed 696 online
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gamers (Zanetta Dauriat, Fermatten, Billieux, Thorens, Bondolfi, Zullino, & Khazaal, 2011). By using an 8-iten MMORPG addiction scale, a 14-item survey evaluating motivations to play, and collecting personal information, they confirmed that gamers could conclusively be classified into five player types: achievement, socializing, immersion, relaxation, and escape (Zanetta Dauriat et al. 2001).
Relaxation and immersion. Of the five classifications, relaxation and immersion players are at least risk of developing IGD. As the name implies, relaxation player-types use gaming to relax. For immersion player-types, the storytelling and lore are foremost in their experience.
They generally play on realms tailored specifically for like-minded role-players. As expected,
Zanetta Dauriat et al. (2011) determined that there is virtually no correlation between IDG and casual gaming for relaxation. Similarly, they found immersion-type players had no proclivity to
IDG. A distinction should be made when using the term “immersion” between players looking for an authentic immersive online experience incorporating lore, language, and class roles into gameplay and those who immerse themselves in the game to escape real world problems.
Social. Social players are at increased risk of developing IGD, particularly those playing
Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG). MMORPGs are a genre of online games played by hundreds of players simultaneously, in cooperative and competitive roles. Social features of MMORPGS include allegiance to factions, thriving economies, guild membership, multiple chat channels, voice over internet protocols (VoIP), and extensive team- based play. The most popular MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls Online, or
Star Wars: The Old Republic have millions of monthly subscribers.
Based on the work of Deci and Ryan (2009), Self Determination Theory posits that individual actions are motivated by a desire to satisfy needs for autonomy, competence, and
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 14
relatedness (Deci & Ryan, 2009). For many adolescents, school can be an overwhelming experience, rife with loneliness and uncertainty. Poor academic achievement and the perception of low peer acceptance have direct negative effects on self-worth and self-esteem (Tetzner,
Becker, & Maaz, 2017). The subsequent isolation and lack of strong social relationships have been identified as high-risk factors for developing IGD (Calvete, Orue, Estevez, Villardon, &
Padilla, 2010). By filling the need for relatedness, MMORPGs may offer an alluring alternative to real world seclusion to individuals feeling ostracized from their peers. Essentially, the game acts as a “buffer” against real world solitude and protects a tenuous self-image (Beard &
Wickham, 2016).
Once a commitment to an MMORPG has been established, players must undertake the daunting task of “levelling” a character. Playing solo, the process can take months. It can, however, be accelerated significantly by working cooperatively in groups. To achieve this end, most players join a guild. Progression guilds will generally accept new players, but are often disorganized, have high turnover, and do not provide the support necessary to progress quickly.
For this reason, serious gamers seek to join reputable guilds since membership is necessary to experience “end game” content. Admission to a high ranked guild is not an easy task; it requires a great deal of time and dedication. Well established guilds have stringent rules of in-game conduct, require a commitment to “raid” schedules, paid membership dues, the completion of an application, logbook, and a resume detailing experience to guild officers. Once membership is granted, the rewards are plentiful. Common perks include guidance and mentoring from experienced players, shared crafting resources, protection from “gankers,” and participation in
“heroic” dungeon raids to obtain the highest-ranked armour sets and weapons. Guild members, literally, spend months achieving mutual goals, while building strong social relationships. In
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 15
fact, Beard and Wickman (2016) found that two-thirds of guild members communicate outside of
gameplay, half share personal life experiences, and three-quarters will go to the guild for “real
world support and advice” (p.508). The social aspect of online gaming is extensive and reaches
well beyond the scope of the game.
Escape. Escape player-types are at high risk for IGD. Often, people are drawn to online
games as a temporary distraction from the rigors of daily life. Casual online gaming is a
legitimate means of stress relief and is a source of relaxation for millions of individuals with low
levels of negative stress (Kardefelt-Winther, 2014). However, Schneider et al. (2018), found those prone to “cognitive and behavioural avoidance” (p. 911) as a method of coping with stress, frequently immerse themselves deeply within the game to avoid facing real world problems.
Thus, begins a cycle of avoidance that compounds in severity over time. Snodgrass et al. (2014) describe it as a “rich get richer” model of internet activity in which stress is magnified from negative response using negative coping strategies, creating more problematic situations
(Snodgrass, Lacy, Dengah, Eisenhauer, Batchelder, & Cookson, 2014, p.1). Anxiety, hostility, and apprehensiveness lead to depression and further isolation (Muller, Janikian, Dreier,
Wolfling, Beutel, Tzavara, & Tsitsika, 2015). As the cycle persists, compulsive gamers continue their downward spiral, further distancing themselves from the world outside the game by immersing even deeper into the gaming community.
Achievement. Achievement based online game play also results in high incidences of
IGD. Achievers are extremely goal orientated and fixated on “beating” the game in every possible way. They frequently suffer from low self-esteem and focus on earning in-game
rewards for narcissistic gratification (Laconi, Pires, & Chabrol, 2017). By its nature,
achievement style of gameplay is the most time consuming of all playing styles. Achievers are
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 16
likely to log more than five times as many hours online as other users, dramatically distorting
their real-world outlook and motivation (Schneider et al., 2018).
To keep players “hooked,” core loops embedded in game mechanics are designed to
provide a result that initiates a new need to perform a similar core mechanic in perpetuity
(Denucci, 2018). For example, in games in which building is the core mechanic, the player will
begin by building a simple structure. The player will be rewarded for building said structure.
Through repetition, the player’s experience points and skill will increase, unlocking more
complex and sophisticated builds. The frequency with which the cycle repeats fosters a false
positive self-image requiring continuous reinforcement to maintain (Beard & Wickman, 2016).
The consistency and relative ease of gaining rewards within a core loop can eventually
alter an individual’s perception of real-world problems. Any sense of urgency is virtually lost.
As real-life problems take on less significance, players gradually feel less motivated to find
solutions to them since they may be “too difficult” or “uncontrollable” (Schneider et al., 2018,
p.912). Ironically, continuously neglecting real world problems leads to the creation of new,
more dire problems, inversely proportional to the artificial recognition derived from the virtual
rewards system of the core loops.
Associated Dangers of IGD
Aggravation. Along with a surfeit of psychosocial afflictions, IGD also poses serious
mental and physical health risks. Gamers frequently experience hostility while playing with
other users online. A major source of anger and frustration for many in the gaming community
is cyberbullying. Calvete et al. (2010), found an alarming number of adolescents were regularly partaking in some form of cyberbullying. The research team discovered the highest prevalence of bullies were grade 8 boys, with 15% of the sample having been involved in at least one recent
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 17
episode of cyberbullying. Gamers frequently berate one another with threats, insults, and
profanities. Failure to comply with guild expectations on raids or in battlegrounds often results
in overzealous tirades. Because of the competitive nature of Player Vs. Player (PVP) servers in
conjunction with the sheer number of hours necessary to organize a successful raid, when the
group fails tensions often run high. In a study by Achterbosch, Miller, and Vamplew (2017), in
which officers of high ranking PVP guilds were interviewed, it was revealed that the practice of
“griefing” is a common occurrence:
When I entered the ‘competitive scene’ I learned that griefing is an efficient way to get
people to do their assigned tasks better. When something goes wrong, being nice is not
the best way to handle things. It’s what we call ‘getting people to put their game face on’.
When I would fail to complete my task, I would get screamed at, threatened, called bad,
retarded and other things that are used in MMORPGs and I noticed that it got me to
improve. Also, I learned the ‘making an example out of someone’ strategy, which is
targeting a player and embarrassing him in front of everyone else, so the rest know
what’s to be expected if they keep failing at their tasks. (p.857)
For social players, this style of leadership is highly stressful. The possibility of having guild
membership revoked places a tremendous amount of undue pressure to secure a position within
the ranks. In addition, the practice is further justified to ensure that only like-minded individuals remain in the guild. As evidenced in another interview, Achterbosch et al. (2017) found when recruiting new members, they “…purposefully create[ed] tension with recently met strangers and guild members, to ‘toughen them up’, see if they can work in a team environment, shrug off minor offences, and show a sense of humour and group camaraderie” (p.853).
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 18
In addition to peer aggravation, the game mechanics frequently elicit feelings of hostility and anger. The core loops are intentionally designed to frustrate players to a certain degree before rewarding them. Many young adults at risk of IDG have difficulty with emotional regulation. Sitting for extended periods of time while experiencing constant aggravation from peers and in-game objectives, together with a tendency to suppress emotions and failure to evaluate negative reasoning results in an intensification of sympathetic activity, increasing the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (Yen, Yeh, Wang, Liu, Chen, & Ko, 2018).
Alertness. Unregulated game play and excessive screen time also compromises attentiveness and alertness throughout the day. Insomnia and sleep deprivation cause irritability and lack of focus in adolescents (Ko, 2014). A 2006 study of more than 3200 Ontario senior high students revealed an alarming number of them were experiencing some form of sleep deprivation. Gibson, Powles, Thabane, O'Brien, Molnar et al. (2006) found that 41.2% of students were enduring “excessive” daytime sleepiness while 68% of students were “really sleepy” between 8 and 10 A.M. In addition, 23% of high schoolers believed their grades were declining as a result. The rise in popularity of handheld devices only serves to compound the problem. While most high school students have access to a smart phone or tablet, their use is not always being supervised by an adult. As a result, unmonitored nighttime texting and gaming alters sleep patterns resulting in daytime lassitude (Mak, Wu, Hui, Lam, Tse, Yu, & Wong,
2014). In addition, overexposure to mobile screens has been linked to neck and shoulder pain resulting from nervous arousal that reduces sleep quality. (Punamäki, Wallenius, Nygård, Saarni,
& Rimpelä, 2007).
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 19
Conclusion
Problematic online gaming is quickly becoming a worldwide phenomenon, the dangers of which are still mostly unknown. Despite the numerous physical and mental health risks, IGD is largely being overlooked by educational institutions. The expressed function of the core competencies in BC’s revised curriculum is to raise personal and social awareness through the promotion of personal responsibilities related to well-being, self-regulation, and self-advocacy.
However, students in all grade levels are increasingly becoming disengaged, withdrawn, depressed, and languid. They have difficulty expressing themselves, lack concentration, are unable to self-regulate, and struggle to form and maintain positive social relationships. To a certain extent, these challenges and others can be attributed to an increase in screen time and the unfettered problematic online gaming behaviour of the student community at large.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 20
Chapter 3: Procedures and Methods
This mixed methods, survey research aims to identify the motives of online gamers in
grades four to seven and identify potential problematic gaming habits. The study is guided by the
following research questions:
1. What are the motivations of online gaming in intermediate elementary students?
2. What kinds of player types describe online behaviour of intermediate elementary
students?
3. In what ways could online gaming behaviour potentially impact students’ personal and
social awareness?
To assess the motivations of online gaming in intermediate elementary students in SD70, gaming habits were quantitatively measured using an online survey. The survey consisted of three parts including questions from The Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ)
(Appendix A), questions designed to collect sociodemographic and specific gaming related data,
(Appendix B), followed by two open ended questions.
The data collected aims to fill a void in the current research. Studies of this nature rely
primarily on samples representative of Personal Computer based gamers in their twenties and thirties. Furthermore, potentially problematic gaming habits are generally associated with a specific genre of gaming, Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). To the researcher’s knowledge, no studies have focused on the role of cross platform gaming among youth aged 8 to 13. With the explosion in popularity of console-based Battle Royale survival and
Sandbox games, there are, literally, millions of young gamers not accounted for in the current
research.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 21
This study aims to identify the motives of online gamers in grades four to seven, discover
patterns in gaming habits, and identify the prevalence of “at-risk” player types. The data will be used to inform the practice of teachers and administrators on addressing specific goals related to the Personal and Social awareness Core Competencies in the BC curriculum by providing insight into creating an inclusive learning community that encourages personal efficacy and self- advocacy.
Participants
Approximately 600 students attending elementary schools in School District 70, were
available to complete the survey. The population of this study was intermediate students in
grades four to seven in School District 70. There are six elementary schools in Port Alberni, one
in Tofino, one in Ucluelet and one in Bamfield. Students in French Immersion were included in
the study. The schools in Bamfield, Ucluelet, and Tofino were excluded due to distance. To
avoid possible conflict of interest and coercion to participate, students at the researcher’s school
were excluded from the study. Students who had played games online for fewer than 12 months
were not included in the study. Due to the recent introduction of cross-platform play, all students
that played online games on platforms including home consoles, tablets, phones, or Personal
Computers were included in the study.
Nine classroom teachers from five district schools agreed to participate in the study. Of
the estimated sample for this study of approximately 600 students from 31 classes, 247 received
recruitment packages. 32 surveys, representing five classes from three district schools, were
submitted online, indicating a completion rate of 13%. Five respondents were removed from the
survey for either skipping most of the questions or giving the same response to each question,
resulting in a total sample of 27 students.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 22
Instrumentation
Data were collected using online survey software, Survey Monkey. The data collected included:
1. Motivations for gaming based on a seven-factor model (social, escape, competition,
coping, skill development, fantasy, recreation).
2. Sociodemographic information (age, gender)
3. Gaming specific information (preferred platform, genre)
4. Weekly gaming time
5. Personal opinions on the positive and negative aspects of online gaming
In the first section of the survey, students’ responses to questions concerning their motivations for playing online games were collected using a quantitative five-point Likert scale.
27 questions related to the motivational factors of online gamers, known as the “Motives for online gaming questionnaire” (MOGQ) was used. The MOGQ was developed by a team of researchers at the Institute of Psychology, Institutional Group on Addiction Research, Eötvös
Loránd University, the National Institute of Drug Prevention, and the Institute of Psychology,
Department of Personality and Health Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest,
Hungary.
The MOGQ was developed and tested for use with adults. In order to determine if the
MOGQ could be used for children its reading level was analyzed. Based on eight readability formulas (Flesch Reading Ease, The Gunnnig Fog Formula, The Flesch-Kincaid, The Coleman-
Liau Index, The SMOG Index, The Automated Readability Index, The Linsear Write formula) the readability consensus scored the text: Grade Level: 5 Reading Level: fairly easy to read:
Reader’s Age: 8-9 yrs. Old (Fourth and Fifth graders). It is important to note that despite its low
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 23
readability, the survey was originally developed to identify the motivational factors of older gamers. Although multiple international researchers have used the instrument in studies and deemed it a valid and reliable method of assessing the motivations of online gamers, to the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first instance in which it has been used to survey children.
Consent by the original researchers has been granted to use the survey.
Upon completion, in addition to using analytical tools within the Survey Monkey platform, the data were input into Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet to facilitate the creation of visual and numerical representations of the quantitative data. The statistical data was based on a score of 1 -5 as per the parameters of the 5 point Likert scale ranging from almost never/never (1), some of the time (2), half of the time (3), most of the time (4), almost always/always (5). Except for factor recreation, a composite score out of 20 comprising four questions related to each field was generated for six of the seven motivating factors. The composite recreational factor involved only three questions with a total of 15 possible points. To see the wording of individual questions, consult Appendix A. A total composite score of 15 or higher in any of the five categories linked to risky online behaviour (social, escape, coping, competition, skill development) was designated by the researcher as “at risk” since it conveys the notion that the participant is engaging in online activities “most of the time” or “almost always/always” for a particular reason.
The second section of the survey was designed by the researcher. Sociodemographic data and specific information related to gaming preferences were collected. Students were asked to provide their grade level, average daily/weekly game time, preferred gaming platform, game genre, and gender.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 24
The third section of the survey consisted of two open-ended questions: “What is it about
online gaming that you enjoy?”, and “Is there anything you don’t like about playing online?”
Responses to the open-ended questions were also input into the spreadsheet. The emergent
themes related to the positive and negative aspects of online gaming were used in conjunction
with the quantitative data to gain insight into the motivations of different player types.
Regional IP addresses were automatically stored but did not appear as metadata. Data
stored in Survey Monkey was encrypted using secure ciphers and stored on servers located in the
United States. Participants were made aware of the potential legal ramifications of
internationally stored data. The following paragraph appeared in the consent letter and at the
beginning of the survey:
“The online survey company Survey Monkey will be used to collect survey responses.
Data will be stored on Survey Monkey’s servers located in the United States while
survey data is collected. For information about Survey Monkey’s privacy policy, see
https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/privacy-policy. Regional Internet Protocol (IP)
address is automatically collected but will not appear as metadata. Privacy will be
maintained to the degree permitted by the technology, and thus no guarantees can be
made regarding the interception of data by any third parties while data is transmitted
across international borders. Please note that because Survey Monkey stores data on
servers located in the United States, your data may be accessed by US authorities under
US security legislation.”
Procedures
The survey was designed to gather data on the motivations for gaming of intermediate
elementary school students to identify specific player-types. In November 2019, after receiving
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 25
district and administrative approval, classroom teachers were contacted via email inviting their
participation in the study (Appendix C, Appendix D). Two weeks later, after receiving
confirmation of their willingness to participate, a prepared script (Appendix E), an online link
and password to the survey, and an appropriate number of recruitment packages (Appendix F)
were provided in person by the researcher. The recruitment packages included consent and
assent forms, the contact information of district counselors, and links to informative websites
(Appendix G, Appendix H). At this time, the researcher met with each classroom teacher
individually to explain the study and clarify any questions or concerns. The classroom teacher
then introduced the study to their students and made available recruitment packages to those who
were interested. In one instance, it was requested that the researcher join the class to introduce
the study in person. Students and their parents who were interested in participating were
instructed to sign the forms and return them to the classroom teacher within two weeks. Upon
returning their packages, students were provided a form denoting the dates the survey would be
active, a link to the survey, and a password to access it. Returned packages were collected by the
teacher and stored in the administrators’ office until collected by the researcher at the end of the
two-week period. At this time, the survey went live. Students had two and a half weeks to complete the survey at their own discretion either by themselves or under the supervision of their caregivers. The survey opened on Wednesday, December 4th at 9:00 am and closed at midnight
Friday, December 20th.
Validity
In the design of the project, the researcher took the validity of the survey into account.
The MOGQ was developed in 2011. Originally, the questionnaire contained a 56-item list of
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 26
motives based on a literature review, statements of internal reasons for gaming by fifteen persons regularly playing online games, and input from three psychologists involved in motivational research. (Demetrovics, Urbán, Nagygyörgy, Farkas, Zilahy, Mervó, . . . Harmath, 2011). After a sample of 3818 online gamers responded to the original survey, in-depth analysis of the data ensued. Several exploratory, confirmatory and factor analyses led to the production of the final seven-factor model consisting of 27 out of the 56 original items (Demetrovics et al., 2011).
Despite being designed for an older population, by using a validated instrument the validity of the study was improved.
The second section of the survey collected sociodemographic information from the participants. Students were asked to provide their grade level, average daily/weekly game time, preferred gaming platform, game genre, and gender. Gender options included male, female, and gender fluid. Note that the current study was not aiming to diagnose participants but to determine the motivations for online gaming and collect other sociodemographic data to be analyzed and searched for trends.
Additionally, qualitative data from two short answer questions, “What is it about online gaming that you enjoy?”, and “Is there anything you don’t like about playing online?”, were used to allow participants to expound on ideas from the previous section, thus increasing the value and legitimacy of their survey responses. Quotations used within the analysis are direct transcriptions of the responses from the surveys. Spelling and grammatical mistakes were maintained to ensure their authenticity and eliminate possible errors in interpretation.
The location of the research activities was at the discretion of the participants. They were able to access the survey on personal computers, laptops, and handheld devices. Steps to ensure free and informed consent/assent included:
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 27
1. Meeting with classroom teachers to explain the study and address questions or concerns.
2. Personally, visiting classes to explain the study when necessary.
3. Including the contact information of the researcher in all recruitment packages.
4. Using readability statistics to ensure age appropriateness.
5. Offering a choice to take a recruitment package.
6. At the beginning of the survey, participants clicked a mandatory consent question
indicating they acknowledge and have read and understand the consent information and
agreed to participate according to the terms described.
7. The option to decline to answer any question
8. They option to withdraw from the survey at any time by closing their browser. The
withdrawal of their data would not be possible once they click on the "submit" button at
the end of the survey. In doing so, consent was further implied.
The researcher’s contact information was made available in the recruitment package to address any concerns or questions.
Although they were informed that their participation was completely voluntary, students may have felt obliged to participate from parental, teacher, or peer pressure. The opposite may also be true. To minimize undue influence, the classroom teacher clearly explained the entire study to the class from a pre-written script, stressing the notion that their participation is a personal choice.
However, the online survey could be taken outside of school, and did not require students to identify themselves. It cannot be ascertained that students under the scrutiny of their parents’ involvement (if any) were willing to answer the questions honestly, resulting in response bias.
The timing of survey may also have impacted their answers. The survey was taken in December,
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 28
close to the holidays. Gamers may not have wanted to jeopardize possible holiday gifts if it appeared that negative consequences were connected to their gaming habits.
Data Analysis
The purpose of the study was to identify trends in the motivations of intermediate students for online gaming and link them to the personal and social awareness core competencies. To ensure the quality of the data and validate the emergent trends, the researcher chose to apply a mixed method approach involving both qualitative and quantitative data. In doing so, a more in-depth and personal understanding of the students’ motivation for online gaming could be achieved.
The Likert scale based quantitative data was presented in the forms of line graphs and tables. The responses from the MOGQ were assigned numeric values from 1 to 5 and combined to form at total out of 20 for six of the seven motivational factors: social, escape, coping, competition, skill development, and fantasy. Recreation had a combined total out of 15.
Studies have shown that obsessive gamers are motivated by deep-rooted intrinsic factors.
To more readily identify gamers predisposed to problematic gaming habits, they can be classified into five player types: achievement, socializing, immersion, relaxation, and escape (Zanetta
Dauriat, Fermatten, Billieux, Thorens, Bondolfi, Zullino, & Khazaal, 2011). Motivational factors linked to the three “at-risk” player types: Social, Escape and Achievement were analyzed.
Questions related to “escape” and “coping”, when combined, formed the “Escape” player type.
The factors “competition” and “skill development” were combined to form the “Achievement” player type. Combined scores which included a decimal of 0.5 were rounded to the nearest whole number. Participants with a combined score of >15 were considered “at-risk.” Line graphs were created to demonstrate the relationship between each of the paired factors. Online
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 29
tools within Survey Monkey and spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel were used to calculate
percentages and create the graphs. To maintain the integrity of the data, respondents skipping most of the questions or giving the same response to each question were removed from the survey.
Based on the values from the Likert-scale questions, the researcher was able to accurately calculate the mean, mode, and standard deviation of each motivational factor. Results were then presented in a table. By further utilizing this data in conjunction with the sociodemographic information garnered from the second section of the survey, other detailed tables were produced.
Furthermore, the combined scores representing “at-risk player types”, when paired with the sociodemographic data, allowed for the creation of tables in which trends in gender, grade, time spent gaming, personal preference in game genre and platform could be identified. These figures and tables provided accurate numeric, visual representations of player types.
The open-ended questions additionally provided more personal insight into the motivations of online gaming. Using tools within Survey Monkey and Excel, word clouds and lists were made that counted the frequency of specific terms and coded. Based on these percentages, themes were extrapolated from the data and presented in a table. Examples for each of the emergent themes were included. Quotations used within the analysis are direct transcriptions of the responses from the surveys. Spelling and grammatical mistakes were maintained to ensure their authenticity and eliminate possible errors in interpretation.
This mixed method approach was determined by the researcher to be the most appropriate way to accurately gather and present the information. Using both quantitative and qualitative the researcher was able to look at the personal qualitative responses of individuals and use them to add veracity to the quantitative data collected in the Likert-scale survey. The
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 30
individual responses contributed to the understanding of the trends derived from the data.
Furthermore, the open-ended questions allowed participants to expound on ideas from the previous section, thus increasing the value and legitimacy of their survey responses.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 31
Chapter 4: Results
The purpose of this mixed methods research sought to identify the motivations of
intermediate online gamers, identity different player types, and explore the ways in which
gaming behaviour could potentially impact students’ personal and social awareness. The data set
was generated from an online survey distributed to eight intermediate classes in School District
70 Port Alberni. Data were collected using the online survey tool Survey Monkey and analyzed using Microsoft Excel.
Of the 247 surveys distributed, 32 were submitted online, indicating a completion rate of
13%. Five respondents were removed from the survey for either skipping most of the questions
or giving the same response to each question, resulting in a total sample of 27 students. Each
respondent was then assigned a number between R1 and R27. 14 (52%) respondents identified
as male and 13 (48%) identified as female. Respondents represented students from each of the
four intermediate grades with a total of 8 (30%) grade four students, 4 (14 %) grade five
students, 8 (30 %) grade six students and 7 (26%) grade seven students. A total of three schools
and five classes from the district are represented in the results.
In the first section of the survey, students’ responses to questions concerning their
motivations for playing online games were collected using a quantitative five-point Likert scale.
The second section of the survey collected sociodemographic data including gender, grade level,
hours spent gaming, preferred game genre, and gaming platform. The third section of the survey
consisted of two open-ended questions: “What do you enjoy most about online gaming?” and
“What do you enjoy least about online gaming?” Quotations used within the analysis are direct
transcriptions of the responses from the third section of the survey. Spelling and grammatical
mistakes were maintained to ensure their authenticity and eliminate possible errors in
interpretation.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 32
The survey was designed to identify player types based on their motivation for gaming.
Questions relating to several factors were included: social, escape, competition, coping, skill development, fantasy, and recreation. The statistical data are based on a score of 1 -5 as per the parameters of the 5 point Likert scale ranging from almost never/never (1), some of the time (2), half of the time (3), most of the time (4), almost always/always (5). Except for recreation, a composite score out of 20 comprising four questions related to each factor was generated for the seven motivating factors. The composite recreation factor involved only three questions with a total of 15 possible points. To see the wording of individual questions, consult Appendix A. A total composite score of 15 or higher in any of the five factors linked to risky online behaviour
(social, escape, coping, competition, skill development) has been designated by the researcher as
“at risk” since it conveys the notion that the participant is engaging in online activities “most of the time” or “almost always/always” for a particular reason.
Motivations linked to the three main “at-risk” player types: Social, Escape and
Achievement were also analyzed. Questions related to escape and coping factors, when combined, form the “Escape” player type. The factors competition and skill development combine to form the “Achievement” player type. Combined scores which included a decimal of
.5 were rounded to the nearest whole number. Figure 1 and Figure 2 demonstrate the related trends of each factor pairs that were grouped into an “at-risk” player type.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 33
Figure 1 Composite Escape / Coping Totals
20 15 Totals 10 5
Composite 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 Participants
Escape Coping
Figure 2 Composite Competition/ Skills Development Totals
25
20
15
10
Composite Totals 5
0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 Participants
Competition Skill Development
Despite slight variations, the researcher has determined that the observable trends in the data amongst the related factors justify their combination to describe a player type and form an accurate representation of the Escape and Achievement player types.
Tables 2 through 8 summarize the data generated from the quantitative 5-point Likert scale survey and the sociodemographic information of the respondents. Tables 2 to 5 present the data in terms of the overall motivational factors for gaming of the total survey sample. These results are explored based on grade level, gender, and hours spent gaming.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 34
Tables 6 to 8 display individual responses of students scoring “at-risk” in fields directly associated with risky online gaming behaviour. Sociodemographic information including grade, gender, hours played, preferred game genre, and platform were considered. Trends within each group were then analyzed and compared.
Table 2 represents the overall mean, mode, and standard deviation of the seven motivational factors and “at-risk” player types for online gaming.
Table 2 Overall Mean (µ), Mode, Standard deviation Scores for Motivating Factors / Player Type Motivational Factor / Player N Max Composite Mean Mode Standard Type Score (µ) Deviation
Social Factor / Social Player 27 20 10.5 7.0 3.9 Type
Escape Factor 27 20 11.5 11.0 4.2
Coping Factor 27 20 12.2 8.0 3.5
Escape Player Type 27 40 11.5 15.5 3.5
Competition Factor 27 20 10.6 8.0 4.5
Skill Development Factor 27 20 10.3 9.0 4.2
Achievement Player Type 27 40 10.8 13.5 4.1
Fantasy Factor 27 20 11.9 14.0 3.9
Recreation Factor 27 15 11.1 11.0 2.6
The composite motivational factors score range from 4.0 to 20.0 for Social, Escape,
Coping, Competition, Skill Development, and Fantasy depending on how many questions related
to that factor. The composite motivational factor score ranges from 3.0 to 15.0 for Recreation.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 35
A mean score of >15 in the Social, Escape, Coping, Competition or Skill Development indicates
“at-risk” gaming behaviour. The data shows that typical online intermediate gamers in SD70 fall
within an acceptable range of healthy gaming habits. It is notable that the Escapist player types,
have the highest mean (µ =11.9) and mode (9.5) of the “at-risk” player types.
Data were analyzed using the demographic information (grade level). Table 3 displays the mean score according to the grade level of each respondent. A mean score of >15 represents risky online gaming behaviour.
Table 3 Factors: Mean (µ) Scores According to Grade Motivational Factor/Player Type Grade Four Grade Five Grade Six Grade Seven n=8 n=4 n=8 n=7
Social / Social Player Type 11.6 10.8 10.5 9.0
Escape 11.3 12.5 11.6 8.4
Coping 13.4 9.8 13.9 10.1
Escape Player Type 12.4 11.2 12.8 10.5
Competition 10.0 11.3 11.5 10.7
Skill Development 10.3 10.3 11.3 9.3
Achievement Player Type 10.2 10.8 11.4 10.0
Fantasy 12.9 10.8 11.8 11.4
Recreation 10.5 11.5 12.3 10.1
The data shows that students in all four intermediate grades are within the acceptable
range of healthy online gaming. The three highest motivational categories of at-risk gaming
behaviour for grade four students were: a) Escape (µ=12.4), b) Social (µ=11.6), and c)
Achievement (µ=10.2). The ranked motivational behaviour for students in grade five were: a)
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 36
Escape (µ=11.2), b) Social (µ=10.8), and c) Achievement (µ=10.8). The motivational factors of grade six online gaming in order were: a) Escape (µ=12.8), b) Achievement (µ=11.4), and social
(µ=10.5). Grade seven students’ top motivational factors were: a) Achievement (µ=10), Escape
(µ=9.3) and c) social (µ=9). Note: Of the three “at-risk” player types (Social, Escape,
Achievement), the Escape player type scores were the highest in all four grades. The grade seven subset scored the lowest in all “at-risk” player type categories.
In addition, data were analyzed by gender: male and female. The option to identify as gender fluid was given; no respondents chose to identify as such. Table 4 shows the mean scores for each motivational category according to gender identity.
Table 4 Factors: Mean (µ) Scores According to Gender Motivational Factor Male Female n=14 n=13
Social / Social Player Type 10.7 10.2
Escape 11.1 10.5
Coping 11.9 12.5
Escape Player Type 11.5 11.5
Competition 11.9 9.7
Skill Development 10.8 9.8
Achievement Player Type 11.4 9.8
Fantasy 11.7 12.0
Recreation 11.4 10.7
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 37
Both male and female students scored highest (µ=11.5) in the “at-risk” Escape player type. The achievement factor for males (µ=11.4) was second highest while, for females, it was their lowest
motivational factor (µ=9.8). Social motivations for males (µ=10.7) and females (µ=10.2) were
similar. It is noteworthy that males scored equal to or higher than females in all “at-risk” player type categories indicating a possible predisposition to “at-risk” gaming behaviour.
Further data were grouped according to time spent gaming: less than 7 hours weekly (<1 hour per day), 7-14 hours weekly (1-2 hours per day), 15-28 hours weekly (2-4 hours per day),
29-42 hours weekly (4-6 hours per day), and more than 42 hours weekly (>6 hours per day).
Table 5 displays the mean score for each motivational factor according to time spent gaming.
Table 5 Factors / Player Type: Mean (µ) Scores According to Gaming Time Motivational Less than 7 7-14 hours 15-28 hours 29-42 hours More than 42 Factor hours weekly weekly weekly weekly hours weekly n=5 n=10 n=6 n=3 n=3
Social 10.8 9.2 11.0 9.7 14.0
Escape 8.6 10.6 10.3 11.7 15.7
Coping 9.6 11.8 12.8 13.3 15.0
Escape Player 9.1 11.2 11.6 12.5 15.4 Type
Competition 11.2 11.3 9.2 10.3 12.3
Skill 10.6 10.1 9.7 8.0 14.0 Development
Achievement 10.9 10.7 9.2 11.8 13.2 Player Type
Fantasy 11.0 10.6 13.3 10.7 15.7
Recreation 11.2 10.3 11.0 11.7 13.0
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 38
Scores for students playing less than 7 hours weekly in order were: a) Achievement
(µ=10.9), b) Social (µ=10.8), and c) Escape (µ=9.1). The ranked motivational factors of students playing 7-14 hours weekly were: a) Escape (µ=11.2), b) Achievement (µ=10.7), and c) Social
(µ=9.2). The order of motivational factors to students playing 15-28 hours weekly were: a)
Escape (µ=11.6), b) social (µ=11), and c) Achievement (µ=9.2). Scores for students playing 29-
42 hours weekly were: a) Escape (µ=12.5), b) Achievement (µ=11.8), and c) Social (µ=9.7).
The order of scores for students playing more than 42 weekly hours were: a) Escape (µ=15.4), b)
Social (µ=14), and c) Achievement (µ=13.2). The data demonstrate a clear relationship between an increase in the number of weekly hours gaming and the role of online gaming as a means of coping with stress (Escape player type). It is noteworthy that the subset of gamers playing more than 6 hours daily scored the highest in all three “at-risk” player types. Furthermore, the Escape player type is the only instance in which the mean score (µ=15.4) is within the range of “at-risk” online behaviour.
Data were presented based on the individual responses of students scoring >15 in factors
(social, escape, coping, competition, skill development) directly associated with at-risk player types: Social, Escape, and Achievement. Sociodemographic information including grade, gender, hours played, preferred game genre, and platform were considered. Table 6 displays the data related to “at-risk” students considered to be Social player type.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 39
Table 6 Individual Social Player Types Student Social Grade Gender Hours Preferred Platform score played game genre (daily) R17 17 six female 4-6 Sandbox PC
R22 16 four female 1-2 Survival tablet
R25 16 four female 2-4 Sandbox PC
R6 15 five male 1-2 Survival tablet
R8 15 five male > 6 Survival Xbox
R26 15 four male > 6 Sandbox Xbox
A total of 6 students had a mean score of >15 in the Social motivational category. The data shows that social gamers exist in only three of the four grades: grade four (n=3), grade five
(n=2), and grade six (n=1). There were an equal number of male (n=3) and female (n=3) students. Social gamers spend an average of 3.8 hours daily playing online. Their favourite game genre is split equally between Survival/Battle royale based games (n=3) and Sandbox games (n=3). The preferred platforms of social gamers are: a) Xbox (n=2), b) PC (n=2), and c) tablet (n=2). It is noteworthy that Social gamers in grade four outnumber their counterparts in grade five and six by a ratio of 3:1. There are no Social player types in grade seven. The data suggests that as gamers age, the social motivational factor becomes less significant.
Table 7 displays the data of students whose mean score in the combined Escape player type was >15.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 40
Table 7 Individual Escape Player Types Student Escape Grade Gender Hours preferred Platform player type played game genre score (daily) R26 19 four male > 6 Sandbox Xbox
R17 17 six female 4-6 Sandbox PC
R5 16 four male 2-4 Sandbox PlayStation
R6 16 five male 1-2 Survival Tablet
R29 16 six male 2-4 Sandbox PC
R25 15 four female 2-4 Sandbox PC
A total of 6 students scored >15 in the Escape player type. Again, the subset of students includes only those from the lower three grades. The group consists of 3 grade four students, 1 grade five student, and 2 grade six students. The male (n=4) escapists outnumber the female
(n=2) escapists by a factor of 2 to 1. The average daily hours spent gaming online was 3.6 hours.
The escapists overwhelmingly preferred sandbox (n=5) games over any other genre including
Survival/Battle royale (n=1). Escape player types also preferred playing on PC (n=3) over consoles (n=2) and tablets (n=1). Once again, it is noteworthy that there are no seventh-grade escape player types.
Table 8 displays the data of respondents whose mean score was >15 in the combined category of competition and skill development, representing the Achievement player type.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 41
Table 8 Individual Achievement Player Types Student Achievement Grade Gender Hours preferred Platform score played game (combined) (daily) genre R26 20 Four Male > 6 Sandbox Xbox
R18 19 Six Male 1-2 Sandbox PC
R22 18 Four female < 1 Survival Tablet
R6 16 Five Male 1-2 Survival Tablet
R10 15 Seven Male 1-2 Sandbox PlayStation
A total of 5 students scored >15 in the achievement category. All grade levels were
represented including: grade four (n=2), grade five (n=1), grade six (n=1), and grade seven
(n=1). The gender split was overwhelmingly male (n=4) with only 1 female. The average daily
gaming time for Achievement type players was 2.2 hours. Their favorite game genre was split
between Sandbox games (n=3) and Survival/Battle royale based games (n=2). Consoles (n=2),
tablets (n=2), and PC (n=1) were the preferred gaming platforms of achievement players. The
Achievement player type is the only category that includes a grade seven student. It is also
significant that this category has the lowest daily hours spent gaming.
Other noticeable trends can be extrapolated from the data. Two respondents, R6 and
R26, appear in all three categories. Interestingly, they represent gamers from both ends of the
spectrum. R6 plays Survival/Battle royale games on his tablet for only 1 to 2 hours per day.
R26, on the other hand, plays Sandbox games on his Xbox for more than 6 hours a day. R17,
R22, and R25 represent the only at-risk females. Each of these respondents appear in the Social
player type and one other: R17 (Social and Escape), R25 (Social and Escape), R22 (Social and
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 42
Achievement). Furthermore, despite being at-risk in two categories, R22 devotes less than an hour a day to gaming. In fact, at-risk students whose preferred gaming platform is a tablet, average fewer than two hours per day gaming. Conversely, at-risk students playing on Xbox exceed more than 6 hours of gaming time per day.
Two qualitative data questions followed the Likert-scale ranking and sociodemographic portions of the survey. Respondents were asked “What is it about online gaming that you enjoy?”, and “Is there anything you don’t like about playing online?” 27 out of a possible 27 responses were given to the first question, indicating a response rate of 100%. 26 of the 27 respondents answered the second question indicating a rate of participation of 96%. Word clouds were created using tools in Survey Monkey and responses were counted and analyzed for recurring themes. In response to the first question, four themes related to the appeal of online gaming emerged from the data and are presented in Table 9.
Table 9 Enjoyment Factor Themes with Example Quotes Enjoyment Factor # of Respondents (n=27) % of Respondents
Fun/entertaining* 10 37%
Meeting new people** 7 26%
Escape/control*** 6 22%
Coping with 5 19% stress/relaxation****
* “because they are fun. It;s fun because you are moving stuff, conccentrating, and things like that.”
** “i like meeting new people, it is nice when you can have somebody to hang out with if you dont have friend in real life that you can play with.”
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 43
*** “Online gaming helps me forget about real life, it also feels good to be a different person, i love the challenges the game gives me.”
***** “it is fun to play games it takes me a way from the really world if i am stressed rate out and helps me sleep i know that sounds weird but it dose.”
Recurring themes were also extrapolated from the data concerning the second question,
“Is there anything you don’t like about playing online?” The negative associations of online gameplay are presented in Table 10.
Table 10 Negative Aspects of Online Gaming Themes with Example Quotes Negative Aspect # of Respondents (n=26) % of Respondents
Toxic/rude people* 13 50%
Downtime** 4 15%
Raging/fighting*** 4 15%
* “Sometimes that people are "toxic" while playing, and sometimes they just ruin your experience.”
** “I don't like it when i die because it takes about 5 minutes to load and they get to keep playing.”
*** “i get a little bit ragey.”
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 44
Chapter Five: Summary and Conclusions
Summary
This mixed methods, survey research aims to identify the motives of console-based online gamers in grades four to seven and identify potential problematic gaming habits. The study is guided by the following research questions:
1. What are the motivations of online gaming in intermediate elementary students?
2. What kinds of player types describe online behaviour of intermediate elementary
students?
3. In what ways could online gaming behaviour potentially impact students’ personal and
social awareness?
To assess the motivations of online gaming in intermediate elementary students in SD70, gaming habits were quantitatively measured using an online survey based on a five-point Likert scale. The survey consisted of three parts including questions from The Motives for Online
Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ) (Appendix A), questions designed to collect sociodemographic and specific gaming related data, (Appendix B), followed by two open ended questions.
The quantitative data generated from the survey were explored, and visual representations
(graphs) and numerical representations (tables) were created to observe trends in the seven motivational factors for gaming. A total composite score of 15 or higher in any of the five factors linked to risky online behaviour (social, escape, coping, competition, skill development) was designated by the researcher as “at risk” since it conveys the notion that the participant was engaging in online activities “most of the time” or “almost always/always” for a particular reason. Furthermore, factors “escape” and “coping” were combined to form an overall Escape player type. Factors “competition” and “skill development” were also combined to form the
Achievement player type. In addition, the qualitative answers to the open-ended questions were
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 45
counted and coded using word clouds and lists using tools within Survey Monkey and Microsoft
Excel. The emergent themes related to the positive and negative aspects of online gaming were
used in conjunction with the quantitative data to gain insight into the motivations of different
player types.
Discussion and Implications
An analysis of the data generated by the survey and open-ended questions confirmed
several important conclusions. A significant portion (37%) of intermediate elementary students
in SD70 engage in risky online gaming behaviour. 10 of the 27 students involved in the study
met the benchmarks in one or more of the “at-risk” player types: Social, Escape, or
Achievement.
An unexpected trend from the data found the distribution of at-risk gamers was evenly distributed among grade four, five and six students, but not the grade seven group. At each of the three lower grade levels, 50% of the total grade participants had a composite score of 15 or higher in at least one “at-risk” category. Essentially, half of the youngest gamers surveyed were actively gaming for reasons that could seriously jeopardize their psychosocial development and overall academic success. However, the number is halved to 25% when considering only the grade seven students. This number is significant since this marks a time in development that students move from school age to adolescence.
School age is a crucial point in child development. This stage is characterized by a transition from staying in the relative safety and familiarity of the home towards satisfying a growing interest in the outside world (Yount, 2008). According to Yount, children at this age are compelled to push beyond the boundaries of the home, venturing out into their neighbourhoods and schools to incorporate friends into their social sphere of influence (2008). To this end,
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 46
healthy psychosocial engagement is dependent on their ability to establish and maintain positive
peer relationships. 64% of grade four students in SD70 Alberni indicated that “making new
friends” was “very important” compared to only 48% of seventh graders (MDI,2020). As Block
states, “The discovery that we are not alone, that others can at least understand what is on our
mind, if not agree with us, is what creates the feeling of belonging. When this occurs in the same
place and time, in the presence of a larger community, the collective begins to take form and
have legs (Block, 2009, p.76).
Online gaming communities are arenas in which such students can experience a sense of belonging while simultaneously remaining virtually anonymous. To feel at ease, school age students must be free to express their thoughts, feelings, and opinions without fear of judgement.
The appeal of social gaming fills this need since it is not uncommon for students to feel isolated at school. For example, the most recent data from the 2020 MDI survey has shown that nearly one quarter (24%) of fourth grade students in the Alberni Valley do not feel connected and valued at their school.
From many of the responses to the open-ended questions, it can be concluded that social gamers enjoy the human interaction of playing online. However, it should be noted in some instances relationships can be formed with AI controlled non-player combatants (NPCs).
Nevertheless, multiple gamers stated that they are drawn to online play because “not playing
with a robot or by yourself makes the game more interesting and fun.” Moreover, playing
online stymies loneliness. A recurring common theme was the ability to “meet new people from
all over the world that are kind.” As one social player stated, “it is nice when you can have
somebody to hang out with if you don’t have friend in real life that you can play with.” The online platform allows gamers to interact with vast numbers of people outside of their primary
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 47
field of influence. Furthermore, students struggling with social anxiety, can make connections
free from conditions that hinder them. As one respondent stated, “i can meet other people a enjoy it and i dont have to look at them directly.”
Inclusive communities foster a sense of belonging. Gaming guilds, clans, and general chat channels are one of the most effective ways in which gamers can freely engage in environments populated by like-minded individuals. Conversely, the presence of “toxic and rude people” that cause grief, “Getting into fights with people I don’t even know,” and “raging” are considered drawbacks of online gameplay that affect social gamers.
In accordance with the core competencies as outlined in the BC curriculum, schools are mandated to promote positive personal and social awareness. To create learning environments that promote conditions for positive personal and social awareness for social gamers, outdoor learning opportunities could be developed to explore interests free from the confines of traditional classrooms. Because learning outdoors naturally has fewer controls, students are more willing to engage in the learning process (Harris, 2018). School age children are constantly looking to work cooperatively and working outdoors allows the students an opportunity to interact with one another freely and the autonomy to choose the proximity within which they work with others (Waite et al., 2011). In addition, the social relationships formed outdoors positively impact the indoor learning environment, as pro-social behaviors contribute to greater cohesion within the classroom (Waite et al., 2011). In this way, students can then truly take ownership of their community since “to belong is to act as an investor, owner, and creator” of a place (Block, 2009, p.12). Furthermore, considering that recent studies have shown that children average 52 hours of screen time a week, any opportunity to add to their 40 minutes of weekly outdoor time would ultimately be beneficial (Gray & Birrell, 2015).
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 48
Often, people are drawn to online games as a temporary distraction from the rigors of daily life. Casual online gaming is a legitimate means of stress relief and is a source of relaxation for millions of individuals with low levels of negative stress (Kardefelt-Winther,
2014). However, Schneider et al. (2018), found those prone to “cognitive and behavioural avoidance” (p.911) as a method of coping with stress, frequently immerse themselves deeply within the game to avoid facing real world problems.
Six of the respondents (22%) were considered high risk in the Escapist player-type category. As the name implies, gamers such as these play video games as an unhealthy coping mechanism for stress or trauma. To this end, they are united in their game genre of choice.
100% of Escapists listed at least one open world “sandbox” among their top 3 favorite games.
The most popular “sandbox” games in order are Roblox, Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto 5, and
Terraria. Escape player types often use online gaming as a means of coping with stress by spending time “in a new space instead of in person” to forget about daily hassles and retreat to a safe space in which they are in control. According to data collected in the 2020 MDI, 22% of
SD70 grade four students either had “no place” or “did not know” of a place in their
“neighbourhoods or community where they feel comfortable hanging out with friends.” It is not surprising, therefore, that Escape player types find solace online since “it is a world made up by you to choose your own life and play with friends online.” If fact, multiple respondents stressed the notion that the online world “is a life away from all the drama and all the things that make you stress.” The qualitative data revealed that school age individuals in the “real world” felt pressured by real world responsibilities. As one respondent stated, “Gaming online helps me forget about real life, it also feels good to be a different person.”
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 49
To contribute to the positive psychosocial development of Escape player types,
opportunities to lower stress could be pursued through creative outdoor learning opportunities.
Stress is a contributing factor in many psychosocial disorders including depression, anxiety, and
substance abuse. Spending time outdoors has been found to be an effective stress reliever. By
simply walking for 90 minutes outdoors, researchers discovered “a reduction of blood flow in the
subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, a region associated with stress regulation, as well as a
reduction of rumination, a cognitive style associated with depression” (Dettweiler, Becker,
Auestad, Simon, & Kirsch, 2017, para.3).
A common belief among cultures around the world, is that human wellness is connected to the land. Contemporary research supports this notion through the discovery of bacteria imbued with natural anti-inflammatory properties in the soil itself. Mycobacterium vaccae
(MICRO bacterial species) has been determined to induce “anti-inflammatory responses in the
brain and prevents stress-induced exaggeration of microglial priming” (Smith, Martinelli, Besra,
Illarionov, Szatmari, Brazda, . . . Lowry, 2019, p.1653). To this end, the simple act of putting one’s hands in the dirt could potentially be therapeutic. Promoting a balance between healthy gaming and establishing a connection to nature is necessary to enable positive personal and social awareness of Escape player types.
A third group of gamers found to exhibit risky online behaviour are classified as
Achievement player types. They are drawn to the competitive nature of online gaming. They spend hours collecting loot and mastering the necessary skills to rise to the top of the leader boards. Gamers identified as at-risk Achievement player types generally focus on in-game
rewards for narcissistic gratification (Laconi, Pires, & Chabrol, 2017). The data indicates that 5
(19%) of the respondents are considered high risk Achievement type players. Among the
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 50
achievers, 80% were male. The Achievement player type were the only group in which the
grade distribution was spread across all grades. Interestingly, the competition/skill factor that
encompass the achievement group includes the highest number of upper intermediate students.
Due to the nature of this playing style, game genres focused on those that necessitate grinding, PVP gameplay, winning arbitrary rewards such as skins or badges, real time strategy, and sports games. Popular games include Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Need for Speed Payback,
Crossout, Agar.io, NHL 19, Superhot, and Collect Cubes.
Motivations for this style of gameplay vary, however the data showed emergent themes of winning, fairness, and recognition of overall commitment to gaming and ability. As one respondent stated “I enjoy the winning cause I grind for when I'm not playing against others so
I'm pretty good when I'm on. I usually win.” Showcasing their skills is important to achievement player types. Multiplayer games allow them the opportunity to “challenge family and friends” and demonstrate their ability. “I love the challenges the game gives,” but “don’t like the players that are better than you.” Because achievers strive to be the best, the online experience can easily be tarnished by “hackers spawn killers cheaters spammers betrayers and rude people.”
Achievers tend to get “ragey” when they lose or are victims of unscrupulous gameplay.
“Scammer modders and hackers” are often blamed for the loss. Achievement player types are motivated by competition and the development of skills. As a result, in-game failure of any kind is a source of frustration and feeds their “rage”, especially to another player. In Fortnite, for example, “you can shoot people and learn how to aim and you can build to protect yourself” but the frustration of being killed and ejected from the arena is compounded because “when I die it takes about 5 minutes to load and they get to keep playing.”
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 51
In previous studies, Achievement player types were found to spend the most time gaming
online. They frequently logged 5 times as many hours online as other gamers, dramatically
distorting their real-world outlook and psychosocial development (Schneider, King, &
Delfabbro, 2018). However, in this instance such is not the case. On average, the Achievement
player types played two hours per day or fewer. One possible explanation for this is their
involvement in extra-curricular activities. In SD 70, 33% of students in grade seven and 49% of
grade four students are involved in individual sports (MDI,2020). A further 50% or grade seven
students and 44% of grade four students participate in weekly team sports (MDI, 2020). Given
the high proportion of students participating in extra-curricular sporting activities, it is not unreasonable to assume that they do not have the necessary free time to devote towards gaming as their older counterparts from previous studies.
Maintaining a balance between personal responsibility and screen time is a challenging undertaking. Teachers and primary care givers play a pivotal role in promoting conscientious online activity. They can facilitate this endeavor by encouraging students to disconnect from technology on occasion while fostering a reconnection to their school community and family.
Celebrating successes in inclusive classrooms is essential to the process.
In every school community, the possibility exists that the framework within which it
operates unintentionally excludes or rebuffs students. A voice must be given to all stakeholders
to find the best solution to the problem. As Wagner et al. (2005) suggest, “Being part of a
community with standards of practice and working collectively to solve authentic problems of
practice can also help provide a greater sense of efficacy” (p.75). Outlying Achievement player
types could be persuaded to re-enter the fold through the simple acts of listening to their opinions
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 52
and acknowledging their contributions to the school community by recognizing their
accomplishments.
Validation honors the well-being of the individual. Inclusive classroom communities
foster a sense of belonging while encouraging students to express their thoughts, feelings, and
opinions without fear of judgement. Since achievement player types often reported feeling
“ragey” while gaming, promoting self-awareness is essential. 16% of grade seven students have
difficulty recognizing the influence their emotions and thoughts have on their behaviour (MDI,
2020). A further 23% percent struggle with impulse control. By building off small successes,
students can incrementally increase their perceived self-worth while gaining a growth mindset.
Furthermore, since “learning requires an exploration of one’s identity” (FNESC, 2015), an increase in participation leads to greater self-discovery.
As author Anne Bergan (2012) states:
From the time students enter school, we must help them identify their unique gifts,
talents, and passions. Some kids come to school without any idea what they are capable
of doing, but great teachers can help them discover in themselves talents that they never
saw before. Our job is to guide students in finding connections among their strengths,
their interests, and the needs of the world. (para.7)
Student learning extends beyond the school. Spending time with family and friends also
plays an important role in maintaining positive psychosocial growth. Given the similarities in
behaviour between substance abusers and “at-risk” player types, the role of the family in positive
psychosocial development cannot be understated. An excellent way in which to strengthen
familial relationships is through shared mealtimes. According to the 2020 MDI, 34% of grade
seven students eat only four or fewer meals per week with their parents or other adult family
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 53
member (MDI, 2020). In a 2010, adolescents that ate regular meals with their parents were found to have better psychosocial well-being than those who ate independently of family members (Neumark-Sztainer, Larson, Fulkerson, Eisenberg & Story, 2010). In addition to lowering levels of cigarette smoking, alcohol, and marijuana use, a correlation between the frequency of family meals and a decrease in depression and fewer suicide attempts in both male and females was also observed (Neumark et al., 2010).
Limitations
Despite yielding essential data on the motivational factors of intermediate online gamers, there were some limitations to the current study. These limitations involve not only the sample of students, but also the design of the survey itself.
The first limitation was the small sample size. The survey sample consisted of only 27 students from an estimated total population of more than 600. This small sample does not allow for external validity of the results. While the data is useful, it is not generalizable. Instead, it offers only a glimpse into the motivations of intermediate online gamers. To have a more complete picture of intermediate students’ motivations and attitudes towards gaming, more input is required from students in all grades.
A second limitation concerned the parameters of the study. The research was designed to identify the motivations of online gaming and identify “at-risk” player types. However, not all gaming is done online. Many games have content that can be played offline. Virtually all non- browser games can be played in story mode or individually against computer-controlled AI players. Single player offline gaming is a feature of all the most popular sandbox games identified in the survey including Minecraft, GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, Call of Duty, and
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 54
all sports genre games. Considering time spent gaming offline as well as online could potentially change the data related to gaming time dramatically.
A third limitation concerned the survey itself. Originally, the survey was developed to identify the motivation of gamers older than those whom the current study targeted. As a result, the wording of some of the questions was not pertinent or relevant to the participants.
Rewording some questions to reflect situations more closely related to the students’ daily lives would strengthen the coherence of the questions. Furthermore, using language sourced directly from the core competencies would greatly improve the overall cogency of the data.
Suggestions for Further Research
Based on the results data, the researcher believes that future studies investigating the influence of online gaming on the personal and social awareness of intermediate students are warranted. The following three suggestions could be considered in future research:
Suggestion 1: Future researchers should include students that play video games offline.
With the resurgence in popularity of classic gaming systems, along with the availability of single player and story mode options of popular games, there is a population of gamers that should be counted and included in the gaming population.
Suggestion 2: Some survey questions should be reworded to reflect the daily lives of the survey demographic more accurately. In addition, whenever possible, specific language from the personal and social awareness core competencies should be incorporated into questions to add legitimacy to the data.
Suggestion 3: Questions should be added to the sociodemographic survey for the purpose of collecting more specific data related to personal and social awareness. Possible areas to explore include:
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 55
1. Nightly hours of sleep
2. Instances of cyberbullying
3. Involvement in extra-curricular activities.
Conclusion
The integration of technology and learning in education is inevitable. Within the next few decades, technology will be embedded into virtually every aspect of our lives. Self-driving cars, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, block chains, Neuralink, and other innovations will inexorably transform society. The benefits will be tremendous, but so will be the consequences. Humanity risks losing its humanity. Already, evidence is mounting that today’s youth are at risk of becoming detached from the real world in favor of a virtual one. Sales of gaming consoles are at record highs, virtually all high schoolers own a smart phone, and apps are being developed for toddlers. Students have become unmotivated, isolated, self-deprecating, and uninspired. They face health problems, have irregular sleep patterns, and are likely to bully or be bullied online. Online gaming is an epidemic that is sweeping across every nation of the world.
Understanding the motives of excessive online gaming and its effects on psychosocial development is paramount for educators in providing a safe learning environment, conducive to learning, in which all students can succeed.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 56
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ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 64
Appendix A
Motives for online gaming questionnaire (MOGQ)
People play online games for different reasons. Some reasons are listed below.
Please indicate how often you play online games for the reasons listed below by circling the appropriate response – almost never/never (1), some of time (2), half of the time (3), most of the time (4), almost always/always (5). There is no right or wrong answer! We are only interested in your motives for gaming.
I play online games… almost some of half of most of almost never / the the the always / never time time time always
1. … because I can get to know 1 2 3 4 5 new people
2. … because gaming helps me to 1 2 3 4 5 forget about daily hassles
3. … because I enjoy competing 1 2 3 4 5 with others
4. … because gaming helps me 1 2 3 4 5 get into a better mood
5. … because gaming sharpens 1 2 3 4 5 my senses
6. … because I can do things that 1 2 3 4 5 I am unable to do or I am not allowed to do in real life
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 65
7. … for recreation 1 2 3 4 5
8. … because I can meet many 1 2 3 4 5 different people
9. … because it makes me forget 1 2 3 4 5 real life
10. … because I like to win 1 2 3 4 5
11. … because it helps me get rid 1 2 3 4 5 of stress
12. … because it improves my 1 2 3 4 5 skills
13. … to feel as if I was somebody 1 2 3 4 5 else
14. … because it is entertaining 1 2 3 4 5
15. … because it is a good social 1 2 3 4 5 experience
16. … because gaming helps me 1 2 3 4 5 escape reality
17. … because it is good to feel 1 2 3 4 5 that I am better than others
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 66
18. … because it helps me channel 1 2 3 4 5 my aggression
19. … because it improves my 1 2 3 4 5 concentration
20. … to be somebody else for a 1 2 3 4 5 while
21. … because I enjoy gaming 1 2 3 4 5
22. … because gaming gives me 1 2 3 4 5 company
23. … to forget about unpleasant 1 2 3 4 5 things or offences
24. … for the pleasure of defeating 1 2 3 4 5 others
25. … because it reduces tension 1 2 3 4 5
26. … because it improves my 1 2 3 4 5 coordination skills
27. … because I can be in another 1 2 3 4 5 world
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 67
Appendix B
Sociodemographic Survey and Qualitative Answers
Please read the statements below and choose the answer that applies to you.
1. What grade are you in?
a) Four b) Five c) Six d) Seven
2. Do you identify as male or female or gender fluid? (Circle one)
3. What platform do you play on the most?
a) Play Station b) Xbox c) Computer d) Tablet e) Phone f) Switch
4. Please list your three favourite games in order.
1)______2)______3)______
5. How much time do you spend gaming online?
a) less than seven hours weekly (less than one hour a day) b) 7-14 hours weekly (1-2 hours per day)
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 68
c) 15-28 hours weekly (2-4 hours per day) d) 29-42 hours weekly (4-6 hours per day) e) more than 42 hours weekly (more than 6 hours per day)
For the last two questions, please use as many words as you need to answer completely. Don’t worry, you don’t have to use all the lines and spelling doesn’t count.
6. What is it about online gaming that you enjoy? ______
7. Is there anything you don’t like about playing online? ______
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 69
Appendix C
Request for Permission to Conduct Research in School
\ 'A ~ NC • O < V ER I S L AN D UNIVERSITY
October 3, 2019
Dear Administrator,
My name is Christopher Harper, and I am a grade 6/7 teacher at John Howitt Elementary. I am currently in the Master of Education in Educational Leadership program at VIU. The research I wish to conduct for my Master’s thesis aims to identify the motives of console-based online gamers in grades four to seven, identify patterns in gaming habits, and determine the effect on the personal and social awareness core competencies outlined in the BC curriculum. This project will be conducted under the supervision of Rachel Moll, Associate Dean and University professor at VIU.
I am hereby seeking your consent to contact the grades four to seven teachers at your school to invite their classes to join the study as participants. Students will be asked to complete an online survey about their motivations for gaming, preferred gaming consoles, game genres, time spent gaming, and sociodemographic data. In addition, I request that signed consent and assent forms be stored in your office until the survey is opened on November 13, 2020, at which time I will collect them.
The survey can be accessed at the following link: SURVEYLINK (password:SD70) I have also attached copies of the consent and assent forms to be used in the research process. I have received approval to conduct the research from the VIU Research Ethics Board and School District 70’s Director of Instruction Learning Services.
Upon completion of the study, the results will be published in my Master’s thesis, posted online at VIURRSpace, presented at conferences, teaching workshops and published in peer-reviewed journals.
If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Christopher Harper
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Appendix D
Invitation to Participate in a Research Project
, 1 · --- VA COUVER I SLAN D UNIVERSIT Y
November 8, 2019
Dear Educator,
My name is Christopher Harper, and I am a grade 6/7 teacher at John Howitt Elementary. I am currently in the Master of Education in Educational Leadership program at VIU. The research I wish to conduct for my Master’s thesis aims to identify the motives of console-based online gamers in grades four to seven, identify patterns in gaming habits, and determine the effect on the personal and social awareness core competencies outlined in the BC curriculum. This project will be conducted under the supervision of Rachel Moll, Associate Dean and University professor at VIU.
I am contacting you to invite your class to join the study as participants. Students will be asked to complete an online survey about their motivations for gaming, preferred gaming consoles, game genres, time spent gaming, and sociodemographic data. Your role in the process will involve presenting the study to your students, handing out and collecting consent forms, and holding them until I collect them at the closing of the survey. Additionally, you would be required to give a survey link and password to each student that returns a signed assent and consent form. In the interest of saving paper, I would ask that you print this page when the signed consent forms are returned.
If you decide to participate, I ask that you email me the number of students in your class so that I may deliver your recruitment package containing parental consent and student assent forms, an introductory script, and the link and password page next week.
If you deem it necessary, I could arrange to meet with you personally to answer any questions you may have.
The survey will OPEN at 9:00 Wednesday, December 4th and will be accessible for four weeks. It will CLOSE at midnight on Friday, December 20th.
The sample survey can be accessed at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VIUREB (password:SD70)
I have received approval to conduct the research from the VIU Research Ethics Board, School District 70’s Superintendent, and your school principal.
Upon completion of the study, the results will be published in my Master’s thesis, posted online at VIURRSpace, presented at conferences, teaching workshops and published in peer-reviewed journals.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 71
If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Christopher Harper
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Appendix E
Classroom Teacher Introductory Script -- ~•> < \ 'A ' COU\ ' ER I SI.A~ D UNIVERSIT Y
Our class has been invited to take part in a research study involving about 600 students in grades four to seven. The researchers are trying to learn more about online video games. They want to know why students like playing them and how much they play. They also want to see if playing them too much can sometimes get in the way of other things like doing schoolwork or hanging out with family or friends.
They’re looking for people that play online games on consoles like PS4, Xbox, or Switch. If you’ve been playing for more than 12 months, you’re just who they’re looking for. They have an online survey that’s about 35 questions about why you play videos games, how much you play, your favorite games, and so on. There are even two short answer questions about your favourite and least favourite things about playing online. From start to finish, the whole thing will take less than half an hour and you’ll have the next four weeks to complete the survey. You can do it alone or together with your parents or guardian.
If you’re interested, joining the study is easy. I will send home a letter so you can explain it to your parents or guardian. After you’ve talked, you and your parents or guardian will each have to sign a form. When you bring the signed forms back, I will give you a link and a password to the online survey.
What questions do you have so far?
They don’t expect any harm to come from answering any of the questions but when people reflect honestly on their behaviour, they can sometimes feel a little uneasy or embarrassed. If you feel this way, you can talk to an adult or even the school counselor, Ms. Walter. She already knows about the study.
By participating in this study, you will be helping develop ways to help students balance their time between playing online games and other important areas of their lives. If you think you are interested in participating, please talk this over with your parents or guardian before you decide if you want to participate or not. They will have to give their permission for you to take part in this study, but even if they say “yes”, you can still choose not to participate.
If you don’t want to be in this study, you don’t have to be. Remember, being in this study is up to you and no one will be mad if you don’t want to participate or even if you change your mind later and choose not to do survey. Your participation in this study will not affect your grades in any way.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 73
To protect your privacy, once I’ve collected all the forms, they will be locked away. Only the researchers will know the names of the participants. The online survey is totally anonymous. No one will know your answers, not even the researchers. The data will be encrypted using secure ciphers and stored on servers located in the United States. That also means your that data may be accessed by US authorities under US security law. At the end of the study, everything will be deleted from the researcher’s computers and the papers will be shredded
Any questions?
If you think of one later, you can still ask me, or your parents or guardian could email the researchers directly.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 74
Appendix F
Link and Password
,,;)-~
A 1 0 VE R I SLAN D UNIVERSITY
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for your interest in participating in our study. The online survey aims to identify the motives of console-based online gamers in grades four to seven, identify patterns in gaming habits, and determine the effect on the personal and social awareness core competencies. No diagnosis of Internet Gaming Disorder will be made as a result of this survey.
Your input is greatly appreciated. As always, your participation is completely voluntary, and all responses are anonymous. The password does not connect to your identity in any way.
You may decline to answer any question.
You may withdraw from the survey at any time by closing your browser, but the withdrawal of your data will not be possible once you click on the “submit” button at the end of the survey.
You may only complete the survey once from a single device. You may access the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SD70
password: Fortnite
PLEASE NOTE: The survey will OPEN at 9:00 Wednesday, December 4th. It will CLOSE at midnight on Friday, December 20th.
Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely, Christopher Harper
If you have any concerns about your treatment as a research participant in this study, please contact the VIU Research Ethics Board by telephone at 250-740-6631 or by email at [email protected].
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 75
Appendix G
Parental Consent Form
~ <
A ' 0 V ER I SL 1 D UNI VERS I TY
The Influence of Online Gaming on the Personal and Social Awareness of Intermediate Elementary Students
Principal Investigator Student Supervisor Christopher Harper, Student Rachel Moll Master of Education Faculty of Education Vancouver Island University Vancouver Island University
I am a student in the Master of Education at Vancouver Island University (VIU). My research, entitled “The Influence of Online Gaming on the Personal and Social Awareness of Intermediate Elementary Students,” aims to identify the motives of console-based online gamers in grades four to seven, identify patterns in gaming habits, and determine the effect on the personal and social awareness core competencies outlined in the BC curriculum. My hope is that my research will contribute to the future success of all students in SD70.
This research will require about a half-hour of your child’s time. Your child is eligible to participate if 1) they use home gaming consoles and 2) they’ve been playing for more than 12 months. They are being asked to complete an online survey, including two, short, written responses. The survey will ask questions about their personal gaming habits over the past 12 months. Emphasis is on positive and negative feelings associated with gaming online. You may complete this survey together, or with your permission, your child may choose to complete the survey independently. The survey will remain active online for three weeks.
The information collected in the survey is likely to be uncontroversial. The research seeks to connect the motives of online gamers to the personal and social competencies outlined in the BC curriculum and identify patterns in gaming habits. Thus, the research poses only a very small risk of harm to participants. There is a possibility that reflecting on time spent gaming may cause an abashed or sheepish feeling. If you notice any distress, please contact the school counselor. She has been informed of the study.
If your child agrees to participate, your child’s teacher will provide a link and password to access the survey when they return the signed assent and consent forms. It can only be completed once on a PC or any handheld device. If you choose to participate, your participation would be confidential. Only my supervisor and I will have access to information in which you are identified. Signed consent forms and assent forms will be stored in a locked file cabinet in my home.
The online survey is completely anonymous. Electronic data will be stored on a password-protected computer. The online survey company Survey Monkey will be used to collect survey responses. Data will be stored on Survey Monkey’s servers located in the United States while survey data is collected. For information about Survey Monkey’s privacy policy, see: https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/privacy-policy
Regional Internet Protocol (IP) address is automatically collected but will not appear as metadata. Privacy will be maintained to the degree permitted by the technology, and thus no guarantees can be made regarding the interception of data by any third parties while data is transmitted across international borders. Please note that because Survey Monkey stores data on servers located in the United States, your data may be accessed by US authorities under US security legislation. Data will be deleted and shredded at the end of the study, after publication, approximately June 30th, 2020.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 76
The results of this study will be published in my Master’s thesis, posted online at VIURRSpace, presented at conferences, teaching workshops and published in peer-reviewed journals.
Your child’s participation in this study is completely voluntary. They may withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, and without explanation, before completing the online survey. However, once the survey is submitted online removal of their anonymous data will be impossible.
To learn more about the risks of online gaming you can visit the following websites:
The American Psychiatric Association https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/internet-gaming
The World Health Organization https://www.who.int/features/qa/gaming-disorder/en/
______Please retain one copy of this form for your records.
I have read and understand the information provided above, and hereby consent to participate in this research under the following conditions: I consent to anonymous quotations in the products of the research. Yes No • • Parent Name ______Parent Signature ______
I, Christopher Harper, promise to adhere to the procedures described in this consent form.
Principal Investigator Signature ______Date ______
If you have any concerns about your treatment as a research participant in this study, please contact the VIU Research Ethics Board by telephone at 250-740-6631 or by email at [email protected].
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 77
Appendix H
PARTICIPANT ASSENT FORM
Children aged 8-13 years
,;) ✓
VA O VER ISLAND UNIVERSI TY
ASSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH FORM
Hi, my name is Christopher Harper. I am a teacher and gamer…. but I’m also doing research.
I am inviting you to take part in a research study involving about 600 students in grades four to seven. I’m trying to learn more about online video games. I want to know why students like playing them and how much they play. I also want to see if playing them too much can sometimes get in the way of other things like doing schoolwork or hanging out with family or friends.
You are eligible to participate if 1) you use home gaming consoles and 2) you’ve been playing for more than 12 months. Joining the study is easy. First, I will explain the study to the class and answer any questions you have. Then, your teacher will send home a letter so you can explain it to your parents or guardian. You and your parents or guardian will each have to sign a form. You’ll have two weeks to bring the signed forms back to your teacher. Then your teacher will give you a link and a password to an online survey. There are about 50 questions about why you play videos games, how much you play, your favorite games, etc. including two short answer questions. From start to finish, the whole thing will take about half an hour. You’ll have three weeks to complete the survey. You can do it alone or together with your parents or guardian.
We don’t expect any harm to come from answering any of the questions but when people reflect honestly on their behaviour, they can sometimes feel a little uneasy or embarrassed. If you feel this way, you can talk to the school counselor. She already knows about the study.
By participating in this study, you will be helping me learn ways to help students your age balance their time between playing online games and other important areas of their lives. If you think you are interested in participating, please talk this over with your parents or guardian before you decide if you want to participate or not. They will have to give their permission for you to take part in this study, but even if they say “yes”, you can still choose not to participate.
If you don’t want to be in this study, you don’t have to be. Remember, being in this study is up to you and no one will be mad if you don’t want to participate or even if you change your mind later and choose not to do survey. Your participation in this study will not affect your grades in any way.
To protect your privacy, once I’ve collected all the forms, they will be locked in a file cabinet. Only my research advisor and I will know the names of the participants. The online survey is totally anonymous. No one will know your answers, not even me. The data will be encrypted using secure ciphers and stored on servers located in the United States. That also means your that data may be accessed by US authorities under US security law. At the end of the study, everything will be deleted from my computer and the papers will be shredded. You can ask any questions that you have about the study. Your teacher will be able to answer most questions you have. If you think of one later, you can still ask your teacher, or your parents or guardian could email me or call me at school.
Please retain one copy of this form for your records.
ONLINE GAMING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS 78
Signing your name at the bottom means that you agree to be in this study, and you agree to let me use anonymized quotations in my thesis paper.
Name of Child (please print)
Signature of Child Date
I, Christopher Harper, promise to adhere to the procedures described in this assent form.
Principal Investigator Signature ______Date ______
If you have any concerns about your treatment as a research participant in this study, please contact the VIU Research Ethics Board by telephone at 250-740-6631 or by email at [email protected].