VIDEO GAMES AND THEIR EFFECT ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ MENTAL WELL-BEING AND PEER SUPPORT DURING THE TIME OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Singapore has gone through multiple lockdowns and has consistently had heavy restrictions on seeing, meeting, and travelling with friends. During this time, many have turned to video games as a form of socialisation. With the medium being much more convenient and simpler to engage on given such restrictions, it has even attracted individuals who do not frequently play video games or do not identify as gamers. Online video gaming is now widely considered an activity related to addictive behaviours, and such a sudden uptake in gaming may be worrying to many. This thesis will aim to contribute to our understanding of video games and their potential as both a positive force to connect friends together during the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as any potential effects on their mental well-being. Through measuring factors such as mental well-being and perceived social support, in relation to the amount of time spent gaming, this study will seek to evaluate to what extent gaming may have positive effects on individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, if any. Methods: This thesis uses data collected through a survey with 99 responses from university students studying in Singapore. This thesis aims to analyse the possible positive and negative effects of gaming on mental health and peer support in the context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Results: While most gaming factors such as the hours of playing games and the percentage of time spent playing with friends did not have a significant relation to mental well-being or peer support, it was found that those who primarily played social games experienced significantly better mental well-being benefits than those who played competitive games the most. Conclusions: Such a result may seem logical, but with prior conflicting data, there is a need to understand the intricacies of how different gaming habits may affect mental health. In the context of such a drastic change to the environment, there is a need to understand how best to use gaming as a tool to get the most positive effect from it.