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Abstract

This study employed a Convergent Mixed-Methods Design to examine how mobile gaming influences students’ behaviour, study habits, physical well-being, and academic obligations within a senior high school educational context. The quantitative component involved 58 Grade 11 students from Section X in the Philippines who answered a 10-item Likert-scale survey assessing gaming habits, academic distractions, sleep problems, physical symptoms, and coping strategies. Data were analyzed using weighted means, frequency distributions, and Pearson’s correlations. The qualitative component consisted of semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected participants. The thematic analysis revealed three major themes: (1) gaming for enjoyment and escape, (2) physical discomfort and sleep loss, and (3) difficulty managing academic responsibilities alongside failed attempts at self-regulation. Findings indicated that greater gaming involvement was associated with reduced focus, sleep deprivation, decreased motivation, and neglect of academic tasks. Quantitative results revealed a moderate negative relationship between mobile game addiction and academic performance (r = −.52, p < .001). Qualitative narratives further explained how sleep loss, cognitive fatigue, and reinforcement-driven habits contributed to academic disengagement despite students’ awareness of negative consequences. The study highlights the importance of digital literacy programs, structured guidance interventions, and school-based strategies that promote responsible gaming habits and academic self-regulation among learners.

Author Biography

Mhel Cedric D. Bendo, Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Mhel Cedric D. Bendo is a student researcher specializing in educational psychology, curriculum and instruction, educational measurement and evaluation, psychometrics, educational technology, and business and financial technology (FinTech). He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. As of 2026, he is a member of the Editorial Board of SIAR Publications, an Editorial Board Member of the International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Exploration (IJMRE), and an Editorial Board Member and Review and Technical Committee Member of the International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Application (IJAMA), where he contributes to peer review, subject-area feedback, manuscript evaluation, and research assessment. He also serves as a Technical Editor for the Journal of Student-Run Clinics (JSRC), contributing to editorial review processes and the technical evaluation of submitted manuscripts. He is an invited peer reviewer for international peer-reviewed journals, including Cogent Education (Taylor & Francis), a peer-reviewed journal published by a leading global academic publisher, contributing to the evaluation of scholarly work in education and interdisciplinary research. His reviewing contributions cover education, psychology, artificial intelligence in education, educational technology, educational evaluation, interdisciplinary undergraduate research, health education, business, and entrepreneurship, including journals indexed in Web of Science (ESCI), Scopus (Q1–Q3), ERIC, and DOAJ.

The major aims of this project were to: 1) Adapt for middle schools and assess the feasibility and acceptability of the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools (MDS3) Model; 2) Test the efficacy of MDS3 for improving school safety and climate, problem behaviors, engagement, and achievement using a group of randomized controlled trial design in 20 middle schools; and 3) Measure the programmatic costs and benefits associated with implementation of the MDS3 model. Toward that end, during Spring 2015, the study team adapted and finalized the middle school version of Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools (MDS3) model, ensuring that it was feasible and acceptable to implement in middle schools, thereby addressing aim 1. The study team then began a randomized controlled trial in Summer 2015, whereby they recruited, enrolled, and randomized 40 middle schools to intervention and control conditions. The study team then collected baseline (Spring 2015- Fall 2015) and annual follow-up data in the Spring of the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 school years. These data included: student, staff, and parent indicators via the online MDS3 School Climate Survey; implementation of positive behavior supports and multi-tiered interventions; classroom and environment observations using two measures: Assessing School Settings: Interactions of Students and Teachers (ASSIST; Rusby et al., 2001) and School Assessment for Environmental Typology (SAfETy; Bradshaw, Milam, Furr-Holden, and Lindstrom Johnson, 2015); and cost data assessing the cost of program delivery in all 40 schools. Additionally, the team collected implementation data from coaches in the 20 intervention schools, which included information on coaching fidelity and ratings of the school engagement.