The relationship of experiencing toxic behaviors and the psychological well-being of Filipino gamers and the moderating role of coping strategies

• Main Author: Tan, Mary Jearette Criskim A.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: Video games; Well-being—Psychological aspects; Video gamers > Philippines; Clinical Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdm_psych/53; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdm_psych/article/1051/viewcontent/2023_Tan_The_relationship_of_experiencing_toxic_behaviors_Full_text.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The increasing popularity of online gaming has led to the emergence of toxic behaviors in multiplayer online games, and these behaviors can have detrimental effects on the psychological well-being of Filipino gamers. This study explored the relationship between experiencing toxic behaviors on the psychological well-being of Filipino gamers and their coping strategies. A checklist survey was used to gather data from a total of 366 participants but only 277 were eligible after data cleaning. The survey consisted of three questionnaires, namely the In-Game Toxic Behaviors Scale, Brief COPE Inventory, and Psychological Well-Being Scale. Data was collected using online surveys disseminated on social media platforms and gaming communities. Data analysis was methodically conducted employing the PLS-SEM technique. Results show that there is a direct effect of experiencing toxic behaviors in the context of online gaming and the psychological well-being of Filipino gamers. Furthermore, the research provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that emotion-focused coping strategies uniquely moderate this relationship. This interesting finding suggests that Filipino gamers might use coping strategies influenced by their cultural values as well. The findings from this study help us understand how toxic behavior in online games affects Filipino gamers' psychological well-being and the ways they cope with it. This knowledge provides a strong basis for developing strategies to boost the gaming experience and protect the psychological well-being of Filipino players.Keywords: coping strategies, online gaming, toxic behaviors, psychological well-being