Positive effects of online games on the well-being of working adults
Riccilae C. Anies, Narissa Faith P. Alcaraz & Teresita T. Rungduin
Abstract
As of January 2024, about 86.98 million Filipinos use the internet with adults aged 25–34 forming the largest group of online gamers, while also representing a large portion of the employed population (27.3%). Balancing work and life demands requires substantial energy, with the Philippines reporting the highest employee burnout in Southeast Asia (70.71%), linked to depression, anxiety, and stress among those working 40–50 hours weekly. Consequently, working adults increasingly seek accessible stress relief, with online gaming offering emotional rest, social connection, and personal growth. This qualitative study explored the positive effects of online gaming on working adults’ well-being. Six participants (4 males, 2 females) from the National Capital Region were interviewed via Google Meet. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis showed that gaming supports emotional regulation, stress relief, self-expression, enjoyment, relaxation, and reward. It also fosters relationship-building, communication, social networking, and cognitive and creative skills such as problem-solving and strategic planning. Challenges like shallow online interactions and potential social disengagement were noted. The findings suggest online gaming can be a positive outlet for well-being when paired with healthy habits such as emotional management, prioritization, and time management.
Keywords
online gaming, internet gamers, well-being, online gaming benefits
Author information & Contribution
Riccilae C. Anies. 1Corresponding author. Philippine Normal University - Manila. Email: anies.rc@stud.pnu.edu.ph
Narissa Faith P. Alcaraz. Philippine Normal University - Manila. Email: alcaraz.nfp@stud.pnu.edu.ph
Teresita T. Rungduin. PhD. Vice President for Research, Extension, and Quality Assurance. Philippine Normal University – Manila. Email: rungduin.tt@pnu.edu.ph
"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Funding
This work was not supported by any funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement
This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines set by the authors’ university. The conduct of this study has been approved and given relative clearances by the Philippine Normal University.
Data and Materials Availability
The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
AI Declaration
AI tools were not used in writing this paper.
Notes
This paper has been presented in 1st International Conference on Graduate Research in Teacher Education / 3rd International Graduate Teacher Education Summit; and in International Society of Transdisciplinary Researchers, Educators, and Leaders, Inc.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank the participants who shared their insights and experiences during the conduct of this study. Also, we would like to thank Dr. Teresita T. Rungduin for her guidance from the conceptualization until the finalization of this study. Lastly, we would like to thank our family and friends who tirelessly and continuously supported us throughout this study. Their contributions were essential in executing this study as well as imparting new perspectives which is necessary for the conduct of this study.
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Cite this article:
Anies, R.C., Alcaraz, N.F.P. & Rungduin, T.T. (2026). Positive effects of online games on the well-being of working adults. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 6(2), 49-71. https://doi.org/10.53378/irssr.353341
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