INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER GAMING TECHNOLOGIES ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

The article examines the relationship between self-assessment of time spent on computer gaming technologies and academic performance of university students. The novelty of the obtained results is the negative impact of the time spent on computer games on the academic performance of students. The most informative predictor of academic underachievement and the occurrence of academic debt among students is the measure of gaming time per week, i.e. engagement in gaming for more than 10 hours per week is reduced effectiveness in academic activities. The goal is to identify the relationship between engagement in computer gaming technologies and students’ academic performance. The sample consists of 389 students (average age of 19 years) studying in their first and second years at the university. The hypothesis is that the degree of involvement in computer gaming technologies affects students’ academic performance. Research methods: To determine the specifics of gaming engagement and preferences in computer gaming technologies (CGT), we created a questionnaire with questions about gaming activity and CGT preferences. Indices of average performance and academic debt were obtained from the university’s dean’s office databases. Statistical analysis of the data involved the use of correlation and regression analysis. According to the survey results, 75% of the students in the entire sample play computer games. Regression analysis results revealed that longer gaming time (per day, week, year) corresponds to a decrease in academic performance and an increase in student debt. The most informative predictor of students’ performance is the measure of self-assessed gaming time per week, and the most stable relationship between these measures is observed when the gaming time exceeds 10 hours per week. Conclusion: The hypothesis that the degree of involvement in computer gaming technologies affects students’ academic performance has been confirmed. The results of the conducted research can be used for psychological and pedagogical work with students, to inform about the impact of excessive engagement in CGT on academic performance and to prevent the initial signs of computer addiction.