Problematic Mobile Gaming Engagement and Motivation Toward Physical Education Among College Students

The increasing popularity of mobile gaming among college students has raised concerns regarding its potential influence on physical activity and motivation toward Physical Education (PE). However, limited empirical evidence exists on the relationship between problematic mobile gaming engagement and PE motivation among Filipino college students. This study aimed to determine the extent of problematic mobile gaming engagement and motivation toward Physical Education, as well as to examine the differences and relationships between these variables among college students in a Private Catholic College in Bacolod City. A descriptive-comparative-correlational research design was employed, involving 267 first- and second-year college students selected through proportionate stratified random sampling from a population of 873 students during the Academic Year 2025–2026. Data were collected using validated and reliable researcher-adapted questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent samples t-test, Welch’s ANOVA, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation at a 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that the students exhibited a moderate level of problematic mobile gaming engagement and a high level of motivation toward Physical Education. No significant difference in problematic mobile gaming engagement was found when grouped according to year level; however, significant differences were observed across academic departments. Similarly, motivation toward Physical Education did not significantly differ according to either year level or academic department. Furthermore, no significant relationship was found between problematic mobile gaming engagement and motivation toward Physical Education. The study concludes that college students can maintain a high level of motivation toward Physical Education regardless of their level of mobile gaming engagement, suggesting that other motivational and contextual factors may play a more substantial role in influencing participation in PE activities. These findings underscore the potential value of incorporating gamified instructional strategies and wellness-oriented programs to enhance student engagement in Physical Education within higher education settings.

Mobile Gaming Engagement, Motivation toward Physical Education, College Students, Gamification, Physical Education

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