Investigating the Impact of Peer Relationships on Student’s Motivation and Attitudes Towards Mobile Gaming

Abstract

With the outbreak of COVID-19, digital learning rapidly became a crucial pillar of global education systems, and the use of mobile games has become increasingly prevalent among upper elementary school students. This study aims to explore the relationship between upper elementary school student’s motivations and attitudes toward mobile gaming and their peer relationships, with particular attention to the influence of background factors such as gender, grade level, and parental attitudes. ( With a focus on the impact of background variables, including gender, grade level, and parental views, this study intends to investigate the relationship between upper elementary school students’ motivations and attitudes toward mobile gaming and their peer relationships.) The study employed a questionnaire survey and structural equation analysis involving 400 upper elementary school students from Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Results showed that males scored significantly higher than females in terms of self-efficacy and flow state; fifth-grade students scored substantially higher than sixth-graders in self-efficacy; and students whose parents did not prevent them from playing mobile games scored significantly higher in stress relief, flow state, and attitudes towards mobile games. Structural equation modelling analysis further revealed that mobile game motivation strongly affects students’ gaming attitudes and is highly related to flow state and sense of self-efficacy. Peer relationships were found to have a moderate positive influence on gaming motivation, while stress relief and peer and family influences were identified as key drivers.