Information for

Parents + carers

If your child is 14–16 and plays videogames—even just a few times a month—they are invited to be part of a research study called Level Up: Understanding Teens’ Videogame Play.

We know gaming can be fun, creative, and social. But sometimes it can be tricky to balance with school, friends, or other stuff. That’s why we want to hear from your child—about how they play, why they play, and how it fits into their life. 

PARENT INFO SHEET

There are two parts to the study. You and your child can choose to complete the surveys, or both the survey and interview.

1 Online Surveys at School 

  • Your child will be invited to take part in three surveys at school.  These will ask very similar questions in each survey and will track their responses over time. They will receive an invitation to retake the surveys after 1 and 3 months from the first survey.

  • Each survey takes about 30–35 minutes.

  • They’ll answer questions about their gaming habits, health, and wellbeing.  

2 Volunteer to also take part in an interview 

  • We are also keen to talk to teens about their videogaming. Your child can volunteer at the end of the survey to be contacted for an interview.  

  • A 1-hour chat with a researcher (online or in person) scheduled at school during school time.

  • They’ll talk about their gaming experiences—what’s fun, what’s tricky, and how it affects their day-to-day life.

  • The interview is audio-recorded, and you can review your responses afterwards.

QUESTIONS

  • Yes. We are looking to collect a variety of gaming experiences. So, if they play games three or more times a month, they can participate.

  • No. Responses are confidential and won’t be shared with parents, schools, or anyone outside the research team.  

  • The only time your child will be recorded is if they choose to take part in the interview. The interview will be audio-recorded so we can write up their responses. The recording is stored securely and only the research team can access it. It won’t be used for anything else.  

  • It is expected that this research project will not benefit you or your child directly. However, this study will likely increase our understanding of healthy versus unhealthy videogame play in teens, which may benefit teens who play videogames in the future.  

    The outcomes of this research will inform the development of educational resources for parents, teachers, and teens to promote healthy gaming behaviours. These resources will be of direct benefit to teens and their families. 

    You (and your child) can also ask for a summary of the study’s findings.  

  • Support is available at any time, regardless of whether your child chooses to participate or not. They can talk to their school counsellor, or reach out to services like:  

    • Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800  

    • Lifeline – 13 11 14 (text support also available)  

    Participants in the study will also have access to QUT Psychology & Counselling Clinic.  

    Your child will also get reminders about support services after each survey.  

  • Their answers are stored securely and coded so they can’t be linked back to participants. Any personal info (like your child’s email) is kept separate and deleted after the study. De-identified data may be used in future research.  

  • Please click this link and complete the form. If you don’t want your child to participate, you don’t need to do anything.  
    Once you give consent, your child will get a link to the survey and can choose which parts of the study they want to join.