Understanding sleep-wake behaviour in esports

What is the purpose of this research?

This online survey study forms part of a PhD research program, which aims to extend knowledge of the activity demands and fatigue responses in esports. Findings from this research project may contribute to our understanding of the effects of sleepiness on cognitive performance, which is essential for success in esports.

Are you looking for people like me?

To meet the study requirements, esports players must be:

• aged 15 years or older
• involved in any seasonal esports competition/tournament/league, with a current in-game rank.

What will you ask me to do?

Eligible students participating in this research will be required to complete an online survey (total of 45 questions, approximately 10-minutes in duration) with items related to their demographics (e.g. age, gender, country of residence, caffeine intake), esports activity (e.g., esport title, gaming platform, in-game ranking, daily/weekly hours engaged in esports), and sleep characteristics (e.g. bed/wake times, sleep quality and duration, prevalence of daytime sleepiness).

Are there any risks for me in taking part?

There are minimal risks associated with participating in this study. For instance, you may feel uncomfortable reflecting on your esports engagement and sleeping habits. However, you do not have to complete any questions if you are uncomfortable providing an answering and can withdraw from the study during or after the survey without comment or penalty.

Are there any benefits for me in taking part?

It is expected that this research project will not benefit you directly. However, you may gain a heightened awareness of your own subjective sleeping habits. We expect that the results of this study will lead to a greater understanding of the benefits of sleeping for improving cognitive performance in esports.

Will I be compensated for my time?

To compensate your contribution should you choose to participate, you will receive an entry into a prize draw for the chance to win 1 of 5 online gift cards valued at $100. Alternatively, you may choose to participate and wish to remain anonymous (without providing your contact details), in which case you will not enter the prize draw.

I am interested - what should I do next?

Take the survey

Alternatively, you can contact a member of the research team for more information, or to request access to the online survey:

• Andrew Kidcaff via email andrew.kidcaff@hdr.qut.edu.au
• Tristan Coulter via email tristan.coulter@qut.edu.au
• Craig McNulty via email c.mcnulty@qut.edu.au