CHAPTER I

The Problem and Its Setting

This study and as well as the aim is about the factors that causes stress and the impacts it

has on students’ performance and some possible management techniques. The main objectives

were to ascertain or identify the extent to which stress affects students’ academic success, health

and general lifestyle, as well as to inquire and bring to light measures to counteract the effects of

existing stress in students. The delimitation on the other hand will be the focus on the Grade-12

Senior High School students in Alpha Centauri Educational System Inc. The very mention of the

word ‘stress' brings thoughts such as increased rate of depression, anxiety, cardiovascular

disease, and other potentially life-threatening issues to one's mind. Oftentimes, a student rushes

from one end of campus to the other, trying to make their next class on time. Since classes are

scheduled back-to-back, there is less or no time to even eat. Take, for instance, it is three o'clock

and a student is extremely hungry. This week, they have got three mid-semester examinations to

study for, and a backlog of 300 pages to read. They are meeting with a study group tonight to

finish studies on a rushed research presentation. Too bad they have also got three other

assignments due tomorrow, so it looks like they will not be getting much sleep tonight. The fact

is indisputable that, having the above introductory paragraph as a schedule, in reality, will

certainly make a student be tensed up. Yet, those are the hectic routines we experience as

students these days. We feel lost, overwhelmed, frozen, or unable to cope when confronted with

so many tasks. Busy schedules crammed with studies, study, and extracurricular activities can

take a toll on student’s physical and mental health, especially if one is not eating or sleeping

1
properly. If untreated, these stressors can compound over time, leading to even greater levels of

stress. It is also worth noting that stress is an inevitable part of student-life; as it takes a toll on

most students' physical health, emotional wellbeing, and academic performance. The rise of this

pandemic in students is on account of factors such as the somewhat sudden change in lifestyle,

increased study load, new responsibilities among others. A publication on stress by the

University of New York Retrieved (March 14, 2016) buttresses the notion that, extreme levels of

stress can hinder studies effectiveness and lead to poor academic performance and attrition. It

goes on to affirm that, students who experienced stressful life events also reported worse health

outcomes and reduced quality of life. Even as we delve into the core of the subject matter, ample

attention needs to be accorded the proposal that, introducing successful coping strategies may

help students to avoid the destructive consequences of excessive stress.

2
 Statement of the Problem

This research study aims to identify the stress and coping mechanism of Senior High School

of Alpha Centauri Educational System Inc. towards Academic Pressure

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents of the following:

1.1 Sex

1.2 SHS Strand

2. What are the stress coping-mechanisms of Senior High School of Alpha Centauri

Educational System Inc. towards Academic Pressure?

3. Is there a significance difference in the stress coping mechanism of Senior High School

of Alpha Centauri Educational System Inc. towards Academic Pressure when grouped

according to the demographic profile?

4. Based on the findings of the study what possible output can be divided in the stress

coping mechanism towards Academic Pressure?

3
 Significance of the Study

The researcher believes that the findings of the study would be beneficial to the

university/schools especially the following:

For the Students, to determine the knowledge regarding stress and coping mechanism to see

importance of it in stress related factors.

For the Parents, the parents will understand why their children have a hard time on dealing

stress through the given data. The given data would help them formulate some ways to make

their children to get more comfortable in dealing stress.

For the Teachers, the given data will be used as guide the teachers on what to do if they are

dealing with stress. The teachers can be able to know the ways of how to deal with stress.

For the Future Researchers, the findings of this study can be a support for further researchers

concerning of the Stress and Coping Mechanisms. It can be their basis and pattern that can help

them with their research for it to have strong foundation.

For the Administration, the output of this research might have some opportunities to have some

way of sharing other future researchers some data about this topic or they would have an idea

about this topic.

4
 Conceptual Paradigm

The conceptual framework paradigm of the study is based on the system concept consider with

the input, process and output.

The input variable includes Senior High School Students and their gender.

The process variable, the knowledge of Senior High School Students about Stress and Coping

Mechanisms.

The output variable, includes the Implications of the study of Senior High School.

Input Process Output

The demographic profile

of the Grade 12 Senior
High School Students
and their Stress Coping
Mechanism towards
Academic Pressure
Determining their Stress A proposed handbook
and Coping Mechanism containing the Stress and
through Survey Coping Mechanism that a
Questionnaires student can use

5
 Theoretical Framework

Stress is somewhat a difficult concept to define largely because it is such a unique, individual

and subjective experience. It is derived from the Latin word1 “Stringer”. It was popularly used in

the seventeenth century to mean hardship, straits, adversity or affliction. In physical science, the

term stress refers to the internal force generated within a solid body by the action of any external

force. A few definitions of stress are given below and they are useful according to scope and

clarity.

Aswathappa. K (2009) Defines, “Stress is an adaptive response to an external situation that

results in physical, psychological and / or behavioural deviations for organization participations.”

Stephen P. Robbins et al (2010)10 has defined “Stress is a dynamic condition in which an

individual is confronted with an opportunity, demand, or resource related to what the individual

desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important.”

Scope and Limitations

The research sample is bounded with in the Alpha Centauri Educational System Inc. (ACES)

and is composed of 1-page questionnaire related to stress which was given to ACES’ Grade 12

Senior High School respondents with different personal backgrounds and beliefs. Respondents

are of different tracks and strands with usual high school life. This is to show various stress

situations and stress management strategies in senior high school level.

6
 Definition of Terms

The researchers used conceptual definition of unfamiliar words to help readers to

understand this study.

Academic – refers to the associated with an academy or school especially of higher learning

(Webster’s Thesaurus, 2008)

Coping – refers to invest own conscious effort, to solve personal and interpersonal problems, in

order to try to master, minimize or tolerate stress and conflict (Webster’s Thesaurus, 2008)

Mechanism – refers to the fundamental processes involved in or responsible for an action, reaction, or

other natural phenomenon (Webster’s Thesaurus, 2008)

Pressure- refers to the stress or urgency of matters demanding attention. (Webster’s Thesaurus,

2008)

Stress – refers to the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's

time (Webster’s Thesaurus, 2008)

7
 CHAPTER 3

Research Methodology

This chapter of this study discusses the method that was used in conducting the study, the

research design, respondents of the study, research locale, data gathering procedure , research

instruments, and the statistical treatment of data.

Research Design

According to Jenkins (2010) the researcher used a quantitative-descriptive research

method in conducting the study. Most quantitative research falls into two areas: studies that

describe events and studies aimed at discovering inferences or causal relationships. Studies of

this type might describe the current state of multimedia usage in schools or patterns of activity

resulting from group work at the computer. Descriptive statistics offers the ability to show the

readers what could otherwise be shown by simply providing the data. Through the use of graphs,

tables, charts and models, the researcher group the data together to offer a more complete picture

of what the data shows.

The Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study will be the Senior High School Students who are

officially enrolled at Alpha Centauri Education System Inc. SY. 2018-2019 the students who are

taking HUMSS and ABM.

8
 Research Locale

The study focuses on the stress coping mechanism of Senior High School students in the

school of Alpha Centauri Educational System Inc. (ACES) located at K-18 Diversion Road

Ilayang Dupay Lucena City. Using survey questionnaire, the researchers were able to gather the

data needed to the study.

Instrumentation

For the purpose of this study, the researcher made use of structured questions to save the

respondent’s time and gather necessary data. Using survey questionnaire with the rating scale of

(4) strongly agree, (3) agree, (2) disagree, and (1) strongly disagree, researchers were able to

gather concise and precise information that will be used to answer the research questions.

Data Gathering Procedure

In gathering the necessary information, the researcher sent a letter to the administration

office requesting permission to conduct the study in ACES.

9
Statistical Treatment

The researchers utilized the weighted arithmetic mean rating scale. Weighted mean is a

measurement of central tendency. It represents the average of given data .Weighted mean is

similar to arithmetic mean or sample mean

1. Percentage - this statistical tool used to find the result of the characteristics of the subjects

under study and the frequency of ;

Where:

P= percentage

f = frequency

n= number of responses

n
𝑓
P= x 100
𝑛

2,Weighted Arithmetic Mean - The researcher will use weighted arithmetic mean to find out
n
that the effectiveness of teaching style
u
Formula :
m

5𝑓 4𝑓 3𝑓 2𝑓 1𝑓 b
WAM = 𝑁
e
Where :
r

WAM - Weighted Arithmetic Mean

o
f- Frequency
f

10
s

u
N -Total number of respondents

The researchers will also use the mean to get the average score of the weighted mean

Likert Scale

Respondents were given a chance to rate each statement in the questionnaire. Their answers

were given a corresponding number as follows:

4 Strongly Agree

3 Agree

2 Disagree

1 Strongly Disagree

Scale - it is a set of categories designed to gather information about a quantitative or qualitative

attribute that was used in finding the result of the contributions Stress Coping Mechanism as

perceived by the respondents.

Range Verbal Description

3.26-4.00 Strongly Agree (SA)

2.51- 3.25 Agree (A)

1.76-2.50 Disagree (D)

1.00- 1.75 Strongly Disagree (SD)

11