Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Relationship satisfaction is crucial for health and happiness (Borelli & Rasmussen

& Burkhart & Sbarra, 2014). Globally, 75% of students report having been in an LDR at

some point, and at any given time, 35% of students are currently in an LDR (Stafford,

2005). In the local setting, Social Weather Stations (2016) conducted in December 2016

indicated that 67% of Filipinos believe in long distance relationship and 43% experienced

acknowledged they already experienced long-distance romantic relationships.

Amidst the rampant growth of adolescents involved in romantic relationships, there

has been no phenomenological study conducted to report the examined lived experience of

senior high school students in the locale who are involved in long-distance romantic

relationships, thus the birth of this study. This academic pursuit will help identify how

aforesaid students’ lives are affected by being so passionate about entering romantic

relationships. Also, this study is conducted to enable educators, school administrators,

health professionals like clinic nurse, school psychologist, and guidance counsellors to

become more competent during assessment, counselling, teaching, providing support, or

other interventions as needed to assist students involved in romantic relationships. In a

greater picture, results may be used by professionals in the development of competence in

terms of attending to the needs of students encountered in the arena of above stated

institution.
Statement of Objective

This study world determine the lived experiences of long distance romantic

relationship by the senior high school student in Central Philippines Adventist College.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What are the advantages/benefits of a long distance relationship?

2. What difficulties or challenges the respondent encountered?

3. How did the respondents overcome those difficulties or challenges?

Scope and limitation

This study focuses the lived experiences of Senior High Students involved in Long

Distance Romantic Relationship. This study will be conducted on 3rd week of March, 2018

inside the CPAC-A campus. The participants will be Senior High School Students aging

16 and above. In view of financial and time constraint respondents will be answer seriously

until data saturation is reach.

Significance of the Study

The results of the study are beneficial to the following:

Senior High Student. The result of this study would inform senior high students of what

are the benefits of romantic relationships.

Parents. Results would notify parents concerning the behavior and actuation of their

children that leads to an “entry-level” and more sophisticate elements depending on the

nature of the relationships and their experience with flirting strategies.

Guidance Counsellor. The teachers who are involved in teaching this senior high student

would be aware on how to guide the senior high students in dealing in a romantic

relationship and would know what the effects are when it comes to their academic

performance.

Future Researchers. Results of this study may serve as a base of future researchers in

designing and conducting further studies regarding of the factors of romantic

relationships specifically to senior high students.

Definition of Terms

Lived experiences. Conceptually, The term lived experience is used to describe the

first-hand accounts and impressions of living as a member of a minority or oppressed group

(Geek Ferminism Wiki, 2015). Operationally, it refers to motivating factors, hardships and

positive experiences of aforesaid CPAC-SHS students involved in romantic relationships

with opposite gender.

Long Distance. Conceptually, of or relating to telephone communication with

a distant point especially outside a specified area (Merriam -Webster, 2017).

Operationally, this refers to the CPAC senior high student who are experiencing

long distance relationship to their opposite gender.

Senior High School. Conceptually, refers to students who attend secondary

school or the three or four highest grades before college (Your Dictionary, 2017).

Operationally, it refers to the participants who will observed and interviewed in

this research. Furthermore, these persons Are CPAC-SHS students linked to have

engaged in long distance romantic relationship with opposite gender.

 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

What are Long-distance Romantic Relationships?

Long-distance romantic relationships (LDRs), are relationships wherein partners

that are separated by geographical distance (Bergen, Kirby, & McBride, 2007; Stafford,

2005). Moreover, long distance romantic relationships have been found to be more

idealized and more stable (Stafford, 2016). It provides positive outlook of adolescents’ life

which motivates the adolescents achieving goals such as performing well in the studies.

According to Lucas & Curpoz (2007), quality personal relationship that provide stability,

trust, and caring such as romantic relationship can increase learners sense of belonging,

self-respect and self-acceptance, and provide a positive climate for learning. Also this

study reveals that the digital realms is one part of a broader universe min which teens meet,

date and break up with romantic partners. Online spaces are used infrequency for meeting

romantic partners, but play a major role how teens flirt, woo and communicate with

potential and current flames.

Disadvantages of Long-distance Romantic Relationships

LDRs seem as though they would be less satisfying to romantic partners than

geographically close relationships (GCRs) simply because face-to-face interaction is

scarce, communication may be more difficult, and the financial burdens associated with

the relationship may be greater (Stafford, 2005; Stafford & Merolla, 2007). These stressors

have the potential to generate downstream psychological effects related to the physical
separation, such as concerns regarding loyalty, fidelity, and commitment to the relationship

of one’s partner (Pistole, 2010; Roberts & Pistole, 2009; Vormbrock, 1993).

The Attachment theory further explains the individual differences felt by

individuals involved in long-distance romantic relationships in terms of security and

relationship stability. As seen in children, physical separation from the attachment figure

is the most salient threat to children’s attachment relationships, launching an invariant

cascade of behavioral and emotional reactions (Borelli & Rasmussen & Burkhart & Sbarra,

2014; Bowlby, 1982 [1969]). In adulthood, too, physical separation from one’s romantic

partner is conceptualized as a key attachment stressor (Borelli & Rasmussen & Burkhart

& Sbarra, 2014; Zeifman & Hazan, 1997; Vormbrock, 1993; Hazan & Shaver, 1987).

Although the length of separation required to evoke a distress response may be longer

among adults as compared to children, theorists argue that physical separation from one’s

romantic partner has the potential to undermine felt security among adults in a manner

similar to what transpires among children experiencing prolonged separations from

caregivers (Hazan & Shaver, 1987; Vormbrock, 1993). The physical absence of the

romantic partner threatens adults’ sense of safety because their secure base is not available

(Bowlby, 1988; Vormbrock, 1993). Further, the temporary lapse in partner availability may

raise the threat of permanent loss of the relationship, which could permanently destabilize

one’s security in the relationship and promote psychological distress (Bowlby, 1973;

Cameron & Ross, 2007; Guldner, 1996; Maguire & Kinney, 2010; Pistole, 2010; Sahlstein,

2010; Vormbrock, 1993).

In order for an LDR to be stable, adults must be able to maintain feelings of security

vis-à-vis their romantic partner despite long stretches of physical separation (Borelli &
Rasmussen & Burkhart & Sbarra, 2014; Vormbrock, 1993). Differences in coping with

relationship stress secondary to physical separation are likely to emerge. Relationship

satisfaction, itself thought to result from the interaction between individual and dyadic

factors (Borelli & Rasmussen & Burkhart & Sbarra, 2014; Hazan & Shaver, 1987), may

be integrally associated with the capacity to maintain felt security in an LDR. Adults who

are highly satisfied with their romantic relationship may be able to construe the physical

separation as unrelated to the overall stability of the relationship itself and may thereby be

able to weather the challenges of an LDR with intact relationship satisfaction. However,

LDR members who are relatively unsatisfied with their romantic relationship may have

trouble contextualizing insecurity as resulting from the physical separation, instead

attributing the feelings to integral aspects of the relationship itself, which in turn may lead

to less positive feelings about the relationship and lower relationship stability.

Advantages of Long-distance Romantic Relationships

Synthesis