CHAPTER I

Introduction

Background of the Study

Stress is a broad-based phenomenon that even students are prone to it as much as adults are.

Because of the high demand and expectations that are aimed towards the millennial students,

some cannot cope up and fall into stress. People handle stress in different ways. It may have a

negative impact to some and to others, positively. It is viewed negatively by the majority but

according to Greenberg (1992), some pressure in academic programs clearly enhances

productivity and learning. However, Heins et al. (1984), stated that too much stress is likely to

detract an individual from learning. There are also thresholds for stress that could cause harm to

adequate psychological and physical functioning according to Brantley and Jones (1993).

Globally, nearly half (49%) of all students reported feeling a great deal of stress on a daily

basis and 31 percent reported feeling somewhat stressed. Females reported significantly higher

levels of stress than males (60% vs. 41%). Grades, homework, and preparing for college were

the greatest sources of stress for both genders. A substantial minority, 26 percent of participants,

reported symptoms of depression at a clinically significant level. According to Noelle

Leonard(2015) academic, athletic, social, and personal challenges have been regarded as

domains of "good stress" for high school aged youth. However, there is growing awareness that

many subgroups of youth experience high levels of chronic stress, to the extent that it impedes

their abilities to succeed academically, compromises their mental health functioning, and fosters
risk behavior. Furthermore, this chronic stress appears to persist into the college years, and

Leonard warns it may contribute to academic disengagement and mental health problems among

emerging adults.

Nationally, Blona (2005) claims that students experience stress since some are trying to cope

with the demands of adapting to a new living environment, new peers, academic pressure, and

sexual concerns. These situations can affect the performance or reduce the student to

ineffectiveness. Based on the study of Mazo (2015), thesis writing/research and school

requirements/projects were the most common causes of stress. Sleepless nights and

irritable/moody feeling were the common effects of stress. Also, based on the study entitled

“Stressors and Stress Responses of Filipino College students” Dy et. al. (2015), the study

determined the stressors and stress responses of Filipino students in relation to sex, course and

academic classification. The top five overall stressors of the respondents were academic

difficulty of subject matter, workload due to subjects, time management because of subjects,

responsibilities due to being on one's own, and time management because of both subjects’ and

organizations. Overall, all students, regardless of their academic classification pointed out that

academics, workload due to subjects, and time management were their main stressors. They all

reacted to stress with affective stress responses.

Locally, findings show from the study of V. Jimenez (2015) rom the College of Teacher

Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City, Philippines, that most of the students in the

higher year levels are more stressful than those in the lower year levels. Some of those stressors

are pressure from entering college and facing new environment. Students on the lower year

levels don’t feel as stressed as the ones ahead of them mainly because the pressure focused to

them is not as much as those that are about to take up tertiary education. There is also the fact
that some senior high students are going straight to the real field of work after graduation making

them more grade conscious and stressed that those students on lower years.

Academic stress is a growing dilemma that students encounter worldwide. Disturbingly, it is

experienced by juniors and seniors in a daily basis that has brought the attention of many

psychiatrist and other professionals. Kouzma and Kennedy(2015) reported that school-related

situations – such as tests, grades, studying, self-imposed need to succeed, as well as that induced

by others – are the main sources of stress for high school students. The impact of academic stress

is also far-reaching: high levels of academic stress have led to poor outcomes in the areas of

exercise, nutrition, substance use, and self-care. Furthermore academic stress is a risk factor for

psychopathology. For example, fourth, fifth and sixth-grade girls who have higher levels of

academic stress are more likely to experience feelings of depression.

Statement of the Problem

Stress among students have been widely debated for many years and how it causes fear,

anxiety and lack of productivity. It plays a role as a major suspect in many failing grades and

unsatisfactory performance among students. For many years, professionals have studied how it

affects our well-being and how to prevent it from causing too much harm especially on students.

Too much stress on the said group can be very disturbing because they are in a stage where they

might overthink and be unpredictable.

The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between stress and academic

performance of students. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions.

• What is the demographic profile of the respondents when grouped according to:
 • age;

• sex; and

• year level

• What are the main stressors that causes the downfall of academic performance among

Junior and Senior High School students?

• Which among the Junior and Senior High School Students experience a higher level of

stress?

Hypothesis
Hi: The stress level of Junior and Senior High School students have a significant effect on

their academic performance.

Ho: The stress level of Junior and Senior High School students have no significant effect on

their academic performance.

Review of Related Literature

In this study, the literatures and studies are carefully selected and deliberated upon on the

basis of relatively and reliability of the information presented. This literatures and studies help

the researchers to have an evidence and proof to their study. Also, this chapter discusses the

relevance of the study.

Definition of Stress
Stress is generally defined as the body’s nonspecific response or reaction to demands made

on it, or to disturbing events in the environment (Rosenham & Seligman, 1989; Selye, 1974). It
is a process by which we perceive and cope with environmental threats and challenges (Myers &

Health, 2005). Therefore, stress is simply defined as emotional disturbances or changes caused

by stressors. Stress which promotes and facilitates learning is called good stress. An optimal

level of stress can enhance learning ability (Kaplan & Saddock, 2000). On the other hand, stress

which inhibits and suppresses learning is called bad stress. The bad stress must be prevented and

avoided (Linn & Zeppa, 1984). It is noteworthy that the same stressors may be perceived

differently by different students, depending on their cultural background, personality traits,

experience and coping skills (Kaufman, et al., 1996). The definition of academic stress is the

anxiety and stress that comes from schooling and education. There is the stress of doing all of the

work, balancing the time and finding time for extra-curricular activities. Academic stress is

especially hard on school students who are often living away from home for the first time.

Major Sources of Stress in Students

Students have a unique cluster of stressful experiences. Bernstein, et al., (2008) define the

sources of stress as every circumstance or event that threatens to disrupt people’s daily

functioning and causes them to make adjustments. Similarly, Phinney & Haas (2003) stressed

out sources of stress more specifically as a unique set of stressful encounters among student

which includes: difficult financial challenges, domestic responsibilities, responsibilities related to

holding a job while in school, and a heavy academic load.

Research has shown that academic workload has been one of the major sources of high

school students’ stress. Chiang (1995) proposed that such stress comes from too much

homework, unsatisfactory academic performance, preparation for tests, lack of interest in a

particular subject, and teacher’s punishment. In addition, he working hours, workload, lack of

resources to carry out their job, and the low level of reward were most frequently identified as
stressors (Tiwari & Balani, 2013). Normally students encounter high level of stress when they

received lower grades. This is because some students link their grades with their future. Stress is

marked by overly high performance standards, with high levels of worry, self-criticism of

attention while preparing for or taking exams Altmaier (1983).

Sibnath Deb, Esben Strodl and Jiandong Sun (2012). Academic-related stress among private

secondary school students in India. Findings revealed that 35 and 37 percent reported high or

very high levels of academic stress and exam anxiety respectively. All students reported high

levels of academic stress, but those who had lower grades reported higher levels of stress than

those with higher grades. Students who engaged in extra-curricula activities were more likely to

report exam anxiety than those who did not engage in extra-curricula activities.

According to Kai-wen (2010) students at this level may sometimes experience incompatibility of

their mental development with their physical changes or with social environment and thus suffer

from problems arising from inadequate adaptation. These problems may further cause

psychological troubles and even induce deviant behaviours.

Adverse Effects of Stress in Students

According George Essel and Patrick Owusu(2017), students today experience high levels

of stress in many areas of life. This is an important domain for further research and an effective

channel of intervention for university mental health professionals. Study schedules, especially in

universities, are very challenging. The act of combining a busy life along with education causes

stress and depression. Limited stress is beneficial and can lead to excellent performances.

However, uncontrolled stress can lead to exhaustion, depression and several other sicknesses. In

fact, students are prone to episodic stress. This happens when exams are around the corner.
Stress and depression also occur when getting ready for a presentation or an interview. Several

students contemplate or commit suicide. Student life is a changeover period. They do a course

supposing it will empower them to do or have something that they need, for example, expanded

openings for work or upgraded delight in life. Concentrating on is a piece of a procedure of

progress and, here and there, change can bring about a considerable measure of nervousness.

Students in school especially universities experience an intense stage taking care of anxiety and

misery. Firstly, their hormones are in overdrive, which causes stress. Furthermore, the weight to

do well adds to their anxiety levels. Homework, issues at home, connections at school and

associate weight all add to stress and depression. The stress students experience may test their

ability to cope and adapt to the environment they find themselves in. The impact of stress on

students can be looked at from various angles. According to (Centre 2010, 10–12) Stress affects

students academically, socially, physically and emotionally

Impact of stress Academically

George Essel and Patrick Owusu(2017) also stated that stress affecting students

academically leads them to have bad performance in school work. Students experience a lack of

concentration. Stress in college students can affect the ability to concentrate, and there have been

studies conducted that prove that stress interferes with a student's ability to concentrate, Stress in

students is not something we can take likely. Ironically stress improves concentration for a short

term because when students are little stressed up they then to focus to try to get the issue in

question which stresses them away but these concentrations doesn't last for long since they will

have more school work or others assignments to do which demand long-term concentrations

rather than the short term.

 Furthermore, stress affect the productivity or the output students make. When students are

stressed up they turn not to give their maximum best when doing school work and as a result, it

manifests in the outputs the bring which are clearly seen in the grades. Stress makes students

spend fewer hours trying to get some school work done and they also do it in a shabby manner

not following the instructions giving the assignments in question. They also don't make adequate

preparation for examinations. In the long term, it can even affect their plans for the future. Also,

stress affects the initiative skills of students. Most students when stressed upturn to lack the

ability to bring up new ideas to solve problems or issues, thus when students are faced with some

challenges which might be even so easy to solve because they are stressed up to refuse or are

unable to rack their brains to find solutions to that problem. Lastly, stress cause students to be

confused and also suffer from amnesia. All people when stressed upturn to be sixes and sevens

with the little- complicated issues. In the academic life of students, they easily have

misunderstandings with what is been taught in school and don't know what to do. On the other

hand, many of them.

Theoretical Framework

In the study of Kai-wen (2010), adolescents are mostly concerned about their physical

appearances than about other aspects. Feng (1992) in Kai-wen (2010) pointed out that setting

high goals, being a perfectionist and comparing self with others and self degradation may all

cause stress and result in depression. He also cited some of the situation in the school that could

cause stress for students, such as too much homework, unsatisfactory academic performance,

preparation for test/examination, lack of interest in a particular subject. According to Roberts and

White (1989) academic work may reflect some of the high level of stress that students have

reported. Some of them experience grade pressures that cause students to have problem with
stress. Too much stress can interfere with a student preparation, concentration and performance.

One of the main cause of academic stress is test anxiety. Many students at this level of

development are pre-occupied with the development of relationship with opposite sex. They

want to belong and be accepted by their peers. Making new friends is another source for college

students. “Giving up or changing new friendships and developing new ones is often a stressful

activity associated with college life” (Greenberg, 1996, p280). The family can also be a source of

stress for secondary school students. Some families place a great deal of stress on students by

telling them that they need to acquire good grades. In addition, families with constant conflicts

are characterized by a lack of parent-child communication and shallow understanding of each

other’s expectation. Stress among students have been widely debated for many years and how it

causes fear, anxiety and lack of productivity. It plays a role as a major suspect in many failing

grades and unsatisfactory performance among students. For many years, professionals have

studied how it affects our well-being and how to prevent it from causing too much harm

especially on students. Too much stress on the said group can be very disturbing because they

are in a stage where they might overthink and be unpredictable.

Many people think that being exposed to pressure would help them be more composed in

the future. How it would help them be ready and steadfast in the years to come. People have

failed to notice, however, that not all of those students are capable of handling stress as well as

others. That a high stress level could lead to unfathomable events and may harm the student

itself.

If we continue to believe that all students are capable of handling stress without taking

into account their well-being, then we’ll never understand the larger question of how to increase

productivity among students and achieving satisfactory performance.

Independent Variable/s Dependent Variable

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

The framework is composed of two variables: Dependent and Independent. In this study

all the factors that causes stress that is stated above will be the independent variable while stress

as the dependent variable. This figure shows the relationship on how the stated factors increase

the level of stress that the student are facing.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will redound to the benefit of the society, mainly teachers,

students and parents. It would contribute further knowledge about stress focused on students and

how it should be dealt with. In this study we should be able to determine the stress levels

between students in both junior and senior high school departments. Thus, schools who will

apply the recommended approach derived from the results of this study will be able to train

students better. Administrators will be guided on what should be emphasized by teachers in the
school curriculum to improve student’s performance. For the researcher, the study will help them

uncover critical areas in the educational process that triggers the stress that other researchers may

have not explored.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study will focus on finding out the stress levels of both junior and senior high

school students and finding out the differences in it. What factors that triggers the stress and

which of the two subgroups experience a higher stress level. This study will also indicate effects

suffered from stress and how to cope with it. Recommendations would be discussed on how to

improve the student’s performance and how to reverse the said situation.

Definition of Terms

• Stress

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very

demanding circumstances.

• Academic Stress

Academic stress is mental distress with respect to some anticipated frustration associated

with academic failure. or even unawareness to the possibility of such failure. Students

have to face many academic demands, for. example, school examination, answering

questions in the class, showing progress in school subjects.

 • Stressors

Stressor is any activity, event, or stimulus that causes the release of stress hormones

CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design; respondents of the study; research locale;

instruments used; data gathering procedures and analysis.

It describes the research methods that were applied in this study, the survey

questionnaire which was used to collect the data and the administration of it as well. A survey

was utilized to measure the stress level among the students. Information such as name, age,

gender, year level are also included in the survey.

Research Design

This study will utilize the descriptive-comparative method of research. Widely accepted,

the descriptive-comparative method of research is a fact-finding study that involves adequate and

accurate interpretation of findings. A descriptive-comparative research attempts to describe,

explain and interpret conditions of the present “what is” on the stress level of Grade 10 and 11

students of Holy Cross College of Calinan.

Respondents of the Study

The selected respondents in the research that will be conducted are the students from

Grade 10 and Grade 11. The respondents that will be chosen is limited only up to 100 students,

50 students from Grade 10 and 50 students from Grade 11. The said grade levels are chosen by

the researchers because they’re affected by the drastic change in curriculum and the researchers

wanted to compare on how this increase or decrease the level of stress that the students are

facing.

The sampling method that will be used in this research is stratified random sampling.

This method ensures that each subgroup of a given population is adequately represented within

the whole sample population of a research study. In order to save time and money, the

researchers take on a more feasible approach by selecting a small group from the population. The

respondents that are selected are just subset of a larger population.

 Table

Year Level Number of Respondents

Grade 10 50

Grade 11 50

Research Locale

The study will be conducted at Holy Cross College of Calinan and the respondents are

the bona fide students of the said college who’s currently enrolled as Grade 10 and 11 in the

academic year 2017-2018. The Holy Cross College of Calinan , formerly named Holy Cross of

Calinan was opened by the PME Fathers in June 1948 as an answer to the general public’s

repeated and urgent clamor for an institution that could provide their children with a secondary

education which was both academic and spiritual. Since then, the school has gradually and

continuously grown and expanded in size, enrollment, and in-teaching and non-teaching

personnel. The school is located at the Davao-Bukidnon Highway in Davao City, Davao Del Sur,

Philippines.
Research Instrument

The researchers used a survey questionnaire to gather information that is significant to

the study conducted. This questionnaire contained different statements or questions that address

the research objectives and questions.

The study was answered independently by the respondents at the time of their

convenience. The demographics contained age, gender, year level and family status. This

provided an understanding of the background information for the respondents participating in the

study.

Data Gathering Procedure

 The researchers personally ask the respondents to answer or respond to the survey

questionnaire that is used in the study. It took two days to gather all survey information from the

respondents. The researcher then extracted the survey results and formatted it. The results were

then interpreted and analyzed.

Data Analysis

The Likert scale was used to interpret the items in the questionnaire. After doing so the

researchers constructed a frequency distribution table for all the data sets, this is said to be the

foundation of descriptive statistics. Utilization of the same is useful whenever a broad

description of data concentration and spread is needed. The data refers to what is gathered from

the respondents in the survey questionnaire which are grouped into a frequency distribution

table. Creating a distribution table is useful to the researchers because it describe a data set –

mean, mode, median, variance, and etc. Frequency table is generally utilized to describe

nominal, ordinal and interval data.

To measure the general response of the survey samples weighted mean is used, whether

they agree to a given statement or not.

The use of t-test is also utilized in conducting the study in order to compare the values of

the means from the two year levels whether it is likely that the samples are from populations

having not the same mean values.