ARAULLOUNIVERSITY

P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction

Stress is part of life no matter how wealthy,

powerful, attractive, or happy people might be. However,

stress may take different forms depending on the

situation. Stress may occur when one is doing a difficult

exam, an automobile accident, waiting in a long line,

during a day on which everything goes wrong.

Most students experience grade pressures that cause

students to have stress. Too much stress can interfere

with a students preparation, concentration, and

performance. Yet, positive stress can be helpful to

students by motivating them to peak performance. Some

education students also have a fear of failure in

relation to their grades and academic work.

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

The researches believe that college students

experience higher stress at predictable times each

semester because of the academic commitments, financial

pressures, and lack of time management skills. This can

affect health, emotional state and academic

performance, once stress has become perceived

negatively or has become excessive. Thus, the

researcher, being college students, want to examine the

common stressors of education students and their

relationship to academic performance. This study is

focused on the exploration of how education students

perceive stress and experience specific stress effects

in their studies.

Review of Related Literature and Studies

Foreign Studies
 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

Stress is a common element in the lives of every

individual, regardless of race or cultural background

(Garrett, 2001). Over the past few decades, there has

been significant investigation on the issues of stress

and management of stress (Dziegielewski, Turnage &

RoestMarti, 2004). In addition, college students have

been shown to possess a unique set of stressors, which

can affect their daily experiences (Garrett, 2001). The

focus of this article is on stress and how it can affect

academic success.

According to Selye (2000 p. 27), stress is a

"nonspecific response of the body to any demands made

upon it". In other words, as demands are made on an

individual or as situations arise, the body attempts to

adjust or adapt to the situation in order to reestablish

normalcy (Selye, 2000). Selye (2000) further states that

there is a series of physiological reactions that occurs

in response to environmental demands or any noxious

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

stimulus. Some familiar reactions to demands made on the

body include increased heart rate, respiratory rate,

blood pressure and blood glucose level. These

compensatory reactions occur to ensure the muscles and

vital organs have an ample supply of oxygen, energy and

nutrients to handle the challenging situation (Nathan,

2002). In addition, Nathan (2002) also states that

prolonged and severe stress may be psychologically

damaging in that it may hinder a person's ability to

engage in effective behavior. Another view of the effect

of stress on the body was presented by Lazarus and

Folkman (2003), in that they state stress is more than a

response to environmental demands, but is also related to

personal perception. If an individual perceives a

situation as stressful, then it is indeed stressful.

Also, if an individual is susceptible or vulnerable to

the negative effects produced by stressors, the situation

may pose a threat or may be harmful to the individual

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

(Lazarus & Folkman, 2003). Furthermore, an individual's

well-being may be at risk whenever their resources to

manage the stressful situation is limited or depleted

(Lazarus & Folkman, 2003). All in all, when multiple

demands are made on an individual, they usually

experience intense feelings of stress related to role-

ambiguity, role-strain and role-overload (Dziegielewski

et al., 2004).

The belief that there is a relationship between

stress and disease has been discussed for several

decades. Holmes and Rahe (1967) were among the first

researchers who identified a relationship between

stressful life experiences and the onset of disease. In

addition to an overall definition of stress, Lazarus and

Folkman (2003) found that hassles and uplifts seem to be

a better predictor of a person's well-being. Daily

hassles have been defined by Kanner, Coyne, Schafer &

Lazarus (1981) as irritating or annoying factors that

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

occur on a daily basis, and place demands on an

individual. On the other hand, uplifts have been

described as positive experiences that buffer the

negative effects of hassles (Kanner et al., 2002).

According to Lazarus and Folkman (2003), the severity and

intensity of daily hassles and uplifts are key

determinants of illness and well-being

College students have a unique cluster of stressful

experiences or stressors (Garrett, 2001). According to

Ross, Neibling and Heckert (1999), there are several

explanations for increased stress levels in college

students. First, students have to make significant

adjustments to college life. Second, because of the

pressure of studies, there is strain placed on

interpersonal relationships. Third, housing arrangements

and changes in lifestyle contribute to stress experienced

by college students. In addition, students in college

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

experience stress related to academic requirements,

support systems, and ineffective coping skills.

Frazier and Schauben (1994) used the Psychological

Distress Inventory to obtain information regarding stress

experienced by a group of female college students. The

researchers found that female college students

experienced stress related to financial problems, test

pressure, failing a test, rejection from someone,

dissolution of relationships, depression and feelings of

low self-esteem. On the contrary, Ross et al. (1999),

conducted a study on college students of both genders and

found a different set of stressors that were common among

all college students; those experiences associated with

stress included a change in eating and sleeping habits,

new responsibilities, heavier work loads and breaks.

Similarly, Phinney and Haas (2003) reported a unique set

of stressful experiences among ethnic minority, first

generation college freshmen. More specifically, sources

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

of stress included difficult financial challenges,

domestic responsibilities, responsibilities related to

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

Also, the ethnic minority college freshmen experienced

stressors such as conflicts in time management, pressure

associated with their academic workload and problems

within their family (Phinney & Haas, 2003). In addition

to identification of stressors experienced by first

generation ethnic minority freshmen, Phinney and Haas

(2003) found that students who expressed strong social

support congruent with their educational goals,

experienced more feelings of self- efficacy, self-

confidence and selfdetermination. Consequently, these

students believed they were more successful in their

academic endeavors in that they were better able to cope

with their stressful experiences. Dill and Henley (1998)

offered another viewpoint on stressors among college

students. These investigators suggested that there were

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

pointed differences in the perception of stressors

between traditional versus nontraditional college

students. A descriptive study revealed that traditional

students were younger, and they reported more stressors

associated with their peers, and stress related to social

activities in college. On the other hand, the

nontraditional students were older, and therefore

reported stress related to family issues, due to multiple

roles within the family setting.

Besides the usual stressors associated with college

life, students enrolled in a curriculum of a caring

profession seem to face additional stressors related to

their clinical practicum (Dziegielewski et al., 2004).

Also, burnout among caring professionals, such as those

in medicine, nursing and social work, is an issue of

concern. In fact, Dziegielewski et al. (2004)) state that

the risk of burnout is high among this population of

professionals. Burnout is a term that refers to emotional

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

10

exhaustion which sometimes leads to ineffective

professional behavior which may compromise quality care

to clients (Rohland, Kruse & Rohrer, 2004).

Health care professionals are subjected to chronic

stressors due to the nature of their work and

environmental factors. In other words, health care

professionals are constantly bombarded with a number of

environmental and psychological stressors. Kanner et al.

(1981) and Lazarus and Folkman (1984) determined that the

number of identified stressors is not the only element

that may jeopardize a person's wellbeing. The researchers

found that if there is an increase in the severity and

intensity of the stressors, or hassles and uplifts, a

person's well-being is significantly affected. In other

words, there is often physiological or psychological

disequilibrium when the stressors are severe and intense.

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

11

In lieu of the negative effects of stressors among

persons in the caring professions, there is a need for

early intervention during the college curriculum or early

in the professional career. In an investigation by

Dziegielewski et al. (2004) subjects were enrolled in a

course of study leading to a degree in social work. The

researchers (Dziegielewski et al., 2004) noted that prior

to the study, all of the students had a strong belief

that stress can negatively affect professional

performance and achievement of educational goals.

Each student participated in a 45 minute seminar on

stress management. The objectives for the stress

management seminar were to assist students in

identification of personality styles and patterns of

behavior, provide general information on stress, and to

identify signs of stress. In addition, the seminar

participants were taught specific stress reduction

techniques. The results of the study suggested that

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

12

stress management seminars that provide general

information on stress, and teach effective ways to reduce

stress are beneficial in strengthening a person's coping

skills. Consequently, if coping skills are effective in

decreasing stress and feelings of anxiety students have a

greater chance for academi\c success (Dziegielewski et

al., 2004).

In summary, stress has the ability to prevent

students from being successful in their respective

educational goals. If a continual flow of professionals

to the workforce is a goal, student success is essential.

Strategies to empower college students to manage

stress may prove to be beneficial. According to

Dziegielewski et al. (2004) programs that identify

stressors and provide information on stress reduction and

burnout prevention can help students learn to better cope

with stressful experiences. Subsequently, better coping

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

13

skills are associated with decreased anxiety levels and

decreased risk for academic failure. The literature

suggests that stress is a common theme among college

students, and when stressful experiences are greater than

the coping resources, multiple problems often arise

(Garret, 2001). Hence, programs which assist in the

identification of stressors, and focus on prevention of

burnout, and counseling regarding coping strategies

should enhance student success (Garret, 2001).

Local Studies

The immediate effects of stress include an increase in

heart rate blood pressure, dilation of the pupils, and an

increase flow of blood to the muscles. Long-term effects

can be heart diseases, depressions, and migraine

headache. People who are aggressive and easily get angry

are most likely to develop these problems.

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

14

Duque (2007) cited common effects of stress. These are

insomnia, headaches, backaches, constipation, diarrhea,

high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and

alcohol, tobacco or drug use. He suggested doing the

following: 1) After seeing the doctor, share your

treatment plan with people close to you. Talk with

friends and relatives and explain what you are going

through; 2) If your doctor prescribes medication take it

exactly the way it is prescribed. Do not stop taking your

medication until you doctor tells you to stop doing so;

3) Keep all follow-up appointments with your doctor; 4)

Remember that it may take some time to start feeling

better; 5) If you experience side effects from any

medication, tell your doctor; and 6) Seek professional

counseling. If your methods of coping with stress are not

contributing to your greater emotional and physical

health, it is time to find healthier ones. There are many

healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they all
 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

15

require change. You can either change the situation or

change your reaction. When deciding which option to

choose, it is helpful to think of the four As: avoid,

alter, adapt, or accept. Since everyone has a unique

response to stress, there is no one size fits all

solution to managing it. No single method works for

everyone or in every situation, so experiment with

different techniques and strategies. Focus on what makes

you feel calm and in control.

Salvacion (2004) studied the stress profile of

students in the College of Dentistry of the University of

the Philippines, Manila. The study involved 149 dentistry

student-respondents. Academic stressors like examinations

and grades, fully loaded days, difficulty in completing

clinical requirements, and fear of getting delayed topped

the identified stressors. Academic factors were stressful

in the first 3 year levels. Academic stress peaked during

the sophomore year. No significant differences in

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

16

rankings were observed between genders. There was

undeniable similarity in the general stress profile of

the different year levels. Common methods of coping with

stress were employed by students which include crying,

praying, talking, watching movies, and listening to

music. Stress makes or breaks a person. It is like a two-

edged sword which can either motivate and stimulate a

student to peak performance or reduce the student to

ineffectiveness.

Grandea (2006) used the descriptive research

approach in studying the stress and coping mechanisms of

college freshmen of Southville International School and

Colleges. It involved 201 student-respondents. The

student-respondents experienced high perceived stress.

The identified main stressors were academics. The

student-respondents used positive stress coping

mechanisms. The perceived stress and coping mechanisms of

the student-respondents were independent of their profile

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

17

Conceptual Framework

Common Stressors
Environment
Profile of the Family Proposed
Respondents Family
Academic Stress
Age Personal
Gender
Year Level Management

Program
Academic Performance
 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

18

Figure 1

Paradigm of the Study

Figure 1 shows the paradigm of the study. The inputs

are the profile of the respondents in terms of age,

gender and year level and the respondents appraisals of

the common stressor and their academic performance. Data

gathered will be assessed, evaluated, and interpreted

through appropriate statistical treatments, which include

frequency count, weighted mean, ANOVA and Pearson Product

Correlation. The results turned out to be the basis of

the proposed stress management program for education

students.

Definition of Terms

The following major terms used in the study are

hereby defined:
 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

19

Stress. As used in this study, refers to the

condition of mental and physical exertion brought about

as a result of harassing events or dissatisfying elements

in the environment.

Stressor/ Stress Factor. As used in this study,

refers conditions, which contribute or aggravate stress

in students.

Statement of the Problem

The study will seek to assess the civic and

democratic engagement among Political Science students to

strengthen their political participation.

Specifically the study endeavors to come up with

answers to the following:

1. What is the profile of the students as to their:

1.1. age;

1.2. gender;
 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

20

1.3. year level?

2. How may the common stressors of education students be

described?

3. How may the academic performance of the respondents be

described?

4. Is there a significant relationship between the

respondents common stressor and their academic

performance?

5. Is there a significant difference on the common

stressors across the profile of the respondents?

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses will be tested at the 0.05

level:

1. There is no significant relationship between the

respondents common stressor and their academic

performance.
 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

21

2. There is no significant difference on the common

stressor across the profile of the respondents.

Significance of the Study

The identification of such stress factors will help

teachers provide a favorable classroom environment for

their students. Administrators can benefit from this

study. They can use information gathered in this study to

provide a favorable school environment for students that

is conducive to learning.

Knowing the stress factors of students, teachers

will be in a much better position to look for ways to

remove or reduce the presence of these factors, so that

achievement in science can improve.

It is also important to know the school and home

factors, which might contribute impediments in the

successful learning of the students. In order for

meaningful learning to take place, the internal and

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

22

external conditions, which negatively affect achievement

of students should be known.

This study may provide information, which can help

educators in the formulation of plans, and programs aimed

at improving the students achievement.

Scope and Delimitation

The respondents of the study will involve first

year, second year and third year education students of

PHINMA Araullo University for First and Second Semester

Academic Year 2015-2016. Random sampling will be used.

The study will employ the descriptive method of

research with the use of checklist as the main tool to

gather data. Interviews will be employed also to elicit

significant information and data.

The statistical treatment of data will confine to

the frequency count, ANOVA, weighted mean, and the

Pearson Product Correlation.

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

23

CHAPTER II

METHOD

Research Design

Descriptive research is conclusive in nature, as

opposed to exploratory (Fluid Surveys Team 2014). This

means that descriptive research gathers quantifiable

information that can be used for statistical inference on

your target audience through data analysis. As a

consequence this type of research takes the form of

closed-ended questions, which limits its ability to

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

24

provide unique insights. However, used properly it can

help an organization better define and measure the

significance of something about a group of respondents

and the population they represent.

When it comes to online surveying, descriptive is by

far the most commonly used form of research. Most often,

organizations will use it as a method to reveal and

measure the strength of a target groups opinion,

attitude, or behavior with regards to a given subject.

But another common use of descriptive research would be

the surveying of demographical traits in a certain group

(age, income, marital status, gender, etc.). This

information could then be studied at face value,

measuring trends over time, or for more advanced data

analysis like drawing correlations, segmentation,

benchmarking and other statistical techniques.

The trick to conducting any type of research is to

gain only valuable information. In the case of online

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

25

surveying, your collected data should allow you to take

action on a particular problem or opportunity facing your

organization. This is why it is essential to create

research objectives before you jump into your survey

design! Research objectives identify exactly what you are

trying to discover in order to make educated decisions on

the issues facing your organization. With properly

defined research objectives youll be able to create a

questionnaire that provides relevant insights that give a

clear direction towards action.

The next step to effective descriptive research is

to ensure your results accuracy. This stems from limiting

bias and error in your surveying design and research

method. With sample surveys, error is unavoidable. That

being said, it is important to control your margin of

error and confidence levels by having a proper survey

sample size. Avoiding bias can be a bit more challenging

because there are so many different types. Bias can stem

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

26

from the researcher, survey structure and respondent.

Respondents

Table 1. Distribution of Participants

Year Level f Percentage (%)

First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Total 100

Instrumentation

The following instruments will be used to gather

data:

1. Information Sheet. This instrument consists of

items to draw significant information about the

education students age, gender, year level and

academic performance (general weighted average).

2. Common Stressor Checklist. This checklist consists

of twenty five (25) item statements to assess the

common stressors of the respondents.

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

27

The participants are offered five (5) options

to select from a specific response which include the

following

5- Strongly Agree

4- Agree

3- Neutral

2- Disagree

1- Strongly Disagree

Administration of Instruments

Permission from the Dean of College of Education

will be asked to administer the date-gathering

instruments to the education students. The researcher

will administer the data-gathering instruments

personally. The objective of the research will be

explained to the respondents to gain better understanding

of the direction of the undertaking.

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

28

Procedure of Analysis

The following statistical methods will be employed:

1. To arrive at a verbal description of each item in the

common stressor of the respondents, the following

arbitrary numerical guide will be followed:

4.20 5.00 Strongly Agree

3.50 4.19 Agree

2.70 3.49 Neutral

1.90 2.69 Disagree

1.00 1.89 Strongly Disagree

2. The Pearson R Product Moment of Correlation Formula

will be utilized to test if the there is a significant

relationship between the respondents stressor and their

academic performance.

3. ANOVA will be employed to test whether the

education students differ in stressor across age, gender

and year level.

 ARAULLOUNIVERSITY
P H I N M A E D U C A T I O N N E T W O R
K
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION

29