Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Statement of the Problem

This chapter consists of five parts namely: 1) Introduction of the study, which

presents the purpose and rationale of the study; 2) Statement of the problem, which

states the general and specific problems of the study; 3) Scope and Delimitation, which

specifies the coverage and limitations of the study; 4)Significance of the Study, which

discusses the benefits that may derived from the results of the study and enumerates

the persons who would benefit from them; 5)Definition of Terms and Theoretical

Framework, which provide the conceptual and operational definitions of important terms

and theory used in the study.

Introduction

Stress is the feeling of emotional or physical tension that arises from events or

thoughts that cause frustration, anger, or anxiety. While it might seem like something

minor at first, stress can lead to dangerous outcomes, including harmful actions or

negative thinking. Stressors can heavily impact our mood, sense of well-being,

behavior, and overall health. For students, stress from academics, social situations,

finances, or emotions can lead to serious psychological and physical issues like

depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders. These challenges not only affect

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academic performance and campus life but may also increase the likelihood of

substance abuse or other risky behaviors (Richlin-Klonsky & Hoe in Busari, 2012).

Coping with stress is essential for human survival and involves managing internal

or external demands that feel overwhelming or beyond one’s resources. Academic

stress, especially among students, has been a subject of interest for many years.

Actively coping with stress can help reduce its negative effects by improving an

individual’s ability to handle challenges effectively in specific situations (Lantu & Tindika,

2022).

Freshmen students are particularly vulnerable to stress due to the transitional

nature of student life. Adapting to this phase requires developing new social skills and

managing personal responsibilities independently. Beyond academic demands,

interactions with faculty and time constraints contribute to the stress. Additionally,

adjusting to school life while being away from family and friends adds to the social

strain.

Major sources of academic stress include tests, grades, competition, time

pressures, professional environments, and concerns about future careers. During the

first year, academic and emotional challenges dominate, while in later years, stress is

more influenced by factors like patient care responsibilities and physical demands.

Medical education, in particular, introduces unique stressors such as long working

hours, lack of peer support, limited recreational activities, financial challenges, life-and-

death situations, and cultural or minority-related issues.

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 It is also important to recognize that stress varies based on individual perception.

Research shows that highly motivated, action-oriented students who excel academically

may struggle with feelings of helplessness and dependency, making them more

susceptible to stress and less equipped to manage it effectively.

Coping is often seen as a stabilizing factor that helps individuals adapt

psychosocially during stressful situations. Students commonly use various coping

strategies to reduce stress levels, such as effective time management, seeking social

support, positive reappraisal, and engaging in recreational activities. Emotion-focused

coping, which involves accepting responsibility or self-blame, tends to be more helpful

during the first year of school.

Research on stress and coping mechanisms among senior high school students at

Alabel Integrated SPED Center is limited. This study aims to identify the common

sources of stress among these students and explore the coping strategies they employ.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the stress and coping mechanisms that the senior high

school students of Alabel Integrated SPED Center use.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the utmost coping mechanism that the students use?

1.1 Appraisal-focused

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 1.2 Problem-focused

1.3 Emotion-focused

2. What is the utmost cause of stress that the students experience in terms of:

2.1 Academic Stress

2.2 Financial stress

2.3 Social stress

2.4 Emotional Stress

3. What implications can be drawn based from the findings of the study?

Scope and Delimitations

This study is about collecting data and information regarding stress and coping

mechanisms among senior high school students at Alabel Integrated SPED Center.

This study aimed to determine the preferred coping mechanism method, the level of

stress in different categories, and how often senior high school students employ coping

mechanism strategies. There searchers prepared an online survey and gave to 50

respondents who are officially enrolled in the Humanities and Social Science and

Accountancy and Business Management strands in senior high school at Alabel Central

Integrated SPED Center using the stratified sampling method.

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 This quantitative research was conducted during the researchers’ class schedule

throughout the entire first semester, quarter two class for the subject of Practical

Research 2 in the school year 2024-2025. Although the number of respondents for this

study was limited and did not include all students from every section of the senior high

school strands, the researchers were still able to gather the necessary and relevant

data to complete the study. The research was carried out exclusively within the Alabel

Central Integrated SPED Center campus. All data were collected by the researchers

afterward.

Significance of the Study

The results of this study are beneficial to the following:

To the Students. This study will help them in identifying what causes their stress

and how they cope up with it, and for them to be able to gain more knowledge about

mental health issues.

To the Researchers. This study will provide them with a broad understanding of

how students handle their stress in their own ways and how it affects their personal

lives.

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 To the Respondents. The respondents will have awareness the different

stressors and coping strategies. This study can also serve as a guide preference for

them to have awareness on mental health issues among the students.

To the Teachers. The result of this study will enable them to identify and

address specific stress-related issues on their students so they can provide support and

guidance for stress management and coping strategies. It can also enhance teacher-

student relationship and foster a positive learning environment.

To the Future Researchers. This study might be used as a reference for their

future research on similar or related researches.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined conceptually and operationally for better

understanding. The definition of terms helps the readers to understand the title of the

researchers. It highlights keywords about the title of the study to understand how a

certain word has been used in the title.

Students. It refers to a person who studies a specific subject at a form of unity

government school, college, university, academy, or other approved education facility

(Mary, 2020). In this study, it refers to the students who are studying in senior high

school as the source of information.

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 Stress. Stress is a normal response to everyday pressures, but it can be

unhealthy when it interferes with your daily functioning influence behaviour. By causing

mind-body changes, stress directly contributes to mental and physiological disorders

and diseases, affecting mental and physical health, and reducing quality of life

(American Psychological Association, 2019). In this study, it refers to the tensions

experienced by students while they are growing further increases to the academic

pressures.

Academic Stress. Academic stress is defined as a student's psychological state

as a result of continuous social and self-imposed pressure in a school environment that

depletes the student's psychological reserves. Students experience academic stress

throughout their secondary, high school, and university educational careers. According

to research, academic stress is associated with depression (Zin Xhang et al., 2022). In

this study, it refers to the psychological state resulting from continuous social and self-

imposed pressure in a school environment.

Coping Mechanism. Coping mechanisms are the thoughts and behaviors used

to deal with internal and external stressful situations. It is a term used to distinguish

conscious and voluntary mobilization of acts from "defense mechanisms," which are

subconscious or unconscious adaptive responses aimed at reducing or tolerating stress

(Algorani & Gupta, 2021). Operationally, it refers to strategies students often use in the

face of stress and/or trauma to help manage painful or difficult emotions.

Psychological Well-Being. Psychological well-being is an important aspect of

mental health that includes hedonic (enjoyment, pleasure) and eudaimonic (meaning,

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fulfillment) happiness, as well as resilience in coping, emotion regulation, and healthy

problem solving (Tang, 2019). It refers to students’ emotional health and overall

functioning.

Theoretical Framework

The foundation of this research is the transactional theory of stress and coping.

This theory was selected because it links the constructs central to this study. Lazarus

and Folkman’s theory evaluates how significant life events, as well as everyday affairs,

affect emotions. The main focus of the theory lies on cognitive assessment and dealing

with stress coping. (Janse, 2021) The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping Theory

is a framework which highlights a formal assessment to appraise harm, danger and

challenges, as consequences in the process of coping with stressful episodes (Lazarus

& Folkman, 1984). Lazarus wrote about three types of stress management. They

include dealing with stress in a problem-oriented way, dealing with stress in an emotion-

oriented way and dealing with stress in an assessment-oriented manner. The extent of

stress encountered in the form of opinions, emotional state, sentiments and deeds, as a

result of outside stressors, depends on evaluations of the state of affairs which involves

an assessment about whether internal or external demands surpass resources and

ability to cope when demands surpass capitals (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).

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 In this study, this theory reveals how to cope with stress among senior high

school students of General Santos City. The models conceptualize stress as a result of

how a stressor is appraised and how a person appraises his or her resource to cope

with the stressor. The model breaks the stressor-stress link by proposing that if

stressors are perceived as positive or challenging rather than as a threat, and if the

stressed person is confident that he or she possesses adequate rather than deficient

coping strategies, stress may not necessarily follow the presence of a potential stressor.

The model proposes that stress can be reduced by helping stressed people change

their perceptions of stressors, providing them with strategies to help them cope and

further improving their confidence in their ability to do so.

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 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter outlines the processes undertaken in conducting this study. It

includes the research design, the study's location, the respondents involved, the

research instruments utilized, the methods of data analysis, and the overall procedure.

Research Design

This study follows a quantitative research design. Quantitative research employs

mathematical methods, particularly statistical analysis, to examine data and offer

explanations from a phenomenological perspective. According to Watson (2015),

quantitative research encompasses various methods focused on the systematic

investigation of social phenomena using statistical or numerical data. As such, it

involves measurements and assumes that the phenomenon being studied can be

quantified. The goal of quantitative research is to gather data through measurement

techniques. Additionally, this study is correlational in nature. As noted by Cherry (2022),

a correlational research design examines the relationships between two or more

variables. Correlational studies are non-experimental, meaning they do not manipulate

or influence the variables under investigation. In this study, the variables are stress and

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coping mechanisms among senior high school students at Alabel Central Integrated

SPED Center in Alabel, Sarangani Province.

Research Locale

This study was conducted through an online survey at Alabel Central Integrated

Sped Center in Alabel, Sarangani Province. It is located at Magsaysay Street,

Pobalcion, Alabel, 9501 Sarangani Province. The location is necessary for the

researchers to conduct their study inside the school and evaluate their findings. The

survey was conducted by the researchers, and it was held where the selected

respondents found it convenient to conduct the survey inside the school. It attracted

researchers to learn about the stress and coping mechanisms of senior high school

students from HUMSS and ABM. This study is beneficial to the researchers and the

respondents to further understand students' behavior in obtaining academic success.

Research Respondents

This study was carried out through an online survey at Alabel Central Integrated

Sped Center in Alabel, Sarangani Province, located at Magsaysay Street, Poblacion,

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Alabel, Sarangani Province, 9501, Sarangani Province. The location was essential for

the researchers to conduct the study within the school and assess the findings. The

survey was administered by the researchers and conducted in a location that was

convenient for the selected respondents within the school. The study aimed to explore

the stress and coping mechanisms of senior high school students from the HUMSS and

ABM strand. It provides valuable insights for both the researchers and respondents,

contributing to a deeper understanding of students' behaviors in relation to academic

success.

Research Instrument

The researchers used an online survey method as the primary gathering tool to

conduct the study. An online survey is the systematic gathering of data from the target

audience characterized by the invitation of the respondents and the completion of the

questionnaire over the World Wide Web (Sincero, 2012). Furthermore, the instrument of

the study is divided into two (2) parts. Part 1 requires the respondents to give which

coping mechanisms they prefer. Part II is a 20-item checklist of what is the utmost

cause of stress the respondents are going through. Each item has five (5) options, to

wit: Strongly agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree.

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 Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers established the following processes to collect data in a

methodical manner: Using the stratified sampling method, the researchers selected 50

respondents for the study. Following that, the researchers created research

questionnaires based on the stated research problem. The survey questionnaires were

then reviewed and approved by the research adviser. After getting approval, the

researchers developed an online survey questionnaire using Google Forms with

revisions related to the research adviser’s revisions. The completed form was forwarded

to the research adviser for final approval. The researchers submitted letters of approval

and consent to the senior high school coordinator’s office and the director’s office. The

respondents were given the letters of approval and consent; upon receiving consent,

they were handed the link to the survey questionnaire. If they ever declined to

participate in the study, their right of refusal was granted. Lastly, the responses that the

researchers received were gathered and organized for data analysis and interpretation.

Formulation of questionnaires

Transfer of questionnaires to Google Forms

Validation of questionnaire and composing letters

of approval and consent

Delivering letters of approval and consent

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 Approval of delivered letters

Dissemination of online questionnaire through

face-to face survey

Gathering and organizing of data

Figure 1: Procedural Phases of the Study

Statistical Treatment

Descriptive statistics are used to describe the basic features of the data in a

study. It provides simple summaries of the sample and the measures. Together with

simple graphics analysis, they form the basis of virtually every quantitative analysis of

data. Descriptive statistics are used to summarize data in an organized manner by

describing the relationship between variables in a sample or population, Kaur (2018). In

a research study we may have lots of measures, or we may measure a large number of

people on any measure. Descriptive statistics help us to simplify large amounts of data

in a sensible way.

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 The statistical tool employed was the Frequency distribution and mean.

Frequency distribution is a tool to display the outcomes of the various samples inform of

lists, graphs or tables where the tabular format is vastly applied and is the most

common method of displaying numerous observations and their distribution in a given

integral. Within a particular group or intervals, each entry from the sample in the table

reflects the no. of counts or the frequency of the occurrence of the values in the

intervals or the group mentioned.

Moreover, it allows the researcher to have a glance at the entire data

conveniently. It shows whether the observations are high or low and also whether they

are concentrated in one area or spread out across the entire scale. Thus, frequency

distribution presents a picture of how the individual observations are distributed in the

measurement scale.

Weighted Mean Verbal Interpretation Weight

4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree 5

3.41-4.20 Agree 5

2.61-3.40 Neutral 3

1.81-2.60 Disagree 2

1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree 1

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STRESS AND COPING MECHANISM AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENT OF ALABEL CENTRAL INTEGRATED SPED CENTER

A Research Proposal

Presented to the Senior High School Department

ALABEL CENTRAL INTEGRATED SPED CENTER

Magsaysay St. Alabel, Sarangani Province

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Subject

Practical Research 2

By:
ANDRAQUE, SHINENAH BLESS S.
ANDRES, JANICA JEMIMAH M.
MAGNAYON, SHEIMIAH B.
PONTANOSA, JEA M.
PUNGAY, YOANNAH KENDRA K.
REDOBLE, JASMINE F.

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