A Research Paper

In

English

DOSCST Student’s Stress related

Situations and

Coping Strategies

Submitted by:

Christine Fe A. Sion

Submitted to:

MARCH 2015

1

Chapter I

Introduction

In recent years, it happens sometimes that college students suffer from physical or mental

illness which even leads to temporary absence from school or even stopping. In 2012, a report on

changes of numbers of college students, from Philippine Daily Inquirer point out that biggest

factor that results school failure is stress. Students suffering from chronic stress don’t do well in

any subjects. This chronic condition is described as post-traumatic stress disorder. To study the

relationship of stress sources and other factor that causes stress of college students systematically

and find effective ways for reducing stresses can not only help to prevent and correct the disorder

of college students, but also turn to be a useful complement for theories of stresses.

Statement of the Study

The study intends to investigate the stress sources of Pantuyan National High School

students by organizing a data through a tally process particularly on the level of stress they

experienced. Specifically the study seeks to;

1. Compare the frequency number of the sources of stress among the 20 respondents

given a specified 14 resources that causes stress and rank it based on the personal

Stress Level Averages categorize from lowest level as “no stress” up to above

average or hardcore- the highest level .

2. Identify the Personal Stress Level Averages that most likely to occur with the

students in tertiary.

3. Recognize the Personal Stress Situations among the respondents that the majority

experience when they are stress.

2

4. Distinguish the Personal Coping Strategy that the students utilize as defense

mechanism in facing stress.

Significance of the Study

Stress appears to connect much of this research. Defining stress leads one to understand

the role of stress in the development of the person’s personality both physical and emotional

condition. Findings suggest that stressful student experiences heighten an individual's response

to stress throughout life. This study provides information about stress sources and coping

strategies functioned as a mechanism to avoid self-depression and failures in school activities as

well as the timely evidence of stress level they rated. Researchers agreed that stress sources of

college students mainly include study factors, social factors, life and economic factors, and

career factors. Furthermore this will serve as an aid for future studies.

Objective of the Study

The objectives of this research can be summarized as follows:

To show the average number of students who experience stress in college bounded

from ages 17-22.

To analyze relationship between the rated level of the stress into the examples of

stress situations and stress coping strategies

The study perceived stress model by the use of tallying organization process data

3

Scope and Delimitation

The research sample is bounded with in the Davao Oriental State College of Science and

Technology tertiary level and is composed of two pages questionnaire related to stress which was

given to twenty respondents with different personal backgrounds and beliefs. Respondents are of

different courses with usual college life. This is to show various stress situations and stress

management strategies in college level. Data gathered was based from the interview conducted

last March 8-9, 2015. Questions beyond the study which is far from the objective is not allowed.

Definition of Terms

Anxious - experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or

something with an uncertain outcome.

Cravings- an intense desire to consume a specific food, and is different from normal hunger

Frequency- the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time

Hardcore - extreme

Hostile - unfriendly; antagonistic

Insomnia- sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which there is an inability to fall asleep or to stay

asleep as long as desired

Nausea - "feeling sick or queasy"

Stress- either biological or emotional response to a stressor such as an environmental condition

or a stimulus

Tally- a current score or amount; calculate the total number of

4

Chapter II

Review of Related Literature

The review of the literature for this study focuses on procedures used to identify the

sources of stress and its coping mechanism that exists for students in tertiary level specifically in

DOSCST and also the relationship between the rated levels of the stress into stress situations

they are facing. The review focuses on a number of different views used to define stress from

different proponent persons. The chapter begins with a definition of stress according to the

gathered data (Sec.1.1) and followed by the findings of various researchers towards stress

(Sec.1.2). The research outcomes germane to the relationship between stress and the students’

lifestyle they have done.

Sec.1.1 There is increasing evidence which suggests that today more than ever before;

that common stressors in college life includes greater academic demands, being on one’s own in

a new environment – with new responsibilities, changes in family relations and one’s social life,

financial responsibilities, exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations, being away from

home, often for the first time , making decisions, on a higher level than one is used to , substance

abuse , awareness of one’s sexual identity and orientation , preparing for life after graduation ,

psychological make-up can also play a role in vulnerability to depression. People who have low

self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism, or are readily

overwhelmed by stress may be especially prone to depression.

But apparently, some students enjoy stress. Are these benefits appealing?

5

- Stress helps you seem important. Anyone as stressed as you must be working very hard

and, therefore, is probably doing something very crucial.

- It helps you to maintain personal distance and avoid intimacy. Anyone as busy as you

certainly cannot be expected to form emotional attachments to anyone. And let's face it, you are

not much fun to be around anyway.

- It helps you avoid responsibilities. Obviously, you are too stressed to be given any more

work. This gets you off the hook for all the mundane chores; let someone else take care of them.

- It helps you avoid success. Why risk being "successful" when by simply staying stressed

you can avoid all of that? Stress can keep your performance level low enough that success will

not ever be a threat.

- Stress also lets you keep your directive style. "Just do what I say!" is generally

permissible under crisis conditions. If you maintain a permanently stressed crisis atmosphere,

you can justify telling folks what to do all the time.

- (Stanford University Campus Health Center)

Generalized stress is defined as a state of psychological arousal that results when external

demands tax or exceed a person’s adaptive abilities (Lazarus, 1966; Lazarus and Folkman,

1984). Environmental demands are labeled stressors, and they can take the form of an acute

event or an ongoing strain (see Pearlin, 1989 in the context of general stress research), while

stress refers to the internal perceived emotions and cognitions. Academic stress has been studied

extensively as an important factor in college student adjustment (Gall, Evans, and Bellerose,

2000; Mallinckrodt, 1988). In general, college-related stress has been found to be inversely

6

related to academic performance among traditional undergraduates (Felsten and Wilcox, 1992;

Pritchard and Wilson, 2003; Russell and Petrie, 1992), for freshmen in particular (Struthers,

Perry, and Menec, 2000), for inner-city high school students (Gillock and Reyes, 1999), and for

immigrant college students (Buddington, 2002).

- (Princeton University)

Sec.1.2 There has been many studies (Schafer, 1996; Fisher, 1994; Altmaier, 1983;

Greenberg & Valletutti, 1980), which have reported strong relationship between stress and

college students. Stress has been known “to be the fuel the body uses to meet the challenges of

our fast paced modern life; for others, it is the aversive by-product of such a life” (Altmaier,

1983, p. 4). Stress is created by excessive environmental and internal demands that need constant

effort and adjustment.

Homesickness: There are many first-year students who experience being homesick. Some

of these reasons can be moving to a new environment, not knowing anyone, missing home, and

missing family and friends. Homesickness is an unpleasant and stressful experience for students.

Academics: A frequently reported source of stress that college students encounter is

receiving a lower grade than they expected. Some students link their self-worth or future with

their grades. Students may start doubting their capability or competency in their future careers.

Some college students have become so preoccupied by grades that they allowed their health

deteriorate.

Financial Issues/Work: There are many students who have to work while they are

attending college. Being a first-year student can cause adjustment to college to be even more

7

difficult. Some students have to work in order to pay their way through college. This can pose a

number of hazards for students. There are many times when students have to work late at night

and then do not have the time to study. This can then reflect on their academic work and on their

grades. Worrying about their financial issues and their grades can be an immense stressor in their

academic life. “More time spent at work can encroach on time otherwise available for studying”

(Trockel, Barnes, and Egget, 2000, p. 131). As one can see, one stressor can cause another

stressor to occur.

Relationships: Another source of stress for college students is making new friends.

“Giving up 14 or changing new friendships and developing new ones is often a stressful activity

associated with college life” (Greenberg, 1996, p. 280). Family can also be a source of stress for

college students. Some families place a great deal of stress on college students by telling them

that they need to acquire good grades.

Interventions: The first intervention that has been known to be helpful is social support.

“Social support is helpful because it provides the individual with feedback, validation, and a

sense that one can master one’s environment” (Hobfoll, 1988, p. 120). Social support can help by

offering distractions from unhappiness caused by stress, or by helping the student re-work and

change personal perspectives on what has happened.

- (Dr. Bob Salt, University of Wisconsin-Stout)

“Unfortunately, the effects of stress are not limited to learning and are also the harbinger of

depression. Prolonged stress, especially when severe, can push students to depression and even

to suicide. In a recent flight to Manila, I read a newspaper article saying that the suicide rate

among students in a certain region in South Korea was the highest in the world because the

competition for admission to the best university was highly valued. In that area during the time

8

of examinations, the environment should be as quiet as possible to the extent that even airplanes

are not allowed to land or take off.” - Leonardo Leonidas MD ,Phil. Daily Inquirer

“The mental stresses of college students gain wide attentions from the society currently” –

“ College students especially freshmen are group particularly prone to stress” – Dzurilla and

Shaddy

Everybody has stress—both good stress and bad stress. It's a simple fact of life. "Stress is

experienced in levels. Low levels may not be noticeable at all. Occasional, moderate stress can

be positive and challenge people to act in creative and resourceful ways. High levels can be

harmful, leading to chronic disease," according to WebMd.

All of the views direct that college students stress experiences are very rampant and it is

aligning to the study interview done last March 8-9, 2015.

9

Chapter III

Result and Discussion

Twenty students coming from different courses of Davao Oriental State College of

Science and Technology with unequal number of females and males respond to the Stress

Questionnaire test conducted where it illustrates the number of students who had a job if

any(Table 1) . Respondents age is limited from 17-22. Next verify the tally data according to the

following tables.

Organization Chart

Table I

Students Job SurveyAge Female Male

No Job Full time Part time

College

student

No Job Full

time

Part Time

College

student

12-14 7 1 0 3 0 0

15-23 5 1 1 1 0 1

* 20 respondents having age limits from 12-23

10

Table II

* Overall Students Stress Level Average Overall Personal Stress Level Average Frequency

No stress 0

Slight stress 14

Average 5

Above Average 1

Hardcore 0

According to the tally data results of 20 students , the frequency personal stress

level of the students are rated as “ slightly stress” to experience

Table III

* Over all Students Stress Situations

Over all Personal Stress Situations Frequency

Hostile 3

Panicked 1

Irritable 2

Anxious/worrying 9

Focused 5

Unusually emotional 4

Tired 13

Headache 10

Insomnia 3

Loss of appetite 3

11

Cravings (food, i.e. chocolate) 6

Nausea/upset stomach 1

Diarrhea 0

The Level of Personal Stress Situations of the students represent that getting tired,

having headache and worrying are mostly felt when they are stress while diarrhea

for them never did happen

Table IV

*Overall Students Stress Coping StrategyOverall Personal Stress Coping Strategy Frequency

Exercise 11

Talk to friends 13

Listen to music 18

Sleep 13

Eat 11

Not eat/diet 1

Work 8

Read 9

Hobby/project (ex. Clean, play guitar) 11

Drugs (ex. Advil, Tylenol) 0

Alcohol 7

Herb/home remedies (ex. Ginseng 0

Illegal drugs 0

Smoking (tobacco products) 4

12

Study shows that the overall personal stress coping up strategy of the students

depends on listening to any music, talking to friends or sleeping wherein these

three got the continuous highest frequency

Table V

* Source of Stress Total Frequency Data

Source of Stress No stress

(Total)

Slight stress

(Total)

Average

(Total)

Above average(Total)

Hard core(Total)

1. Roommate8 7 2 1 1

2. Living away from home3 7 7 1 0

3. Money0 4 13 1 2

4. Job7 5 3 2 1

5. Grades1 6 8 2 2

6. Workload/Classes4 6 11 2 0

7. Family8 5 4 0 0

8. Friends9 10 1 0 0

9. Health9 8 1 0 0

10. Sport9 5 11 1 1

11. Relationship (boyfriend/girlfriend) or marriage 12 4 1 2 0

12. Tests/Exams/Papers1 6 5 4 0

13. Not being happy11 6 1 0 1

14. Not enough time9 7 1 1 1

13

Table V indicates that relationship (boyfriend/girlfriend) greatly affects not on the

students college lifestyle but money and grades are highly the resources of stress

of them. Workloads and sports contribute moderate reasons in them including

friends that give a considerable cause too.

Chapter IV

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

There are a number of factors that result in school failure. The biggest one is stress—not

physical but emotional. In PNHS, students refer this stresses as their primary problem in facing

college life. This is due to several factors that affects their learning individually and sometimes

lead to frustration. With the aid of this research, it is seen that mostly PNHS students encounter

stress to some extent and which gives them that physical and emotionally drained or tired, having

nuisance or headaches and worrying issues. It is not good at all. However, even these stress

situations are trying to destroy them, there are still stresses up coping strategies they use such as

listening to any music, talking to friends or sleeping as a mechanism to repressed or avoid stress.

It only indicates that PNHS students are smart enough in handling their personal stress life while

in college because typically many of them unnoticed that they are in a stress state at all.

Therefore, PNHS students are well to define as good stress handlers.

Prior to the needs of the students; it is needed that the institution must conduct a school

based program about stress issues and understanding the factors that will contribute to the

student’s physical and emotional life. Since college life is cannot be denied to be stressful, there

is a need to figure out the ways and means of coping up these stress. This stage of learning in

college is a critical period so it is essential to enhance their stress management abilities as to live

a healthy life entering the society. Factors that affects stress is inevitable that is why from time to

14

time students’ updates about stress must be acknowledged. In other hand; tools in reducing stress

is recommended.

Chapter V

References

http://opinion.inquirer.net/32338/stress-and-learning

[Online] Available: http://baike.baidu.com/view/84918.htm

[Online] Available: www.cardu.com.tw/

[Online] http://www.heartmath.org/free-services/solutions-for-stress/solutions-reducing-stress

Altmaier, E. M. (1983). Helping students manage stress. San Francisco: JosseyBoss Inc.

Chen, Qishan & Wen, Zhonglin. (2005). Relationship between coping style and mental health of

higher vocational education students. Psychological Development and Education, No.2.

Grant, E. J., & Ensher, E. A. (2000). Effects of peer mentoring on types of mentor support,

program satisfaction and graduate student stress: a dyadic perspective. Journal of College

Student Development, 41, 637-642.

Qi, Ping & Wu, Jinchang. (2004). Research and analysis of psychological state of college

students and the countermeasures. Modern Education Science, No.6

15

16