PERCEPTIONS OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON SUICIDALITY

_______________________________________

A Thesis Presented to

Faculty of Senior High School

DR. CECILIO PUTONG NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

City of Tagbilaran

_______________________________________

In Partial Fulfillment

of The Requirements for Inquires, Investigations and Immersion

GENERAL ACADEMIC STRAND

_______________________________________

By:

DOLAUTA, JOHN ALEXIS

PAREDES, MA. JEAN

RULIDA, EMELY JOY

TORREJOS, JOHN RALF

March 2020
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ABSTRACT

Suicide is a leading cause of death for adolescents and represents a

major national health concern. The effectiveness of school-based prevention

programs may be improved through better understanding of adolescents’ views

on suicide. The present study explored the perceptions of senior high school

students taking personal development subject on suicidality, using the mixed

method with sequential explanatory research design. The researchers were John

Alexis Dolauta, Ma. Jean Paredes, Emely Joy Rulida, and John Ralf Torrejos.

This study was conducted last June 2019 at the school premises of Dr. Cecilio

Putong National High School. Variables that were examined included male

perceptions and female perceptions towards suicide and help-seeking for suicidal

thoughts and behaviors.

The data gathered were tailed, analyzed, and interpreted with the use of

T-Test: Two-Sample Assuming Unequal Variances. Results indicated that an

overwhelming majority of participants believe that suicide can be prevented and

that intervention is necessary; however, senior high school students are still

uncertain about how to identify and assist those at risk. There is a significant

difference between the perceptions of male and female senior high school

students towards suicidality. This study that explored senior high school students’

perceptions toward suicide and help-seeking yielded valuable findings. Males

and females participants tend to have dissimilar opinions and perspectives on

suicide.
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University students are more affluent and better educated. Since this is a

senior high school study, it might be a good idea to investigate university

students and know whether social advantages translate into greater or lesser

suicide vulnerability. The results confirmed the need for school-based suicide

prevention education, with specific focus on identification of warning signs and

ways to intervene when concern for self or peer arises with special consideration

of gender differences. . It is recommended that further studies can be carried out

on students in terms of their age, religion, race, and ethnicity. Limitations to the

study and directions for future research are also discussed.

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APPROVAL SHEET

This thesis attached hereto entitled, “PERCEPTIONS OF SENIOR HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS ON SUICIDALITY”, prepared and submitted by JOHN

ALEXIS DOLAUTA, MA. JEAN PAREDES, EMELY JOY RULIDA, AND JOHN

RALF TORREJOS, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Inquiries,

Investigations, and Immersion, had been examined and recommended for

approval and acceptance for oral examination.

RUFA ROXANNE T. BUGASH, MA

Faculty, Senior High School
Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School
Research Adviser

THESIS COMMITTEE

Accepted and Approved for Oral Examination

ERUSEL C. CUA, L.P.T

Faculty, Senior High School
Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School
Chairman

LOLITA Q. INGKING, L.P.T FELJANE M. ALABA, M.A.

Faculty, Senior High School Faculty, Senior High School
Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School
Member Member
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PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination on _________________

with a grade of __________.

ERUSEL C. CUA, L.P.T

Faculty, Senior High School
Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School
Chairman

LOLITA Q. INGKING, L.P.T FELJANE M. ALABA, M.A.

Faculty, Senior High School Faculty, Senior High School
Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School
Member Member
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The researchers praise and thank Our Creator, Our Heavenly Father,

the source of infinite wisdom without his benevolent love and incessant guidance

and enlightenment; this humble piece of work could not have been possible.

They would like to express also their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all

individuals who contributed to the preparation of this thesis.

To Mrs. Rufa Roxanne T. Bugash, MA, Research Adviser in Practical

Research 2 of Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School for her supervision,

professional guidance, and substantial suggestions.

To Mrs. Cherry Sy. Calacat, MA, the thesis statistician, whose statistical

expertise was invaluable during the analysis and interpretation of the data that

has been collected.

To Mrs. Mary Faith Barrete, EdD, the thesis grammarian, for her

competence in checking the grammar of our study, despite other concerns being

the thesis adviser of several groups.

To our Respondents, for their unselfish cooperation for allowing the

researchers to conduct the study with their willingness to answer the questions

that provided the essential data for research.

To The Researcher’s Parents, for supporting their children upon group

sessions, and for their support that contributed to the completion of this research.

To everyone who aspired to help for the completion and success of this

study, a million thanks

The Researchers
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DEDICATION

The researchers would like to humbly dedicate this research to a certain number

of people who helped this research move into completion. Thus, the researchers

dedicate this book to the following:

Almighty God who helped our minds and our hearts to complete the research

with no other worldly burdens.

Mrs. Rufa Roxanne T. Bugash who upholds and propels the completion of this

research along with her guidance and best knowledge which she entrusted

among the researchers.

Researcher’s Parents who motivated and encouraged the researchers along with

abundant support which guided the researchers throughout the whole research

process.

Research and Subject Teachers for imparting guidelines and advices towards the

study process and for the critiques and shared knowledge to accomplish this

research project.

Research Respondents who collaborated with the researchers and for their

support for the completion of this study.

To the young whose immaturity

leads them to be too emotional and subjective,

leading to depressive moods,

we offer our humble work.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

TITLE PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I

ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

APPROVAL SHEET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

DEDICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

CHAPTER

1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Theoretical Background . . . . . . 3

Schematic Diagram . . . . . . 4

Review of Related Literature . . . . 6

THE PROBLEM . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Statement of the Problem . . . . . . 9

Hypothesis . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Significance of the Study . . . . . . 11

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Scope and Limitation . . . . . . 12

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY . . . . . .

12

Research Design . . . . . . . 12

Research Environment . . . . . . . 13

Research Respondents. . . . . . . . 13

Research Instrument . . . . . . . 14

Research Procedure . . . . . . . 15

Data Gathering. . . . . . . . 15

Statistical Treatment . . . . . . 16

DEFINITION OF TERMS . . . . . . . 16

2 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS,
AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA . . . . . . . 18

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH INTERVIEW RESULTS . 25

3 SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSION,

AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . 28

Summary . . . . . . . 28

Findings . . . . . . . 28

Conclusion . . . . . . . 29

Recommendations . . . . . . . 30

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

CURRICULUM VITAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1 Profile of Students in terms of Sex . . . . . . . . 18

2 Perceptions of Male SHS Students about Suicide . . . 19

3 Perceptions of Female SHS Students about Suicide . . 21

4 Difference between Male and Female Perceptions . . 24

5 Summary Table for Statistical Test . . . . . . . . 24

6 Adolescents’ View on Seeking Help with Regards to Suicide 25

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LIST OF FIGURE

Figure Page

1 Schematic Diagram of the Study . . . . . . . . 4

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