FIGHTING INVISIBLE TIGERS: THE STRESS LEVEL OF SENIOR HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENT-RESEARCHERS

A thesis presented to the

Senior High School Department (MGCS)

Emmanuel Simon R. Lising

(Researcher)

Noli D. Franco

(Researcher Teacher)

February 27, 2019

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Abstract

This mixed method research study explores the stress level of the grade 11 senior high school
students who are currently conducting a research study with their respective fields. This study
focuses on the stress that each student attains through their experiences in their respective
research study. The 14 grade 11 were purposively selected participants to answer the 10-item
questionnaire called Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and four randomly selected participants were
interviewed. Findings reveal that the cause of their stress affects their research study in terms
of lack of experience and lack of time. In order to cope up with their stress, participants cope
through treating research as a new learning gained, reminiscing memories and emotion focus.
On which they express themselves to cover-up their stress while doing their research.

Key Terms: Stress Level, Stress, Research Study, Senior High School Students
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INTRODUCTION

Stress may give difficulties and problems that lead to depression and anxiety of a
student, which comes from academic workloads, family status, and church. According to Porwal
and Kumar (2014), the sources of stress are academics, family, friends, and other social
performances that cannot be managed by individual students. Some stress is necessary for all
living systems; it is how they encounter and respond to the challenges and uncertainties of
existence. Auerbach and Grambling (1998) regard stress as an unpleasant state of emotional
and physiological arousal that individuals experience in situations that they perceive as
dangerous or threatening to their well-being. This study will help the Senior High School
Department of a Catholic Institution in San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines on how they will
handle those students who have difficulties in creating their research study.

Stress is the reaction of the body and mind that leads to the change of moods and may
give pressure. Learning and memory can be affected by stress. Although an optimal level of
stress can enhance learning ability (Kaplan & Sadock, 2000) that can lead to physical and
mental problems of individual students. Stress can change individual students' feelings or
emotions (MyersDG, 2005). Shatri (2016) explained that some individuals are becoming more
sensitive and prone from any stressors, it can be caused by environmental and internal
demands that needed to be adjusted continuously. In this research study, stress is defined as
the distraction/hindrance of individual students in Practical Research. Individual students may
feel tension, pressure, or negative emotions including anxiety and anger. Family dynamics, peer
pressure, inability to cope with studies, lack of competence, time management are also
observed as the stress that disturbed individual students. As such, the purpose of this study is
to determine the age, gender, year level and strand of student-researchers that can cause
stress.

Although the Senior High School Students may encounter stress that is commonly
encountered especially as academic stressors. This study focuses on the Senior High School
students of Humanities and Social Sciences(HUMSS) who experience stress levels in Practical
Research. This study wants to prove that stress can affect more on the performance of every
student-researcher in studying or conducting research.
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Folkman & Lazarus’ (1984) Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Stress, it is the way in which
an individual interprets the stressor is significant and according to Folkman and Lazarus we
respond to a stressful event or situation by making a primary appraisal, during which we assess
whether the event is harmful to us either physically or in terms of our esteem, core beliefs, our
values or goals (Folkman, 1986). During the secondary appraisal (which can take place before,
at the same time or after primary appraisal) we consider whether we have the resources to
manage the stressor; the outcome of which affects our coping strategy.

After reviewing relevant literature relating stress level to the three categories such as
gender, strand and economic status. Moreover, there is no significant correlation of stress level
of students according to their year level and age.

This research undertaking sorts of the following questions: (1) How may the
participants demographic characteristics described in terms of their age, gender, year level and
strand?; (2) How may the participants described in terms of their stress level?; (3) Are the
participant's demographic profiles related to their stress level?

The researcher hypothesizes that: (1) the study shows the stress level is related to the
participant's demographic profile which includes their age, gender, year level , and type of
research study.
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METHODS

Participants and sampling

The participants were the Grades 11 students of the Senior High School Department in
the Academic Year 2019-2020 of a certain seminary in Pampanga, Philippines. That inclined in
Academic Track which includes 14 students from Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS)
class.

Measures/Instruments

The researcher used 3 instruments: (1) the profile sheet (2) questionnaire about
Perceived Stress Scale (3) guide questions for the interviews. The questionnaire will test the
capability of the participants on what they feel while making their research study. It is
answered in the way of rating it from 4(very often), 3(fairly often),2(sometimes), 1(almost
never), 0(never). The test contains 10 items measuring personal stress and this test aims to
measure individuals stress level.

Procedure

The following steps were undertaken by the researcher:(1) giving of letter for the
permission of the principal of the Senior High School of a certain seminary in Pampanga,
Philippines were the research study will be conducted. (2) The orientation for the students
about the study. (3) Giving of consent letter for those participants who will participate in the
said study. (4) The administering and orientation of the participants in answering the
questionnaire/test. (5) Collecting/retrieving the data from the participants. (6) Distributions of
tokens. (7) Encoding of the data.

Ethical Consideration

The researcher adhered to the research ethics: (1) Voluntary participation of

respondents in the research is important. Moreover, participants have the right to withdraw
from the study at any stage if they wish to do so. (2) Respondents should participate on the
basis of informed consent. (3) The protection of the privacy of the participants is ensured. (4)
The confidentiality of the data given by the participants are ensured (5) anonymity of individual
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participants are to be ensured (6) Any deception or exaggeration about the aims and objectives
of the research must be avoided.

Data Analysis

Data gathered were summarized and present using frequency count, for the profile, and
stress. On the other hand, the result of the Stress Level Test will be used to utilized by the
participants to get the research.
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Findings

Table 1: Level of Stress of the Participants

The table 1 shows that the level of stress of senior high school students in the given Perceived
Stress Scale has a level of moderate stress.

Level of Stress Frequency Percentage(%)

High 2 14.3

Moderate 12 85.7

n=14

Table 1 shows that the result of the students in the Perceived Stress Scale was moderate stress
(85.7%) and high stress (14.3%) with this study, it shows that there’s a stress while working
with their research paper.

Participants’ Profile

Participants Age Year Level Level of Loneliness

P1 18 11 High Stress

P2 17 11 Moderate Stress

P3 17 11 High Stress
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Causes of stress. Participants were experiencing stress in doing their respective research
study.

Lack of time. Two (2) participants stated that they are having difficulty with their time span in
doing research study.

“ako kasi kapag gumagawa ako ng isang bagay, lalo na research yan, tutukan, I need more
time, kailangan ko ng maraming oras, kailangan kong paglaanan, hindi yung tulad dito two and,
one and half hour lang yung study period, it is not enough to finish, to ano, to nang awus kene,
to finish all your works, academic works.” [Whenever I’m doing something, especially in
research you need to focus more. I need more time, I need to exert time [in research], not like
here you just have a one and half study period. It’s not enough to finish all my academic
[workloads]. ] (P2)

“Now, I am so rushed now. I did not pass a lot of requirements like findings etc. because of
that.” [I am rushed now and because of that I did not pass a lot of requirements like finding
and etc.] (P3)

Inexperience. One (1) participant stated that he need more experience in doing such research
study.

“Ahm… ing causes na ning stress ku king pamangawang research apin itang kakulangan king
experience.” [Ahm… the causes of my stress while doing the research is the lack of
experiences.] (P1)

Difficulty in English. One (1) participant stated that he has a difficulty in his English writing
skills.

“difficulty kareng words, kailangan meng kailangan 70% na manibatan king researcher ing
word king research paper mu, so aku enaku man masyadung magaling king pamagkaying-
grammar makanyan.” [ [I also have difficulty with words], even the seventy percent must be in
the own words of the researcher, also in grammar I’m not good.] (P1)

Coping strategies. Participants shows how they cope with what stress they have experienced
in doing their respective research study.
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Learning gained. One (1) participants stated that he treated his stress in doing research
paper as additional knowledge were he can learn more.

“Ahm… siguro alampasan ke ining stress ayni king pamangawang research, tas nilawe ke ing
research ayni as a knowledge or more knowledge a abalu ku king metung a topic, kasi pin pag
meg-research ka atin kang abalu.” [Ahm… I cope with this stress, as how I look it as a source
of knowledge that I can attain while doing this study. When you’re making a research you gain
new knowledge.] (P1)

Reminiscing. One (1) participant stated that he’s just trying to reminisce good and beautiful
memories happened to him.

“ pero sometimes kapag na ii-stress na ako pupunta ako sa isang place na tahimik at walng tao,
tapos mag-iisip ako ng magagandang memories na nadanasan ko and kinakausap ko yung sarili
ko about sa root ng stress ko.” [sometime when I’m in the point of being stress I go to a quiet
place on were no people is there, then I’m just thinking about beautiful memories that I
experienced before and I’m just with myself about the roots of my stress.] (P2)

Emotion focus. One (1) participant stated that he was emotional when he felt the stress while
doing his research study.

“I just cry HAHAHAAHH. Yep seriously! I just can’t hold the stress and the feeling of I am so
rushed in this thing! Sometimes I try to laugh it out but I cannot do it. It even haunts me when
I sleep.” [I just cry, seriously because I just can’t hold the stress anfd the feeling that I’m
rushing with my research study. I try to laugh sometimes but I cannot, even during my slleping
time it haunts me.] (P3)
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References

● A Study of Level and Sources of Stress among Secondary School Students. . Retrieve
from http://www.academia.edu
● Stress Levels Among the Senior High School Students in Practical Research 2
http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0119/ijsrp-p8559.pdf
● https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/502c/5478095af298c0db8406ed462f469ac96485.pdf

● https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Invisible-Tigers-Stress-Management/dp/1575422824
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Appendices
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Appendix A

Research Instrument-1

Profile Sheet

Instructions: Please provide a response for each of the following questions:

Name (optional): ______________________________________ Age: __________

Type of Research Study: _________________________________