IMPACT OF PHYSICAL FEATURE DISCRIMINATION ON

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF ST. JUDE SCIENCE

AND TECHNOLOGICAL SCHOOL

Andal, Amirah Kylie P.

Eleosida, Rojemie T.
Mendoza, Mark Conrad M.
Patrocinio, Ken Anthony D.
Vergara, Kara Zeanne M.

St. Jude Science and Technological School

Research 10

Teacher
Ms. Marianne Grace A. Galingan
MAY 2021
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE……………………………………………………………………… i

TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………… ii

CHAPTER

I. THE PROBLEM

Introduction 1

Statement of the Problem 5

Scope and Limitation of the Study 6

Significance of the Study 7

II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Conceptual Literature 9

Research Literature 18

Synthesis 25

Conceptual Framework 32

III. RESEARCH METHOD

Research Design 34

Research Participants 34

Sampling 35

Research Instruments 35

Data Gathering Procedure 35

Administration of the Interview 36

IV. PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND

INTERPRETATION OF DATA 37
 V. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION,

AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary 46

Findings 47

Conclusions 50

Recommendations 51

BIBLIOGRAPHY 53
 SUMMARY

This research investigates the effects of discrimination towards Junior

High School students of St. Jude Science and Technological School.

Dissemination of the repercussions of discrimination may raise awareness of the

ramifications of discrimination based on appearance. This study is qualitative

research intended to offer in-depth information that helps the researchers

genuinely grasp people's ideas, but it is not statistically generalizable.

The researchers used interviews as their primary tool for gathering data.

The questions are administered through Google Forms and were sent to the

respondents via link. After gathering the data and analyzing it, the researchers

found out that physical feature discrimination has a greater impact on the

academic performance of Junior High School students of St. Jude Science and

Technological School.

The researchers recommended the parents supervise and be aware of

their child to avoid any type of discrimination that will impact their school

performance. The researchers also recommended the teachers and school

administrators strengthen their policy about equality and social discrimination.

They also encouraged future researchers to conduct a bigger study on

discrimination and to suggest a program to educate young people about equality

and social inequality.

 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

Introduction

Society places things in groups that make sense of the environment. This

is also how the human brain naturally works. Even young children, for example,

quickly learn the difference between boys and girls. But the beliefs people put in

various categories are known – from their parents, their friends, and the

assumptions they make on how the world works. But these beliefs are not all

constructive; some of the negative and can affect how a person is threatened by

society, such as discrimination – which may be described as unequal treatment

of an individual or a group based on attributes and arising from fear uncertainty.

Discrimination can manifest itself in many areas, both behaviorally and

verbally, and in many contexts, for example, sexual harassment, racism, and

bullying – a form of aggressive actions in which someone intentionally and

repeatedly causes injury or discomfort to another person, can be relational; such

as dissemination of rumors and rejection; verbal, such as threatening and joking;

or physical, such as kicking and punching. It can also be performed in person or

in cyberspace, such as uploading photos and text online (Kite & Whitley, 2016).

Personal and collective cultures are infiltrated every day by characterizing

what pretty is and is not, but also with a rare consideration of how and why.

Society often sets a standard that can either be perceived as good or bad by

different people. Being pretty today, it undoubtedly has as many definitions as

1
individuals of distinct races, forms, sizes, and backgrounds do. These societal

norms can lead to discrimination based on physical characteristics.

As viewed and experienced by students, the analysis of discrimination is a

very complex process. Discrimination towards physical features is when

someone discriminates against others by mistreating someone or bullying

another person for a particular reason of a physical characteristic and

appearance they have, such as height, weight, facial features, and size. This

type of discrimination has a significant effect on students in terms of self-esteem,

behavior or attitude, mental wellbeing, and academic performance.

Self-esteem is one of a person's greatest assets. That is how individuals

value themselves. For learners, self-esteem is crucial as it affects the success of

a pupil. Student discrimination has a significant effect on their self-esteem.

Unfortunately, discrimination in educational institutions is still very prevalent, and

discrimination can be described as unequal treatment of others. Discrimination

towards other students, teachers, others, or even their parents would affect the

student's self-esteem. The student's self-confidence will be influenced by this.

Moreover, an attitude in psychology refers to a collection of emotions,

beliefs, and behaviors towards a specific object, individual, thing, or event.

Attitudes are often the product of experience or culture, and actions may have a

strong effect on them. Physical feature discrimination can affect the attitude of

one being. It can change the perception of an individual into something ahead. It

can result in a negative way of thinking, making someone give up on what plan

they may want to pursue.

2
 Studies and other observations have revealed the impact of discrimination

on students’ behavior. Recent reviews of Williams, Lawrence, Davis, & Vu

(2019) suggested that there is a behavioral mechanism that connects health

discrimination interactions with predictive exposure to discrimination to

participate in more high-risk behaviors and fewer activities that improve health. A

2016 review found 17 studies investigating the relationship between

discrimination and sleep (duration and quality of sleep), and each study

discovered at least one positive association between discrimination exposure

and poor sleep.

Also, student discrimination has a significant influence on their

performances. Students may have a fear of going to school, fear of reacting to

recitations, or fear of engaging in performing duties such as competition.

Students who encounter this kind of discrimination from their teachers, peers, or

other individuals are more likely to have negative effects on them, such as

negative attitudes in their school and decrease their enthusiasm for their

schooling to learn and perform while raising the likelihood of dropping out of high

school.

In addition, the researchers conducted this study to know if the said

physical feature discrimination still exists in St. Jude Science and Technological

School. This study is also linked to SJSTS students, as certain jokes could

contribute to discrimination against someone who is mentally and physically

unstable. This study sought facts and shreds of evidence that proved the

3
negative effects of physical feature discrimination towards junior high school

students of SJSTS.

Furthermore, the researchers also conducted this physical feature

discrimination study to expand the awareness of students and make them aware

of the negative effects of this study. Knowledge about physical feature

discrimination could allow students to resolve this kind of discrimination. The

research also looked at various approaches to how junior high school students

overcome physical feature discrimination.

4
Statement of the Problem

The main objective of the study is to investigate the effects of

discrimination towards Junior High School students of St. Jude Science and

Technological School. Especially, the researchers aim to answer the following

questions:

1. What is the profile of the Junior High School students in terms of:

1.1 Gender?

1.2 Year Level?

2. What are the impacts of discrimination on the performance of JHS students at

SJSTS in terms of:

2.1 Self-esteem

2.2 Attitude

2.3 Mental Health

2.4 Academic Performance

3. Is there a substantial difference between students with perceptions of

discrimination and not?

4. How do learners perceive discrimination?

5. Given the results, what activities could be recommended to improve

respondents' confidence?

5
Scope and Limitations of the Study

In this study, The researchers restricted the research on the impacts of

physical feature discrimination on the respondents in terms of self-esteem,

attitude, mental health, and academic performance. This study is qualitative

research that is designed to produce in-depth information that allows the

researchers to truly understand people’s opinions, but it is not statistically

generalizable.

Furthermore, the interview served as the key tool for collecting data

required for the study. The questions were focused solely on ascertaining

whether physical feature discrimination affects the respondent’s performance.

The data collection will be administered to 30 respondents from Grade 7 to

Grade 10 High School students of St. Jude Science and Technological School

school year 2020-2021 who will represent the population of the study. This study

used convenience sampling as the primary technique for gathering data.

This study will not consider other issues that are not perceived

discrimination based on appearance. Other students who do not fall from Grade

7 to Grade 10 are not within the scope of the study.

6
Significance of the Study

Physical Feature Discrimination among students is a worldwide issue,

relevant from both public and private schools, describing a challenging vital

problem. This study aspires to understand the students who are being

discriminated against and educate other students on how they perceived

discrimination. In addition, the study could be of significance to the following:

Students. The result of the study may decrease the discrimination

towards other students. Providing the impacts of discrimination may spread

awareness on the effects of discrimination regarding physical features and

influence other students to speak up from their past experiences.

Parents. The completion of the study may lead the parents to understand

and guide their children to avoid physical feature discrimination. Developing

concern for parents' responsibilities on giving quality-time for their children.

Teachers. The outcome of the study will guide the teachers to support

students who are facing Physical Feature Discrimination. Providing knowledge

about the effects of specific discrimination on the students’ behavior and

performance.

School Administrators. The information presented will enable them to

prevent future issues regarding discrimination inside the campus. Give

appropriate discipline for the opposing side who provoke an issue that is related

to Physical Feature Discrimination.

7
 Present Researchers. This study will serve as a good foundation that

they can use for the next researchers they will conduct. The researcher's

observations and interview will serve as a prior test in learning the conduct of

researching and seeking knowledge.

Future Researchers. The investigation can provide review and result in

information for different future studies that could be taken in any particular local

area. It would help them to a better analysts and help as a future reference for

more studies in the future.

8
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

A review of literature is a description and evaluation of what trained

scholars and researchers have written on a subject, organized around a guiding

principle such as the research objective, thesis, or topic to be discussed. It is the

thesis' theoretical core. It is a research and synthesis of source materials written

in a specific style that flows from broad to narrow and considers both theoretical

and empirical issues. A review of the literature's primary goal is to report on

original research or experimentation to make this information available to the rest

of the academic community.

Conceptual Framework

A study of related literature and studies is performed to provide a broader

perspective on science. This research includes books, published and

unpublished theses and dissertations, and the use of the Internet. In some way,

these materials are linked to the current study.

Concept of Discrimination. To the degree that the idea of disadvantage

is normative, the concept of discrimination is as well. However, this does not

mean that discrimination is morally incorrect by itself. Around the same time,

many—if not all—of the uses of the word "discrimination" in current political and

legal debates have a moralized connotation.

9
 In Hausmann's (2011) sentiment, the concept of discrimination is

debatable; it is an action or practice that excludes, disadvantages or divides

individuals or groups of individuals based on some ascribed or perceived

characteristic. In the sociological study of discrimination, there are two forms of

investigations: Discrimination as a social phenomenon that needs to be

explained and discrimination as an explanation for other social phenomena

observed. Discrimination has been studied as an explanatory object by a wide

range of disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, political science,

psychology, economics, and law, seeking to understand why discrimination

occurs and what conditions lead to and reproduce it.

Furthermore, he stated that the definition of discrimination is a challenging

task. Selecting between conflicting concepts of discrimination has theoretical

consequences and analytical implications since the concept defines the nature of

the empirical analysis and the relevant methodology for determining and

researching the phenomenon. Given the broad range of possible definitions of

discrimination, a researcher must first define and explain their choice of a

concept of discrimination before embarking on an explanatory or analytical

agenda.

According to Salentin (2020), discrimination is the deliberate or

unintentional unfair treatment of individuals or social classes based on some

generalized characteristics. Discrimination victims are frequently whites, but they

may also be majorities. Discrimination, for the most part, causes injury or

damage to the affected individuals or communities.

10
Furthermore, Centered on social identity theory, social-psychological theories of

segregation assume that people depend on the groups they belong to for a

portion of their identity. Belonging to a more prestigious and influential

community than most increases one's self-esteem. Discrimination that involves

debasing and impairing out-group members or refusing them access to

resources and income serves the purpose of improving one's in-relative group's

status and implicitly improves the idea of self.

Types of Discrimination. In the notion of Altman, Andrew (2020), direct

and indirect discrimination, unequal treatment and disparate effects, deliberate

and systemic, individual and structural discrimination have all been differentiated

by legal theorists and legal structures. It is difficult to make the judgment of the

jumble of classifications and distinctions.

He further added that direct discrimination is intentional discrimination.

When anyone is treated differently because of a protected attribute, such as sex

or race, direct discrimination is known. It is safe to say that unconscious bias

plays a role in many racist acts in many societies. A viable understanding of

discrimination must accommodate this possibility.

On the contrary, he stated that indirect discrimination is an act that

disadvantages members of a social community disproportionately and may be

considered racist, even though the agent has no intention of doing so and no

other objectionable mental state, such as racism prejudice, motivates the act.

This form of discrimination is known as "indirect discrimination" or "disparate

effect" discrimination in American law.

11
 Also, Falconer (2020) stated that there are two more types of

discrimination, harassment, which is characterized as "unwanted behavior" that

is connected to a protected attribute. It cannot intend or result of infringing on a

person's reputation or establishing a threatening, aggressive, insulting,

humiliating, or offensive situation for them. Moreover, victimization happens

when a person develops a 'disadvantage' due to doing one of the following in

good faith: making an accusation of discrimination, endorsing a charge of

discrimination, or presenting facts relating to a complaint of discrimination.

However, according to Salentin (2020), an increasing number of terms

have been coined to label types of discrimination, such as racism, sexism, anti-

Semitism, homophobia, transphobia, or cissexism (discrimination against

transgender people), classism (discrimination based on social class), lookism

(discrimination based on physical appearance), and ableism (discrimination

based on disability).

Self-esteem. In the notion of Abdel-Khalek (2016), self-esteem is an

essential element in clinical, developmental, personal, and social psychology. It

has been researched for over a century in terms of its importance in

psychological functioning. Self-esteem is a motivator for aligning human nature

and leading to its development. Personal experiences into mastery, expertise,

and social relations are related to self-esteem.

Moreover, He noted that self-esteem is a personality trait correlated with

the principles of self-image and self-conscience. Both personality traits, including

self-esteem, may be thought of as a continuum or manic dimension. Individual

12
variations along this spectrum include many classes and levels. Self-approval is

a fundamental human desire. A high self-esteem level is a must to achieve a

sense of satisfaction.

According to D'Mello et al. (2018), the word self-esteem indicates

"reverence for self." Having a powerful will and self-confidence, decision-making,

strength and individuality, aptitude, sense, and mental health is associated with

self-esteem and perception of self-worth. Youngsters with high self-esteem

usually feel excellent about themselves and better competent to settle their

confrontations with other kids and are resistant to handle dilemmas.

Besides, self-esteem intends to cultivate feelings and images about oneself in

one's mind over time. Self-esteem is a fundamental principle of self-assessment;

this perception and assessment can be beneficial or adverse, good or

dangerous.

Conversely, Sharma and Agarwala (2015) explained that inadequate self-

esteem correlates with behavioral crises and lousy school performance, and

severe behavioral problems such as suicidal inclinations, maladjustment, and

direct psychological problems, essentially pessimism, social tension, loneliness,

and disaffection.

The study further stated that feelings of anxiety and stress appear to have

a detrimental and harmful impact on success and working and inhibit complete

and unrestricted access to their capacity and skills. Individuals in debilitating

conditions cannot be realistic and successful in their day-to-day functioning and

13
are more likely to exhibit deviant behavior habits. They have a sense of

inadequacy and indignity.

Mental Health. Other topics or studies can be used to identify prejudice

as a matter of mental health. Discrimination is so complex and expressed in so

many ways that it can be challenging to define the process by which it

undermines mental well-being.

According to Galderisi et al. (2015), Mental health is a dynamic state of

internal equilibrium that encourages people to use their talents according to

society's fundamental values. Basic cognitive and social skills; the capacity to

understand, interact, and modulate one's own emotions as well as to empathize

with others; the resilience and ability to cope with adversity and social roles; and

the symbiotic relationship between the body and the mind are all essential

aspects of mental well-being that contribute to a state of internal balance in

varying degrees.

Moreover, they also asserted that the concept "dynamic state of internal

equilibrium" is used to explain how the achieved balance changes over time:

adolescent crisis, marriage, becoming a parent, and retirement is, all examples of

life cycles that require an ambitious quest for a new mental balance. This

definition also incorporates and recognizes that mentally stable people can have

appropriate human emotions – such as fear, rage, sadness, and grief – while

also having adequate strength to restore the dynamic state of internal balance.

On the other hand, Manwell et al. (2015) suggested that mental health's

core concepts are primarily focused on factors of the person and one's capacity

14
and willingness to choose in dealing with society. It is a person's willingness or

capacity to cope with and build change in their climate. It is a necessary

component of an individual, reflecting the individual's subjective perception as

central to well-being, especially about achieving one's valued goals.

Their findings indicated that any functional application of a health concept

would be affected by the methodological and moral context in which it was

created and that the mental and social realms could be influenced differently

from the physical realm. A scientifically based concept of health could be more

applicable across different communities. A health concept that includes the

mental and social realms can be more broadly applied, mainly through

structures, societies, or clinical procedures with diverse beliefs and ways of

thinking and being.

Also, Bhugra et al. (2013) stated that mental health does not happen in

and of itself. It is an intrinsic and necessary component of optimal health, which

can be characterized in at least three ways: as the absence of illness, as a

condition of the organism allowing maximum execution of all its roles, or as a

state of equilibrium between oneself and between oneself and one's physical and

social environment. They defined mental health as a good balance in which the

person is at peace with themselves can function efficiently socially and provide

for their own primary and higher function needs.

Attitude. Bohner and Dickel (2011) emphasized that one's attitude judges

the object of thinking. All things that a person should remember, from the

mundane to the abstract, such as things, individuals, groups, and ideas, are

15
considered attitude artifacts. Attitudes can be categorized across a spectrum,

ranging from memory-based summary evaluations that can be easily retrieved to

appraisal judgments based on existing evidence.

They further stated that modern social psychology's core concepts are still

attitudes and behavior change. Attitude influences how information is perceived.

Selective exposure to information can result from a person's motivation to select

high-quality information combined with a congruent bias in their perception of the

quality of information. People tune their messages to their viewers' attitudes in

the context of social interaction, which leads to skewed recall and assessment of

the message topic.

In the analysis of Raved and Assaraf (2011), the term "attitudes" refers to

students' orientation or relationship (whether positive or negative) to a particular

object or case. It is logical, but it refers to the emotional aspects of one's

relationship with an entity. Attitudes expressed in words such as desire or

repulsion, love or hatred, happiness or displeasure, for example, correspond to

the affective/emotional component.

They construed that the behavioral aspect of an attitude refers to how one

behaves toward an entity. Choosing a specific action is affected by the nature of

attitudes affected by the individual's viewpoint and values. This more realistic

aspect is not always the product of one's cognitive or emotional attitude,

suggesting that there might be a difference between one's proclaimed attitude

and one's actions.

16
 Academic Performance. As York et al. (2015) stated, Academic

performance can be the direct product of achieving learning outcomes and

developing desirable knowledge and competencies. It is a criterion-based

evaluation that tests a student's ability to meet success standards. Grades are

designed to assess learning or expertise in this way; in other words, they are

surrogate metrics intended to capture the achievement of learning outcomes and

development of abilities and competencies.

They further explained that Grades (by course or assignment) and Grade

Point Average (GPA) is almost entirely used to assess academic performance. At

the course level, the main ways of evaluating these items are tasks and course

assessments. A student's GPA is usually calculated on a scale of zero to four,

with higher GPAs meaning better grades in class. Provincial and national

education agencies determine graduation rates as a precise indicator of high

school success. Each state administers annual examinations of student

proficiency in English and Mathematics at the elementary, high school, and

college levels.

Noemy et al. (2017) highlighted that academic performance is not only

synonymous with an intellectual quotient (IQ), but it also includes several other

variables and criteria to which some predictive value can be added. Academic

performance has always been linked to the evaluation test results, which apply to

the student's IQ, although other personal traits have been ignored. Among these

characteristics, the value of emotional intelligence (management, facilitation,

comprehension, and perception), personality characteristics (emotional

17
impulsiveness, respect towards others, sociability, negotiation abilities,

responsiveness to learning, self-confidence), and the essence of existence

should be emphasized.

They stated that academic performance increases as the student

progresses in a particular course. As a result, students have better goals and are

more committed to their research, which is inextricably linked to life's essence. It

is the matter of individual development that students witness through these years

when the learning and life situations that they must confront are an approach to

the life they want to have.

Research Literature

Researchers were seeking studies that were similar to this one to explain

better and understand the impact of physical feature discrimination. Researchers

investigating the impact of physical feature discrimination on junior high school

students will profit from the discoveries found and tested.

Sowislo and Orth (2013) documented that the impact of self-esteem on

depression was considerably more potent than the impacts of depression on self-

esteem. They looked at the prospective mutual relationships of self-esteem with

depression and anxiety by meta-analyzing and observational studies on the

relationship between self-esteem and depression; and future design on the

relationship between self-esteem and anxiety. According to their findings, self-

esteem has diverging structural associations with depression and anxiety. The

study found that the impact of low self-esteem on depression is persistent across

18
various survey and study design characteristics. The effect's robustness has

significant consequences for the study and reinforces the potential importance of

self-esteem treatments.

Also, Amer and Hovey (2012) tackled that the most familiar presenting

topics for these people tend to be tension, pessimism, and suspicions connected

to racial identity and self-esteem. According to their findings, Arab Americans in

this study had considerably higher levels of anxiety and depression than

normative groups. Stressors can include everyday life stresses, group-specific

acculturation issues, national challenges such as extremism concerns, and

response to natural disasters, as with other Americans. However, unlike other

groups, these stressors are uniquely exacerbated by increased and continuing

pressures aimed at Arab Americans, especially Muslims.

Furthermore, Sikorski et al. (2015) reported that several research pieces

on weight bias found a negative relationship between self-esteem and weight

and maybe a mediating factor between weight bias and bad psychosocial results.

Fat people undergo various social costs, such as decreased admission to health

insurance, finding clothing, navigating too-small areas, and having to acquire two

airplane seats, all of which are only a small selection of frequent indications that

their body size makes them a second class citizen (Saguy & Ward, 2011).

Seacat, Dougal, and Roy (2014) reported that the most common origin of

stigmatization came from interpersonal intercourses with friends and family

members. Research has also associated body displeasure with serious negative

mental health dilemmas such as anxiety and poor self-esteem (Murray, Byrne,

19
and Rieger, 2013). Leahey et al. (2011) illustrated that women with considerable

body displeasure encountered different negative feelings and cognitions such as

impressions about dieting, sorrow, and eating disorder manners than women with

low body displeasure. Women with higher body dissatisfaction are more likely to

participate in eating disorder behaviors such as binging and purging (laxative use

and vomiting) than women with low body dissatisfaction.

Moreover, Stupnisky et al. (2013) found that self-esteem was a significant

predictor of perceived anxiety, physical health, and psychological health among

first-year university students. As explained by D'Mello et al. (2018), When

feelings are crushed upon, thoughts criticized, and skill criticized, the individual's

self-esteem stays low point of improvement and is therefore vulnerable.

When people criticize based on our faith, ethnicity, or gender, that is

referred to as discrimination. The Black Lives Matter campaign occurs as a result

of injustice. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning

Culture (LGBTQ+) is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and

queer or questioning individuals (BBC News, 2018). They wanted freedom, and it

is that most people are not fond of the distinction. After all, it was formerly

assumed that only men and women were permitted to marry. There are also

certain discriminations against women, such as the fact that they are not

permitted to do those jobs just because they are women (Burkett, 2021).

In the study of Lee and Ahn (2011), they stated that they were not

shocked to find that racial discrimination was related to depression and anxiety

but not a mental disease. They believe that this difference is considering

20
psychiatric illness is a general term that encompasses a wide range of

psychological symptoms, whereas depression and anxiety are discrete

constructs. Since the psychological disorder is more likely to quantify mistake

than depression or anxiety, the severity of its correlation with racial inequality

may be diminished. However, it is essential to note that Asians tended to be

equally susceptible to depression and anxiety in the face of racial discrimination.

They also added that personal constructs and capacities of the most

significant associations for racial discrimination and general anxiety, based on

the whole context's findings, are perhaps the most reliable and appropriate skills

to teach Asians about racial discrimination. However, the results suggest that

ethnic status and social services are closely related to systematic racism and

mental health. They suggested that when Asian clients experience racial

prejudice, interventions that promote personal self-esteem, inspiration, and

coping skills may be the most effective, whereas those that strengthen social

support and cultural identity may also be beneficial.

Moreover, the study of Redford and Ratliff (2016) found that people

considered an individual whose discriminatory behavior was motivated by

negative attitudes to be more morally accountable when they were aware of their

negative attitudes than when they were unaware. Furthermore, although they

became mindful of their negative attitudes, they were viewed as similarly morally

responsible whether they knew that such attitudes could affect their behavior.

They revealed that knowledge of attitudes affects people's moral decisions

who participate in behavioral prejudice because it causes them to anticipate their

21
effects. Ignorance of behavioral influence of attitudes does not diminish moral

responsibility; basic knowledge of attitudes is sufficient to force us to predict and

avoid adverse repercussions. Studies suggest that considering moral judges of

mental states is not limited to descriptive evidence but is somewhat based on

normative principles.

Additionally, Igbo, Onu, and Obiyu (2015) found that gender is linked to

how persons view themselves so that more members of the same sex associate

themselves with those characteristics. These characteristics are influencing

children as they grow. Without question, the world in which the infant finds

himself or herself has a significant effect on the child. Gender-stereotypical

attitudes have a facilitating effect on the self-concept and academic success of

high school students. A stereotype is a generalization that refers to the features

of a category of individuals. Segregation of one group of people and the other

displaying dominance over one group against the other is widely recognized.

According to Khwaileh and Zaza (2010), standard cultural gender-

stereotyped views about women's success are that women seem to work less

complicated than men, and those female students receive lower grades at school

levels in general, and high school in particular, and those girls who fail at school

usually get married at an early age. They stated that Another common, typical

stereotype is those specific demanding majors (i.e., Medicine, Engineering,

Dentistry, and Pharmacy) who have an excellent career in Jordan are mostly

male occupations. In contrast, weaker majors (i.e., Psychology, Education,

Languages, and Social Sciences) who do not have a promising career are

22
primarily female. For all of the reasons mentioned above, it is worth noting that

the study of gender inequalities is significant because it affects society's views on

women's position in society, the self-confidence and aspirations of women, and

the impact of stereotyping education.

They revealed that female undergraduates had higher GPAs than male

undergraduates. These findings may have been attributed to the fact that, in the

Jordanian cultural context, females are often expected to spend their spare time

studying at home or the university library; however, male students usually are

free to leave their home at any time and spend less time studying. Also, female

students believe like they still have everything to prove when they go to university

and excel and prove to their family that they have worked hard and have not lost

their time and commitment at the university.

Ambrosetti and Cho (2011) viewed that educators have been socialized to

conclude that their teaching mission is to make peace and handle all of our

students equally, regardless of skin color, nationality, class, or gender. What is

frequently absent from this teaching-all-equal approach is a counter-narrative

that challenges whether teachers will serve effectively as gatekeepers to equal

educational opportunity. They place students within the dominant constructs

suggested by race or class and, more implicitly, by presence and language.

The implication is that some dominant systems include teachers and blame

students as victims rather than hold them accountable for the broader

mechanisms or organizations that have enforced these social constraints. They

revealed that another measure of influence that may add to teachers' aspirations

23
for their students might be related to their physical appearance. The physical

appeal was closely linked to the student's standards of intellect, popularity, and

academic motivation.

They concluded that students' stereotypical views could contribute to

differential treatment in the classroom, translating into unequal access to

educational opportunities. According to their observations, this predisposition to

stereotyping students based on their looks was largely unnoticed by most

participants, all of whom were insistent that they did not maintain these views.

They assumed that teachers' lack of knowledge of their own deep-seated biases

would damage the students they teach and eventually reinforce those gate-

keeping practices. Ignorance of the presence of those perceptions and feelings

leaves these teachers unable to deal with them. These expectations will

potentially express themselves in bad experiences with their potential classroom

peers.

In the view of Weeks and Sullivan (2019), children who had encountered

discrimination were three or four times more likely to have internalizing or

externalizing problems than children who had not experienced discrimination.

While the new study can not prove correlation, it does conclude that

discrimination is a significant risk factor for more preliminary mental health

results.

Furthermore, race and ethnicity have little impact on the relationship

between depression and behavior issues, meaning that perceived discrimination

may worsen mental health outcomes regardless of the child's race or ethnicity.

24
Since people's individual beliefs influence the process, experiencing racial

inequality does not have to be statistically accurate to result in negative mental

health consequences. They stated that many research exploring the association

between segregation and mental health results (a) involve children of either one

race or ethnicity rather than contrasting perceptions and outcomes across races

and ethnicities, or (b) fail to explore race as a moderator even though children of

different races and ethnicities are present.

Their findings contribute to the increasing body of evidence that racial

discrimination is related to internalizing and externalizing symptoms like

depression and anxiety. As a result, people responsible for creating the worlds in

which children develop must work together to help deter discrimination

experiences and promote the behavioral and social-emotional well-being of

children who have encountered discrimination.

Synthesis

The knowledge collected by the researchers from unpublished and

published materials provided them with a larger and more comprehensive

perspective on this study. These often provide them with crucial details required

for the study's completion.

In the review of conceptual literature from Hausmann discusses the

concept of discrimination. He explains that the concept of literature is debatable

and based on how people perceived it. He also describes that discrimination is

25
studied as a social phenomenon and explanatory object. It is similar to the

present study since it tackles discrimination in general.

On the other hand, Salentin has defined and discussed discrimination as

the intentional or unintentional unfair treatment of individuals or social groups

based on some generalized characteristics. White people are the most common

victims of discrimination, but minorities may also be victims. Being a member of a

more prominent and powerful community boosts one's self-esteem.

The concept of Altman is similar to the present study since it tackles the

types of discrimination. Direct and indirect discrimination, disproportionate

representation and disparate consequences, intentional and institutional,

individual and structural discrimination have all been distinguished by legal

scholars and legal frameworks. Unconscious racism is likely to play a part in

many racial activities in many cultures. According to Andrew, a viable

understanding of prejudice would provide for this probability. He defines direct

discrimination as intentional discrimination and indirect discrimination as an act

that unfairly disadvantages members of a social group. Moreover, Falconer

added two more types of discrimination. Harassment is described as "unwanted

actions" linked to a protected trait. Victimization occurs when a person faces a

'disadvantage' as a result of doing one of the following things in good faith:

making a discrimination claim.

However, the concept of Salentin points out, a growing range of concepts

have been coined to mark different kinds of discrimination, including racism,

misogyny, anti-Semitism, bigotry, transphobia, or discrimination against

26
transgender persons, discrimination based on social status, discrimination based

on physical identity, and discrimination based on disability. It is similar to the

present study owing to this research is inclined to explain different types of

discrimination.

The notion of D'Mello explained that self-esteem is the respect of yourself.

This is similar to the present study because it defines self-esteem. It introduces

that self-esteem affects the powerful will and self-confidence, decision-making,

strength and individuality, aptitude, sense, and mental health which is related to

the present study. However, the present study will tackle more about the impacts

of Physical Feature Discrimination on the self-esteem of a student.

Moreover, Abdel-Khalek stated that self-esteem is an important element in

a person's development. The concept stated that high self-esteem is a must to

achieve satisfaction. It is similar to the present study because the present aims

on how Physical Feature Discrimination impacts self-esteem and how high self-

esteem or low self-esteem impacts a student.

The notion of Sharma and Agarwala is similar to the present study

because it tackled the effects of low self-esteem on school performance. It

explained why lousy school performance and severe behavioral problems

correlate to low self-esteem. However, the study is different from the present

study because discrimination is the main topic and how it affects self-esteem.

The concept of Galderisi et al. describes that mental health is a complex

state of internal balance that allows individuals to use their skills in ways that are

consistent with society's core values. Basic cognitive and social skills are both

27
essential for mental health. It is indeed important to establish a symbiotic bond

between the body and the mind. It is similar to the present study since they

explained how important mental health is. Moreover, Manwell et al. study are

similar to the present study seeing that they both simply refer to the mind which

is used in different abilities and the ability to control decision making, However,

the difference of this study are Manwell's study states the ability to decide on

different approaches affects our mental health, and mental health focuses only

on how it affects emotion.

In the notion of Bhugra et al., they stated that mental health does not

happen in and of itself. It is similar to the present study since they discussed the

necessity of mental health to discrimination. It is an intrinsic and necessary

component of optimal health, which can be characterized in at least three ways:

as the absence of illness, as a condition of the organism allowing maximum

execution of all its roles, or as a state of equilibrium between oneself and

between oneself and one's physical and social environment. They defined mental

health as a good balance in which the person is at peace with themselves can

function efficiently socially and provide for their own primary and higher function

needs.

The concept of Bohner and Dickel stated that attitude is how a person

behaves and impacts a person's decision and perspective in life. One's mood

judges the object of one's thought. Attitude artifacts are something that a person

can know, from the ordinary to the abstract, such as things, entities, classes, and

concepts. In the sense of social contact, people tune their messages to the

28
attitudes of their listeners, resulting in a warped recall. It is similar to the present

study since it tackles how negative and positive attitudes impact a person.

Moreover, In Raved and Assaraf's study, the term "attitudes" refers to

students' orientation or connection to a certain object or event. The

affective/emotional aspect correlates to attitudes conveyed in terms such as

attraction or repulsion, affection or dislike, enjoyment or displeasure, and so on.

They interpreted the behavioral element of an attitude to be how one acts against

an individual. It is similar to the present study since they elaborated the definition

of attitudes towards a certain person.

The notion of York et al. is similar to the present study since they

elaborated that academic performance is based on student’s performance in

school. They described that academic performance might, be a direct result of

meeting learning expectations and gaining desirable expertise and skills. It is a

criterion-based measure that assesses a student's potential to meet performance

expectations. The GPA of a student is usually measured on a scale of zero to

four, with higher GPAs suggesting better grades in class. Graduation rates are

determined by regional and national education authorities as a precise measure

of high school achievement. Consequently, Noemy et al. describe the academic

performance as attributed to the outcomes of assessment tests, which pertain to

the student's IQ. According to the writers, emotional maturity, empathy for others,

sociability, negotiation skills, openness to learning, self-confidence, and the

meaning of life should be stressed. Students believe they have higher aspirations

29
and are more attentive to their science, which is inextricably tied to the nature of

life.

On the other hand, the review of related literature from the studies of

Sowislo and Orth is similar to the present study since they looked for the

correlation of self-esteem and depression due to discrimination. However, it is

different from the present study due to the main focus of their study, which is self-

esteem instead of discrimination based on physical appearance.

The notion of Amer and Hovey is similar to the present study because it

explained that discrimination correlates to race and self-esteem. According to the

study, racial identity affects a person's Self-esteem resulting in low self-

confidence and non-social. However, the study is different from the present study

because it tackles racial identity and not physical features.

The notion of Murray, Byrne, Rieger, and Leahey women with

considerable body displeasure has a serious negative impact on mental health

dilemmas such as anxiety and poor self-esteem. The study is similar to the

present study since it explains the negative impact of being fat. Fat women suffer

from physical features discrimination resulting in low self-esteem. Nevertheless,

the difference is that the present study has student respondents and both

genders are included.

Stupnisky’s study is similar to the present study since it tackled how

discrimination affects mental health. However, it is different from the present

study since it tackles gender discrimination instead of physical feature

discrimination.

30
 Lee and Ahn's study is similar to the present study since it says that

inequality of perspective on each other can cause mental illness, which is also

connected as a part of mental health, However, the difference is they said that

our mental health does not cause racial discrimination because discrimination

can make changes and think things that can change our perspective and mindset

and also one of the causes of various diseases and depression that can affect

our mental health.

Redford and Ratliff’s review is similar to the present study since mindset is

one of the factors that lead others to discriminate. Those who discriminate may

or may not be aware of their negative attitudes; however, those who are aware of

their negative attitudes and continue to discriminate are held more morally

responsible. They also noted that a person's mood determines their judgment. It

is close to the current research in that it seeks to discover the impact of physical

feature inequality on students. Furthermore, according to the research of Igbo,

Onu, and Obiyo, sex determines a person's personality. It is similar to the present

research in that the respondents are both female and male students. They also

included gender stereotypes, which influence an individual's attitude.

Khwaileh and Zaza’s study is similar to the present study since they

discussed the importance of studying gender equalities since it influences

people's perceptions of women's roles throughout society. However, it is different

from the present study since the kind of discrimination in their study is not the

same as physical feature discrimination.

31
 Ambrosetti and Cho's theory clarified how teachers' denial of their deep-

seated prejudices could affect the students they teach. This is similar to the

present study in that it specifies how students should be handled. According to

the concept, their teaching goal is to promote peace and treat all students

equally, regardless of skin color, race, class, or gender. However, it is different

from the present study since they tackled a teaching approach to boost a

student's academic performance.

Weeks and Sulivan’s study is similar to the present study. It is centered on

the topic of ethnicity and race, which can correlate to physical feature

discrimination. However, it is also different since it involves racial discrimination,

which is another kind of discrimination, while the present study only focuses on

physical feature discrimination.

Conceptual Framework

This study was primarily concerned with the impact of physical feature

discrimination. The impact of physical feature discrimination towards JHS

students of St. Jude Science and Technological School was conceptualized

using the Input-Process-Output method approach. This method is made up of

intertwined components that the researchers used as a reference in solving the

problem under investigation.

The input of the study presents a profile of JHS students of SJSTS, who

agree to be the respondents of the present study. The variables and factors that

32
physical feature discrimination may have a significant impact on to student’s

performance.

The process is the procedure used by the researcher for the data

collection, which is the interview of the selected students from junior high school

of St. Jude Science and Technological School.

The third box represents the output which is the impact of physical feature

discrimination to JHS students of SJSTS and recommendations to regulate

physical feature discrimination at school.

33
 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

This part addresses the research design, participants, sampling technique,

research instruments, data gathering procedure, administration of the interview,

and statistical treatment of data.

3.1 Research Design

This study extends the perspective of each student in the school of St.

Jude Science and Technological School, which involves each concept, opinion,

and experience that can help us to explore research subjects' opinions, behavior,

and the phenomenon of each student regarding their experiences about

discrimination based on physical appearance, qualitative research is employed.

3.2 Research Participants

This research’s target population was defined to include the junior high

school students of St. Jude Science and Technological School from grade 7 to

grade 10. The respondents were enrolled in the 2020-2021 academic year. The

respondents were the center of this study since the researchers want to explore

and determine the impact of discrimination on the performance of JHS students.

The participants consisted of forty (30) JHS students of SJSTS.

3.3 Sampling

34
 In this study, the researchers used convenience sampling to determine the

respondents. The researchers used this method since the respondents are

available and are easy to find. The method of convenience sampling was to

select available respondents who are convenient for the researchers. Using this

method, the researchers gathered 30 respondents. With this method, the

researchers were able to select the quantity of the respondents.

3.4 Research Instruments

There are two sources of data in this study. To identify the respondents’

academic performance, the average grades of the first and second grading of

S.Y 2020-2021 were acquired. The second source of data is the interview; this

helped the researchers to achieve the purpose of the study. An interview is

meant to provide facts about which respondents are expected to be aware of

conditions or activities.

The interview was divided into two sections: Section A, which contained

the respondents' personal information such as gender and year level. Section B

was the immediate question. The questions were focused on ideas gleaned from

the researchers' readings in theses, papers, and publications.

3.5 Data Gathering Procedure

This study conducted an interview for the data gathering procedure. It

contains open-ended questions that enable the respondent to have an answer

35
that they are comfortable with. This method was used to collect information from

the respondents on a one-on-one basis.

3.6 Administration of the Interview

The interview was administered directly to Google Forms, and the link was

sent to the listed junior high school students of St Jude Science and

Technological School. The questionnaire was manually conducted and collected

by the researchers, and all files were retrieved after the evaluation. The data was

processed and understood.

36
 CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND PRESENTATION OF DATA

This chapter focuses on the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data

gathered in order to address issues related to the effects of discrimination

towards Junior High School students of St. Jude Science and Technological

School. Interpretations were drawn from the gathered data from the interview

method.

Profile of SJSTS Junior High School Students

Based on the data collected, the number of respondents from the junior

high school of St. Jude Science and Technological School is thirty (30). In terms

of gender, the total respondents have eleven (11) male and nineteen (19) female.

As for the respondents’ corresponding year level, there are five (5) from grade 7,

two (2) male and three (3) female. There are ten (10) from grade 8, three (3)

male and seven (7) female. There are five (5) from grade 9, one (1) male and

four (4) female, and grade 10 has ten (10) respondents, five (5) male and five (5)

female.

Impacts of physical feature discrimination on the school performance of

the Respondents

A total of 30 respondents answered the question. After analyzing each

answer, It was found that the majority of the respondents think that physical

37
features discrimination is the unfair treatment of a student against other students.

A respondent described that physical feature discrimination is a ridiculous act,

and the respondent emphasizes that people cannot accept that everyone is built

differently. Some stated that physical features discrimination is an act towards

someone that will hurt their feelings.

“I would see it as sort of a ridiculous act. Why? Because the

people doing this act (appearance discrimination) can't accept the

fact that everyone is built different it may be their physical features

or their sexual orientation. I believe that everyone can do better

than this, especially that we are in the generation of discovery and

globalization. But the most important thing is that this type of

discrimination needs to stop or even any kind of discrimination.”

This is a statement made by one of the respondents. It is claimed here

that discrimination is an outrageous act and that people cannot embrace the fact

that everyone has their characteristics. He or she assumes that everybody can

improve for the better. Everyone is made differently, which is why everyone

needs to understand "acceptance." The respondent claimed that physical

features discrimination and any other form of discrimination must be prohibited.

"I see discrimination when someone criticizes someone with

a unique personality, appearance, the way they act, and so on."

Another respondent claimed that everyone is being discriminated against

because they are different. There is a variation in his/her physical characteristics,

personality traits, and behavior. This is how the respondent perceives prejudice,

38
which is all too common among students. This is referred to as bullying in school,

and it is not tolerated.

"I view physical feature discrimination as a crime. Some

people who get discriminated against for their appearance kill

themselves because they are tired of being called names. Those

who do that should be in jail, reflecting on the bad things they have

done."

According to the respondent, some students or citizens who are

discriminated against commit suicide. They commit suicide because they have

reached the height of their ability to cope with the tension and bigotry they are

subjected to. According to the respondent, prejudice is a felony, and those who

commit it must serve time in prison and reflect on their conduct against other

students or individuals. According to the respondent, those who commit suicide

do so because they are sick and tired of the injustice they face.

“It affects a person's way of living. If I were to think of myself

as a victim, I would probably be very mindful of how I show myself

to the public, and also in terms of hearing these types of topics

might lead to being a susceptible type of person.”

This response notes that the impact of prejudice on the appearance of an

individual may be seen or discovered through the way he or she shows his or her

actions to others or the public. It is clear to a prejudiced individual that he was

also discriminated against or that, in other words, he was "influenced."

39
 Influence is why the number of people who throw harmful words at others

is growing even more. Therefore conclude that it was in their heads when they

were the people who recovered or did what they previously witnessed. There are

reasons why an individual is a strictly negative mind leading to a vulnerable sort

of individual, and it is often said that bigotry will only change someone’s behavior.

“Discriminating someone because of their appearance can

obstruct someone in terms of learning and participating.”

Furthermore, discrimination of this nature is an impediment that can

contribute to or hinder anyone from achieving our everyday peace, as a result of

the painful words that come from others when someone is the victim of such a

situation, which can be stamping or overlooking people's minds and cause

various types of disease.

“I believe that this type of discrimination greatly affects

someone's self-esteem as they are being judge based on how they

are built or made, which results to being anxious about themselves

especially on their physical feature which then leads to having low

self-esteem.”

Moreover, the respondent claims that prejudice affects a person's self-

esteem. Another factor is people's anxiety as a result of prejudice. It is also said

that human prejudice affects not just the physical but also the mental health of

those subjected to it.

40
 The respondent also mentioned that the number of mentally ill people is

growing due to prejudice, which, when compounded, contributes to suicide.

Discrimination is similar to bullying in that it can be physical or emotional.

Difference between students with understandings of discrimination and

not.

The study calculated the disparity between students who understood

prejudice and those who did not. After evaluating the responses of 30

respondents, the researcher discovered that the majority of students believe they

gain an advantage when they conquer prejudice. Some say that they did not

obtain an advantage, but rather tension and insecurities about their appearance.

Others claimed that when they are discriminated against, it affects their faith, and

as a result, students like them may not go to school out of fear.

However, most respondents' responses to the disparity between students

who recognize prejudice and those who do not correlate to their self-confidence.

Several respondents stated that the drop in grades in their activities is due to a

lack of interest in participating in group activities at school. Other respondents

stated that as a result of this, they would be unable to concentrate in school.

“Discrimination is judging someone based on his/her race,

gender, looks, and many others.”

It is claimed here that discrimination occurs when a person's dignity is

violated. Discrimination can be direct or indirect; it is discrimination if it harasses

someone.

41
 “When you look on the brighter side, yes, it has an

advantage. A person who is being discriminated against can boost

their confidence once they overcome it.”

It expresses that discrimination can also become a good thing to make

someone even better and gather more confidence when they get over it.

“It can make someone insecure about their looks.”

Moreover, It is said that one downside of discrimination is that it causes

someone to doubt their appearance. This can result in poor academic results or a

fear of going to school because they believe there is something wrong with their

appearance.

"Discrimination can cause physical or mental harm to others.

If the person cannot handle discrimination, it can cause them

stress, anxiety, or even suicide. Furthermore, some discriminated

against have been killed because others cannot accept who they

are.''

According to this respondent, discrimination is profoundly harmful to

people since it can lead to stress, anxiety, and even suicide. Those who have

faced this type of prejudice must remain strong and not listen to what others say.

The respondent wants to know what would happen if they discriminate against

others, therefore they must be careful of those citizens.

''I do not think any type of discrimination has advantages.

Not only people who are being discriminated against. Becomes

42
 suicidal, but also people who discriminate others feel like they are

above everybody else, which is wrong and unjust.''

Furthermore, This respondent believes that all forms of discrimination are

incorrect because those who are discriminated against becoming suicidal, and

those who discriminate feel superior to everyone else, which leads to suicidal

behavior in those who discriminate.

''I think that physical feature discrimination does not have

any advantages in any way that are significant. Maybe in some

cases, it does have, but I believe it does not give advantages,

especially to the victim. To explain my argument, physical feature

discrimination implies bullying a person based on his/her looks or

physical feature, resulting in an unfavorable stance to the victim

since he/she cannot be changed how he/she looks. Which is just

blatantly wrong.''

Also, according to one respondent, physical feature discrimination has no

benefits, even though some cases do. According to the respondent, they were

bullying an individual based on their appearance, resulting in an unfavorable

attitude toward the victim, which is wrong. One respondent responded in the

affirmative, while another clarified that physical feature discrimination has no

advantages.

Perception of Respondents to Discrimination

The analysis done determined the impact of Physical Feature

Discrimination on a student's academic performance. After thoroughly analyzing

43
the answers of 30 respondents, It was found that the majority of the student loses

focus and cannot concentrate during school hours. Some answered that due to

loss of concentration and focus, the grades of students decrease. Some stated

that the impact of physical feature discrimination depends on how serious the

discrimination is. Some stated that when a student is being discriminated against

it affects their confidence, and then students might not go to school anymore

because of fear and lack of motivation.

Moreover, most of the respondents’ answers to the impact of

discrimination on a student’s academic performance correlate to self-esteem and

self-confidence. Numerous respondents answered that the decrease in grades is

because of the lack of confidence in participating and the fear of answering. Also,

some respondents said that the stress experienced by students because of

discrimination results in a lack of focus during school hours. Moreover, some

stated that students tend to not go to school because of discrimination, which

results in absents and not learning new lessons.

"It lowers a person's confidence in himself. It makes people

more focused on their physical features rather than their academic

ability resulting in failure."

It is stated here that discrimination reduces a person's self-confidence,

which leads to low self-esteem. It is also noted here that it causes a student to

become more concentrated on their physical features, such as questioning his or

her self-worth, which leads to a lack of concentration during classes.

44
 "Yes, because like in school group activities he/she will not

participate because they think they do not belong."

On the other hand, it is mentioned here that there is another explanation

why a student's grades drop, and that is a sense of not belonging. Because of

this attitude toward other students, a student is unable to engage completely,

which has a significant effect on academic success. Students lack the ability to

engage with other students due to problems with fear and trust.

"It erodes a person's self-assurance. It causes people to be

more concerned with their physical appearance than with their

academic abilities, resulting in failure."

As a result, physical feature discrimination kills someone's self-esteem.

Discrimination has an effect on how they perceive themselves. As a result, not

only is their self-esteem affected but so is their academic performance. The

sense of being discriminated against affects their self-esteem, leading to poor

grades due to tension and overthinking about the situation.

"Offensively, it is an action that can hurt others’ feelings."

Moreover, according to the respondent, discrimination based on physical

characteristics is behavior directed at other people that can hurt their emotions. It

impacts their feelings, and as a result, students appear to lose concentration on

their goals. They lose sight of their ambitions and continue to wonder what is

wrong with them.

45
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION

This chapter summarizes the study's findings, conclusions based on the

collected results, and recommendations made in light of the decisions reached.

Summary

The study’s main objective is to investigate the effects of discrimination

towards Junior High School students of St. Jude Science and Technological

School.

Primarily, the researchers aim to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the Junior High School students in terms of:

1.1. Gender?

1.2. Year Level?

2. What are the impacts of discrimination on the performance of JHS

students at SJSTS in terms of:

2.1. Self-esteem

2.2. Attitude

2.3. Mental Health

2.4. Academic Performance

3. Is there a substantial difference between students with perceptions

of discrimination and not?

4. How do learners perceive discrimination?

46
 5. Given the results, what activities could be recommended to improve

respondents' confidence?

In this study, the researchers used qualitative research to determine the

impacts of physical feature discrimination on the junior high school students of

SJSTS. This study generates detailed information that helps researchers

genuinely comprehend people's perspectives, yet it is not statistically

generalizable. The primary data collection strategy and methods in this study

were convenience sampling and interviews. The researchers focused their

investigation on the effects of physical feature discrimination on respondents'

self-esteem, attitude, mental health, and academic achievement.

Findings

After conducting the investigation, the following are the pertinent findings of the

study:

1. Profile of SJSTS Junior High School Students

According to the data gathered, the number of respondents from St. Jude

Science and Technological School's junior high school is thirty (30).

1.1. Gender

In terms of gender, there are eleven (11) male responders and

nineteen (19) female respondents.

1.2. Year Level

As for the respondents’ corresponding year level, there are five (5)

from grade 7, two (2) male and three (3) female. There are ten (10) from

47
 grade 8, three (3) male and seven (7) female. There are five (5) from

grade 9, one (1) male and four (4) female, and grade 10 has ten (10)

respondents, five (5) male, and five (5) female.

2. Impacts of physical feature discrimination on the school

performance of the Respondents.

The researchers sought the feasible impact of physical feature

discrimination on the students by having these four variables: Self-esteem,

Attitude, Mental Health, and Academic Performance.

2.1. In terms of self-esteem, It was discovered to be a strong predictor

of reported anxiety, physical health, and psychological health. The

researchers found a potent connection between discrimination and

self-esteem that can build depression for a particular student. The

study also showed that physical feature discrimination changes the

students’ views about their physical structure that will correlate to

low self-esteem.

2.2. In terms of attitude, the study revealed that being susceptible to

physical feature discrimination may change student’s attitudes

negatively. The researchers found out that the students who are

enduring this kind of discrimination are aloof and pressured. A

negative attitude associated with discrimination may motivate

students to become more reclusive and alienated from society.

2.3. In terms of mental health, victims of this type of discrimination may

face mental health difficulties when words are thrown at them. This

48
 may lead to actual anxiety difficulties, which may influence their

mental health. It could lead them to a very dark place, prompting

them to question themselves and pushing them into sadness,

anxiety, and even suicide.

2.4. In terms of academic performance, physical feature discrimination

in the school system could impair academic success. This study

revealed that this kind of discrimination has a more significant

impact on learning, such as academic success and students’

academic performance.

3. Difference between students with understandings of discrimination

and not

The researchers discovered a significant difference between pupils who

comprehend prejudice and those who do not by evaluating the responses of the

respondents. Students who are aware of discrimination have a bigger knowledge

base and unequivocal social ability. They are focused on their objectives and can

distinguish between criticism and discrimination. On the other hand, some

students are sensitive to a particular topic and can easily be discriminated

against, resulting in low academic achievement. Parents and teachers must

provide them with suitable guidance.

4. Perception of JHS students to physical feature discrimination

By examining the respondent's viewpoint on physical feature

discrimination, the researchers discovered that the student's perception of

physical feature discrimination results from being discriminated against.

49
According to the participants, some students dissipate confidence, which causes

their grades to plummet. Another respondent deemed having quality, personality

traits, and behavior eccentric to society’s eyes may lead to discrimination. Most

students lose focus and are unable to concentrate during school hours. Being

discriminated against has a significant influence on one's self-esteem.

5. Recommended activities to improve student’s confidence

Students with low self-confidence can participate in the following activities

to them build up their self-confidence. First, teachers can have an activity that

lets students know each other and how they can express their feelings. This

activity will help students build their trust and let them speak without fear.

Second, group activities will let students cooperate, such as scouting, camping,

filmmaking, and dance competition. Third, schools can have relaxing activities

with low confidence, such as allowing students to read motivational books or

watch motivational videos to help students realize things they thought are

negative and realize that some things are rational.

Conclusion

Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were made.

1. According to the study's findings, physical feature discrimination has an

impact on students' academic performance. Students that took part in the

study rarely participated in class activities, performed well in class, and

attended a class on a regular basis.

50
 2. In the face of discrimination, the majority of our respondents had the

option to express their views or strive for an improvement in our morale.

That trust enables individuals to engage or speak with their fellow humans

in a courteous manner and so to avoid various sickness circumstances

that lead to negative attitudes.

3. Recreational activities are essential for students who have encountered

discrimination since they increase physical fitness and divert or forget

about their discrimination.

Recommendation

The following recommendations are offered based on the findings and

conclusions of the study.

1. Parents, in general, must be aware that their children require parental

supervision. Parents play a significant role in their child's academic

performance; therefore, when their children's learning habits are diverted

because of discrimination, this significantly impacts the child's educational

performance. Physical feature discrimination has a direct effect on kids'

learning processes.

2. Teachers should be aware and orient the students about physical feature

discrimination. Monitor students' schoolwork carefully and urge them to

participate in more fulfilling and valuable activities. Teachers and school

administrators should improve the school policy regarding discrimination

51
 and revise the school campaigns such as “no bullying” and gender

equality campaigns.

3. Future researchers are encouraged to conduct a broader study about

discrimination and propose a campaign that will advocate the youth about

equality and societal discrimination.

52
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