CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Mental health is one of the issues that must be prioritized for students to achieve

their full potential for success and development. Mental health awareness is important

for all educators, who are frequently the first line of defense for their students. Education

professionals have recognized the impact that a student's mental health has on learning

and achievement, and they recognize that there is a lot that can be done to help students

who are struggling with mental health issues (Barile, N. 2021).

On the other hand, The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as "a

state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the

normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to his or

her community." It means that the role of mental health is crucial in the formal development of

the individual.

According to Mental Health.gov (2020), mental health encompasses our emotional,

psychological, and social well-being. It influences how people think, feel, and act in a situation. It

has an impact on how we handle stress, interact with other people, and make our decisions.

From childhood and adolescence to adulthood, mental health is critical at all stages of life.

As published in the New Journal Series dated August 3, 2020, entitled, “Current

situation and challenges for mental health focused on treatment and care in Japan and

the Philippines “stated that Globally, an estimated 10 to 20% of children and

adolescents are affected by mental health problems, with more than half occurring

before the age of 14.

 Learning can be hindered by students’ mental health. Given the increased

reports of mental health concerns among students, it is imperative that we understand

how best to provide support to this population to help them learn and succeed. This is

particularly significant given the body of research that demonstrates how the level of

mental health may negatively affect students’ success and degree of persistence. In

order to best serve the growing population, there are possible supports that can be

provided in the classroom and the academe embedded into current practices and

learning opportunities.

As evidence, Dybdahl (2017) writes in an article titled "Mental health is an

integral part of the Sustainable Development Goals" that the Sustainable Development

Goals are universal and mental health affects everyone, rich or poor. Furthermore, the

need for interdisciplinary and intersectoral solutions to achieve the SDGs is

emphasized, which opens a window of opportunity for mental health because this is a

field where collaboration across sectors and professions is essential. We argue that

unless mental health is prioritized, efforts to eradicate poverty, prevent conflicts and

disasters, and promote education will fail. Poor mental health and unutilized human

potential pose significant risks to the necessary changes to achieve the SDGs.

Consequently, Estrada, C.A., Usami, M., and Satake, N. According to et al.

(2020), children with mental health issues are also a source of concern in the

Philippines. According to a review of the Philippine mental health system, children have

a 16% prevalence of mental disorders. Furthermore, according to the most recent

Global School-based Student Health Survey, 16.8 percent of students aged 13 to 17

attempted suicide one or more times in the 12 months preceding the survey. The
Department of Health is currently conducting a nationwide mental health survey to

better understand the landscape of mental health problems. This is the first nationwide

baseline study in the Philippines to determine the prevalence of mental disorders.

Although mental health is not a new issue, it has become more acceptable to

discuss in recent years. A growing body of research on college students' mental health

concerns emphasizes the importance of educators considering how mental health may

affect students and what options are available. According to Thomas-Jones and Eggert

(2015), this is imperative given how mental illness can impede student learning and

engagement, as well as, on a broader scale, the latter's success (VanderLind, R. 2017).

On the other hand, student or learning engagement is one of the important

constructs that is used to meaningfully engage the students in the learning process and

throughout the learning environment. The students are optimistic about their lives

because engagement is related to the different educational outcomes.

Similarly, learning engagement in the classroom is not clearly and adequately

addressed, particularly in the Junior High School. If the students acquire the necessary

knowledge and skills in the different subjects during their formative years, they will not

have a hard time appreciating and interacting with their lessons in the Junior High

School.

The above scenario has greatly affected the current situation of adolescents

particularly Junior High School students since this stage is known as the “identity crisis”

where young people are transiting from being children to full-grown adults. Significantly,

the study aims to establish the descriptive correlation between the level of students’
mental health self-assessment and learning engagement. It further aims to constitute

other variables relating mental health and learning engagement to learning.

Background of the Study

According to Egente (2016), Guidance and counselling is an important

educational tool in shaping a child's orientation from negative ideas planted in the child

by his/her peers. As a result, the school counsellor is required to assist the child in

shaping their future through counselling therapy. Students look up to the school

counselor as a role model and hold him or her in high regard. Counsellors are expected

by their training to be friends with the school child, listen to the child's complaints and

shortcomings, and offer guidance to the child to mold the child in the right role to take in

their life pursuit.

The Department of Education (DepEd) issues the enclosed Guidelines on

Counseling and Referral System of Learners for S.Y. 2020-2021, which aims to give

DepEd schools the mechanism to address the needs of learners on mental health

services including counseling activities with mental health professionals. In response to

the mental health concerns of learners as stipulated in Republic Act 11036 or the

Mental Health Law, this Memorandum institutionalizes the guidelines and procedures

that will aid public schools in addressing the mental health concerns of Filipino learners.

Due to the pandemic, one of the most affected sectors is education. Thus. The

Department of Education has resorted to different learning modalities. One of which is

modular distance learning. With the challenge faced by the students due to the new set-

up, this study seeks to understand, explain, and identify the current level of mental
health based on the mental health self-assessment of the respondents and their

learning engagement.

Significantly, the researcher is a teacher in this school; the researcher would like

to find out if those students with good mental health were also engaged in learning. The

researcher chose the Grade 9 level because of the high reported dropped-out rate of

5.8% out of 2,168 students in S.Y 2019-2020, leading to a higher home visitation rate of

the Guidance Office for the past years. From this data, the teacher-researcher wanted

to decipher the cause of this plight. The teachers dealt with the ordeal first before it was

reported to guidance counsellors. This study focuses on the result that will become the

basis and help provide an enhanced guidance intervention program on mental health

and learning engagement.

According to Cavioni et al. (2020), mental health problems have a significant

adverse impact on various aspects of children's and young people's development,

contributing to poor school adjustment, reduced concentration, and problems with

achievement and social relationships (Cavioni & Zanetti, 2015; Cefai et al., 2014;

Cullinan & Sabornie, 2004; Macklem, 2011; Ornaghi et al., 2016; Tempelaar et al.,

2014; Thorlacius & Gudmundsson, 2019). Poor school attendance, suspension, and

early school dropout are all linked to mental health issues (DeSocio & Hootman, 2004).

The school where the researcher is presently connected are also having the

previously mentioned problems; the idea of alleviating some of those problems came

into her mind. A decision to enhance the Guidance Intervention Program to augment the

existing program in the schools that will focus on the mental health and learning

engagement were finalized.

Theoretical Framework

Only very little research provides evidence on how one’s mental health affects

learning engagement especially since it is the first time in education history where

distance learning is mobilized as a teaching modality. The study links relationship on

mental health self-assessment and learning engagement which are both significant

variables towards work a proposed enhanced guidance intervention program.

Carl Rogers' humanistic theory, one of his main ideas about personality,

concerns self-concept, our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. How would you

answer the question, "Who am I?" " The response can reveal how you see yourself. If

the response is mostly positive, you probably feel good about yourself and see the

world as a safe and positive place. If your response is mostly negative, you may be

dissatisfied with yourself.

Humanistic theory divides the self-further into two categories: the ideal self and

the real self. The ideal self is the person you wish to be the real self is the person you

are. Carl Rogers emphasized the importance of achieving consistency between these

two selves. Congruence occurs when our thoughts about our real and ideal selves are

very similar—that is, when our self-concept is accurate. High congruence results in a

higher sense of self-worth and a more healthy, productive life (Lumen 2021).

According to Rogers (1980), “As persons are accepted and prized, they tend to

develop a more caring attitude towards themselves” (p. 116). Conversely, when there is

a great discrepancy between our ideal and actual selves, we experience a state Rogers

called incongruence, which can lead to maladjustment.

 The individual refers to motivation and environment referring to learning where

learning engagement is linked to. Both the “individual” and “environment” point out to

self which manifests thoughts, objects, behavior, images, and people.

Moreover, the second variable which is learning engagement is supported by

Fredricks and colleagues in which they incorporated the three dimensions of

engagement: behavioral, cognitive, and emotional (Conner, 2011; Kraft & Dougherty,

2013; Trowler, 2015).

They presented the concept of behavioral engagement to cover the idea of

student participation and involvement into the academic and social activities, which are

crucial for academic achievement.

Thus, a student can be considered engaged in a behavioral context, if he/she

tends to comply with behavioral norms and demonstrates the absence of negative

and/or disruptive behavior.

To explain students’ positive and negative reactions to school in general and

teachers and peers in particular, the concept of emotional engagement was presented

(Conner, 2011; Kraft & Dougherty, 2013). Emotional engagement tends to shape the

way students attribute themselves to the institution and influences their overall

willingness to do the work.

The study is also anchored to Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotion by

Barbara Frederickson, positive emotions also help us to process negative emotions and

to bounce back from negative situations. They also make us more open to positive

experiences in the future. They also help to find meaning in negative experiences. To

answer this question, Fredrickson (1998) begins by doing away with two key
 presumptions; First, unlike negative emotions, positive emotions need not yield specific

action tendencies. Instead, they leave us free to engage in a diverse range of possible

behaviors. Second, any action tendencies positive emotions elicit need not necessarily

be physical but may also be cognitive. These changes in cognition may then flow on to

affect behavior (Celestine, N. 2021).

Conceptual Framework

The figure shows the paradigm showing the relationships of the respondents’

demographic profile such as age, gender, and parent’s academic attainment of the

respondents.

The independent and dependent variables based on Carl Roger’s Humanistic

Theory, Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotion, and Fredricks and colleagues’

Dimensions of learning engagement emphasizing on the concepts that behavioral,

cognitive, and emotional (Affective) are dimensions of engagement and to be able to

perform the best the actual “self” must be actualized in terms of individuality and

environment.

Moreover, the paradigm exhibits variables in this study. It further illustrates the

independent variable (IV) which includes the demographic profile and the students’

mental health self-assessment. On the other hand, the learning engagement is

considered as the dependent variable (DV). The sub variables under learning

engagement are affective, behavioral, and cognitive.

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

Level of Learning Engagement

I. Demographic Profile
1.1 Gender of the Respondents
1.2 Age 1. Affective
1. 3 Parents’ Educational
II. Mental Health Self-
Assessment of the 1.2. Liking for school
respondents based on 2 Behavioral
Warwick-Edinburgh Mental
Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) 2.1 Effort and
Persistence
2.2 Extracurricular
3 Cognitive

Enhanced Guidance Intervention Program

Proposed Guidance Program

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

Also, the paradigm above used as the framework of this study to determine the

correlation of the given variables and seeks to establish significant relationship among

them.

The data gathered to determine through a Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being

Scale (WEMWBS) and Student Engagement in School Questionnaire (SESQ) be

answered by the respondents through simple random sampling disseminated through

Google forms or Facebook Messenger

. Similarly, the process done through evaluation of the Independent Variables and

will be processed through surveys and appropriate statistical treatment.

 Finally, the outcome is an Enhance Guidance Intervention Program in which

aims to establish answers linking mental health and learning engagement.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the Mental Health self-assessment and learning

engagement of selected Grade 9 students of General Mariano Alvarez Technical High

School towards a proposed Enhanced Guidance Intervention Program. Specifically, the

study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Gender;

1.2 Age;

1. 3 Parents’ Educational Attainment

2. What is the mental health self-assessment of the respondents based on

Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS)?

3. What is the respondents’ learning engagement based on Student Engagement

in Schools Questionnaire (SESQ) in terms of the following variables stated:

3.1 Affective;

3.1.1 Liking for Learning

3.1.2 Liking for School

3.2 Behavioral;

3.2.1 Effort and Persistent

3.2.2. Extracurricular

3.3 Cognitive
 4. Is there a significant relationship between the Demographic profile and

learning engagement of the respondents?

5. Is there a significant relationship between mental health self-assessment and

learning engagement of the respondents?

6.What enhanced guidance intervention program can be proposed based on the

findings?

Hypotheses

Based on the questions proposed in this study, the given hypotheses put into test:

H O 1: There is no significant relationship between the Demographic profile and

learning engagement of the respondents

H O 2: There is no significant relationship between mental health self-assessment

and learning engagement of the respondents

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study focuses mainly on relating the mental health self-assessment and

learning engagement of the selected Grade 9 students of General Mariano Alvarez

Technical High School, Cavite in the School Year 2020-2021. The student’s level of

mental health which is based on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale. On

the other hand, the level of learning engagement includes affective (liking for learning

and liking for school), behavioral (effort and persistence and extracurricular) and

cognitive engagement.

The respondents who were involved in this study is limited only to three hundred

forty-four (344) students out of a total of two thousand four hundred forty-one (2,441) by
using the Slovin’s formula. The respondents were chosen through simple random

sampling mobilizing Google forms or Facebook Messenger as means of data gathering.

Each respondent is given a survey questionnaire to be answered electronically through

Google form or FB-Messenger respectively.

Significance of Study

Given the light and rationale, the results of this study contributed and beneficial to

the following:

School Administrators. This study helps them to notice the increase of the

performance level of the students along with other beneficial changes. The school

produces more outstanding students every year improving its proficiency and

performance enhancing teaching strategies and approaches using the framework on

supporting learning engagement.

School Heads. This study helps them to identify the factors affecting teachers’

performance which may affect the student’s learning engagement and proper way to

handle students with low levels of mental health self-assessment. They also have a

basis for helping teachers to have proper classroom management practices and

approaches. The findings of the study are the basis for teachers’ training to enhance

pedagogical skills which encourage learning engagement.

Guidance Counselors. The findings of the study could be of great help to them in

identifying the needs of the students and teachers so as to develop an intervention

guidance program that would address their identified needs specifically, a guidance
program improving students’ engagement focusing on the level of mental health and

other factors affecting the variable mentioned.

Teachers. This study helps them to acknowledge the problems that exist as to the

level of mental health self-assessment of the students. This study greatly helps them to

understand and improve their classroom management practices and students’

engagement. It can address all the students’ needs for its academic and non-academic

success.

Students. The students benefit from the results of the study as it aims to produce

competent teachers who produce competent students. The results of the study provide

insight on how they improve the learning engagement and develop a positive outlook in

life.

Parents. The results of the study are beneficial to the parents as it shows the

factors affecting learning engagement, and their children’s mental health. This research

also encourages them to pay attention on the level of mental health and developing the

learning engagement of the students

The result of this study helps the future researchers who wish to use and conduct

similar studies in their respective schools correlating it to other variables such as

classroom management practices, teaching strategies and learning styles.

Definition of Terms

In the light of the research, and to be able to better understand this study, the

following terms were hereby delineated and are defined operationally:

 Affective Engagement. This refers to a student’s feelings toward his school,

learning, teachers, and peers. It includes a liking for learning and liking for school.

Age. This refers to the length of time that a person has lived or existed.

Behavioral Engagement. In this study, it refers to observable student actions or

participation while at school and is investigated through a student’s positive conduct,

effort, and participation. It was categorized as effort and persistence and extracurricular

activities of the students.

Cognitive Engagement. Includes a student’s perceptions and beliefs associated

with school, learning, and experiences. This refers to the cognitive processing a student

brings to academic tasks and relates to the real-world experiences.

Effort and Persistence. This refers to the Behavioral engagement that the

students give their effort to work hard to do well in their study.

Enhance Guidance Intervention Program. This refers to the expected output

as a result of the findings generated in this study

Extracurricular. This refers to the behavioral engagement that the students

engage in the extracurricular activities in the school.

Gender. The state of being male or female in relation to the social and cultural

roles that are considered appropriate for men and women.

Intervention. This refers to a specific guidance program or set of steps to help a

student improve in an area of need.

Learning Engagement. It measures the level of students’ learning engagement

in terms of affective, behavioral, and cognitive using the Student Engagement in

Schools Questionnaire (SESQ).

 Liking for learning. This refers to the interest of the students in learning and

new things.

Liking for School. This refers to the students’ feelings toward his school.

Mental Health Self-Assessment. This refers to the instrument to measure

mental well-being focusing entirely on positive aspects of mental health using the

Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS).

Parents’ Academic Attainment. This refers to the educational attainment of the

guardian/ parents of the chosen respondents.

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the related literature and research, local and foreign

literature and studies which could support the theories mentioned reviewed by the

researchers that will be of great help in the understanding of the present study.

Related Literature

Foreign

Ahmed & Julius (2015) stated that Mental health is of the utmost importance to

overall health and well-being. Depression, anxiety, and stress significantly predict

reduced academic performance.

According to Grøtan et al. (2019), students who state they have severe

symptoms of psychological distress are less likely to endorse academic self-efficacy.

 Herschbach, E. (2019) mentioned that the American Psychological Association

defines mental health as “the way your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect your

life.” Being in good mental health gives us a sense of emotional, psychological, and

social well-being. It helps us make sound decisions, set, and fulfill meaningful personal

goals, and develop healthy social relationships. It gives us the resilience to handle

stress, cope with setbacks and challenges, and adapt to changes. It supports our

continued emotional and psychological growth. According to the World Health

Organization, mental health is “fundamental to our collective and individual ability as

humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life”

Santrock (2017) defines adolescence as the period of transition between

childhood and adulthood that involves biological, cognitive, and socioemotional

changes. The age range can vary based on cultural context, however, in the United

States adolescence begins at approximately 10 to 13 years old and ends between the

ages of about 18 and 22. This is a time where humans face many transitional

experiences such as evaluation, decision making, commitment, and finding their place

in the world. Moreover, adolescence is thought of as the time when youth prepare for

adulthood and the success with which they navigate this brief transitory period can set

the course for the rest of their lives.

Furthermore, a study conducted by Ball (2016) explained that more than twenty

percent of children in the United States have a mental health disorder. The American

Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) maintains our current healthcare system does not

adequately address the needs of children with mental health disorders, citing 1 in 5
children in the United States is affected by a diagnosable mental health disorder, but

only 21% of children in need are able to access treatment.

Galanti, et al. (2016) described that only half of adolescents identified with

depression receive that diagnosis before reaching adulthood, and as many as 2 in 3

youth with depression are not diagnosed by their primary care clinicians and

subsequently fail to access any kind of intervention or treatment.

In addition, the APA reports that within the United States, up to two-thirds of

youth have experienced some form of trauma before age 16 (American Psychological

Association, 2008).

A study by Martin et al. (2017) found all children experience mildly stressful

events, but many children also experience extremely stressful events such as exposure

to violence, including violent victimization. Further, some populations of youth such as

LGBTQ youth, foster youth, and adolescents of color seem to be at greater risk of

victimization. Unaddressed, these experiences can lead to mental health challenges

resulting in short term problems in school and with peers, and much more serious long-

term problems because the foundation of knowing how to face difficulties was never

formed.

WHO (2010) stated that Health is a broad subject not easily defined. Within the

concept of health, one should consider physical, mental, social and existential health. A

mixed balance makes a person perceive health. Mental health is defined by WHO as a

state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope

with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make

a contribution to her or his community. Two perspectives are primarily seen in studies of
mental health, one focuses on mental illness, the second on positive aspects of mental

health. Mental illness is diagnosed when a pattern of signs and symptoms are identified

that are connected to problems with psychological and social functioning.

Thus, a distinction is made between externalizing and internalizing problems.

Aggressiveness, antisocial behavior and attention deficit are examples of externalizing

problems and emotional problems such as anxiety, worry and depression are examples

of internalizing problems. Positive aspects of mental health are believed to promote

functioning. In investigating the relation between school, learning and mental health it is

important to consider positive aspects of mental health such as emotional,

psychological and social well being. Positive aspects are characterized and indicated by

individuals’ perceived sense of coherence, self-efficacy, life satisfaction, control and

quality of life.

According to Hobfoll, (2015) Indeed, one way of explaining how schooling and

academic achievement influence mental health is to be found in the conservation of

resources (COR) theory developed. People strive to retain, protect, and build resources.

Resources are attributes that matter and are valued by an individual and may be objects

(e.g., possessions), personal characteristics (e.g., self-efficacy), conditions (e.g., being

a student) or energy (e.g., social networks, time). Stress occurs when resources are

lost, threatened with loss, or if one after significant investment fails to gain resources.

One important principle of the COR model is that “resource loss is disproportionately

more salient than resource gain”, i.e., given equal amounts of loss and gain, loss has

more impact than gain. Another principle is that one must gain or invest resources to

protect against or recover from resource loss. In accordance with these principles those
with lower levels of resources are more vulnerable than those with higher levels of

resources. In addition, initial loss increases future loss, if you experience failure in early

school years the feeling of being a failure remains or increases with negative life

outcomes as a result.

Learning engagement is one of the important constructs that is used to

understand the behavior of the student towards the teaching-learning process.

Understanding the behavior of students in the academic institutions will provide a

glimpse of how the instructions and academic practices are going on in the university.

As such, it could be used as a powerful tool by the teachers and academic supervisors

to design an effective pedagogical technique to maximize the learning experiences of

the students.

Hence, the data on learning engagement has the advantage of providing

information on what students are actually doing. The data has a broader significance for

the management of institutions, students and academic programs. Rather than work

from assumptions or partial anecdotal reports about student activities, institutions can

make decisions based on more objective information. Information about student

activities would provide institutions with valuable information for marketing and

recruitment and help them become more responsive to student learning needs. Only

with accurate and reliable information on what students are actually doing can

institutions move beyond taking student activities for granted.

O’Reilly et al. (2018) stated that schools are pervasive environments in young

peoples’ lives and can positively impact on their mental health, mitigating some

negative impacts of other social factors. However, for some, schools can present as
considerable sources of stress, worry, and unhappiness, which can hinder academic

attainment. In focusing on promotion, therefore, it is important to consider the

educational context as a natural environment in which it is possible to build rights of

agency, security, and personal freedom in young people, whilst recognizing any

limitations this may have.

Cavioni et al. (2020) stated that Mental health difficulties have a significant

adverse impact on different aspects of children’s and young people’s development,

contributing to poor school adjustment, reduced concentration, and problems in

achievement and social relationships (Cavioni & Zanetti, 2015; Cefai et al., 2014;

Cullinan & Sabornie, 2004; Macklem, 2011; Ornaghi et al., 2016; Tempelaar et al.,

2014; Thorlacius & Gudmundsson, 2019). Mental health issues are also associated with

poor school attendance, suspension, and early school dropout (DeSocio & Hootman,

2004).

Olson, A. L., & Peterson, R. L. (2015), Engagement is a term used to describe an

individual’s interest and enthusiasm for school, which impacts their academic

performance and behavior (Gallup, 2013). Student engagement is a complex term,

making it more difficult to understand. Student “engagement involves positive student

behaviors, such as attendance, paying attention, and participation in class, as well as

the psychological experience of identification with school and feeling that one is cared

for, respected, and part of the school environment” (Anderson, Christenson, Sinclair, &

Lehr, 2004, p.97). It is evident from this definition that the concept of student

engagement is multidimensional and multifaceted; students vary in their level of

engagement as they progress through school. Also, students can change within specific

aspects of engagement (Archambault et al., 2009).

Local

Cleofas (2020) stated that during their later adolescent years, college students

spend most of their time in schools and frequently interact with peers, classmates, and

teachers. Their ability to socially integrate with the entities in the academe influences

the state of their mental health. He also suggests that the structure interaction networks

of adolescents influence the robustness of depressive symptoms. Moreover, students

who have low perceived quality of support were more likely to experience mental health

difficulties.

Hence, the extent to which students are involved with both curricular and

extracurricular activities is also indicative of their psychological wellbeing and distress

as seen in qualitative and quantitative studies. Various social, developmental and

academic challenges offered by the school shape the minds of these late adolescents

as they strive towards the attainment of their respective degrees and better life

conditions during early adulthood.

According to a trade journal (2018) The country celebrates the approval

of the Philippine Mental Health Law or Republic Act 11036 after it was signed by

President Rodrigo Duterte on 21 June 2018. RA 11036 will help address the needs

of the growing population that only has 700 psychiatrists and 1000 psychiatric nurses

serving it by securing the rights and welfare of mental health professionals. Among

other provisions in the law, schools and workplaces will be required to create programs

and services on mental health education, while institutions and businesses will be given

training on mental health to address the concerns of both students and employees.

Also, in an article of Asia News Monitor (2017), entitled “Philippines: Mental

health education needed in schools”, "Our schools should not only be institutions of

learning but also places to nurture sound mental health," Sen. Risa Hontiveros said in a

recent forum at the University of Santo Tomas (UST). "Many Filipinos, especially our

young ones are suffering from the silent burden of impaired mental health. This is

clearly the result of the country's lack of a mental health policy to address this

serious health concern, she added.

Citing government data, Hontiveros mentioned that there are seven Filipinos who

commit suicide each day. Meanwhile, one in five young people have thought about

suicide and took steps towards it. The number of suicide cases in the country has

steadily risen over a period of 20 years from 1992 to 2012. - PNA

According to Datu (2016) on his research, flourishing emphasizes the importance

of integrating subjective well-being and psychological well-being to offer a more

comprehensive view of mental health. Recognizing the potential advantage of

flourishing, previous empirical studies have examined the relations of flourishing to

positive psychological outcomes such as hope, life satisfaction, mental health, and

positive emotions.

Hence, the current research examined the association of flourishing with relevant

academic outcomes (i.e., perceived academic achievement, academic achievement,

behavioral engagement, and emotional engagement) after controlling for relevant

demographic variables, life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect among

Filipino undergraduate and high school students.

Related Studies

Foreign

Academic stress, depression, and anxiety are major issues among adolescents

attending schools in China and other Asian countries. Many studies have argued that

academic stress is associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. However, limited

studies have investigated these variables across the full adolescent age group (10 to 19

years).

According to Kecojevic et al. (2020) in their study, the students have a

fundamental knowledge of COVID-19 transmission and common symptoms. Students

tend to use and trust the official sources and have changed their behaviors in

accordance with public health recommendations (i.e., increased hand washing, wearing

masks).

However, students reported several academic and everyday difficulties and high

levels of mental health distress. High levels of depression were associated with

difficulties in focusing on academic work and with employment losses, while higher

levels of anxiety were more likely to be reported by students other than freshmen and

those who spend more than one hour per day looking for information on COVID-19.

Mental health issues can significantly impair students’ academic success and social

interactions affecting their future career and personal opportunities.

 Such changes and challenges during this developmental stage can result in

mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, which are common in

adolescence and have been found to have profound effects throughout adulthood

Depression and anxiety have been recognized by the WHO (2014) as two major

mental health problems, which usually begin during adolescence. Therefore, it is

important to identify the reasons behind these mental health issues among adolescents

for further interventions.

In addition to mental health illnesses, other social factors have also been found

to be related to academic stress. Personal factors such as gender; family factors,

including low-income status and parent’s divorce; peer factors, such as bullying; and

participating in risk behaviors (e.g., smoking) have been found to be associated with

academic stress. A large part of the literature on academic stress, depression, and

anxiety has been undertaken in Western countries. Some of these Western studies

identified mental health problems and academic stress among university students. The

present study therefore focuses on adolescents.

The WHO (2014) defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which an

individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life,

can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his

community”. Mental health can be influenced by personal (e.g., gender), social (e.g.,

social relations and economic condition), and family factors (e.g., family connectedness)

(Herrman, Saxena, & Moodie, 2005). Mental health disorders are composed of both

emotional and behavioural symptoms. Emotional disorders include depression and

anxiety (WHO, 2014a). The WHO (2014c) predicted that by 2020, the rate of mental
and behavioural disorders will increase to 20% of the world’s population and can be

considered among the world’s greatest health issues.

As reported by the WHO (2014b), 10% to 20% of adolescents suffer from mental

health conditions globally. There is a reported 20% prevalence of depression and

anxiety at any stage of adolescence, and they have been found to be the most common

mental health conditions among adolescents (WHO, 2012a).

In terms of prevalence, 50% of adults with mental illness first experience the

conditions in their adolescent stage, starting by the age of 14, and in most cases the

illness is not diagnosed or even treated (Sawyer et al., 2012; WHO, 2014a). Many of

these illnesses can be reduced if they are discovered and treated at the onset stage.

Therefore, future pragmatic considerations for raising mental health awareness among

adolescents and society are imperative.

Hart, S. R., Stewart, K., & Jimerson, S. R. (2019). The current study is focused

primarily on the indicators of student engagement, and therefore, each indicator will be

discussed further. Affective engagement refers to a student’s feelings toward his school,

learning, teachers, and peers (e.g., the student has positive feelings toward his

teachers; Jimerson et al., 2003). The terms psychological and emotional engagement

have also been used in the current literature to describe this construct (Appleton,

Christenson, Kim, & Reschly, 2006; Reschly et al., 2007). Behavioral engagement

includes observable student actions or participation while at school and is investigated

through a student’s positive conduct, effort, and participation (e.g., participation in

extracurricular activities, attendance, and work habits; (Fredricks et al., 2004).

Historically, research has been focused primarily on this aspect of student engagement.
Cognitive engagement includes a student’s perceptions and beliefs associated with

school and learning (e.g., I will do well in this class if I try). It refers to the cognitive

processing a student brings to academic tasks as well as the amount and type of

strategies a student utilizes (Walker, Greene, & Mansell, 2006).

Local

Pineda & Bueno (2016) stated that for all individuals, mental, physical and social

health care are vital and interwoven strands of life. For all individuals, mental, physical

and social health issues are vital and interwoven strands of life. As our understanding of

this relationship grows, it becomes ever more apparent that mental health is crucial to

the overall well-being of individuals, societies, and countries

According to Delfino (2019) in his research the extent of student engagement at

Partido State University and analyzed the factors affecting student engagement.

Moreover, it investigated the correlation between student engagement and academic

performance. The correlational analysis found that teacher, school and family factors

were positively related to student engagement, while the Multiple Linear Regression

analysis revealed that there was relatively low percentage of variance but shows that

the factors were significant predictors of student engagement.

Furthermore, it was revealed that behavioral, emotional and cognitive engagements

were positively correlated to the academic performance of the students. The teacher,

the school, and the parents should have strong collaboration to provide more

opportunities for students to maximize their university engagement.

 Similarly, related studies on Marpa (2016) showed that the study explores factors on

the learning engagement in Mathematics of the OBTEC students. To determine the

learning engagement, the researcher utilized the correlation predictive method of

research using the modified Mathematics in a Classroom Engagement Scale developed

by Qi-Ping Kong, NgaiYing Wong, Chi-Chung Lam administered to the 162 OBTEC

students. Statistical tools such as the mean, standard deviations, and stepwise multiple

regression were used to answer problems of the study. Results show that the level of

behavioral and cognitive engagement in mathematics is high while the affective

engagement is average. This means that OBTEC students were engaged behaviorally

and cognitively in their mathematics class. On the other hand, students’ attitude toward

mathematics and instructors teaching competences predicts participation and

engagement in mathematics is steadily declining.

. Pineda & Bueno (2016) states that mental health is one of the vital necessities

that a person could ever need. And is a level of psychological well-being or an absence

of mental illness - the state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of

emotional and behavioral adjustment. Everything depends on this because this acts as

the ‘state of mind’ of a person. Being mentally healthy is one of the best feelings in the

world. Just knowing that you are not under any kind of stress is already a breath of fresh

air

Planco (2015), Some familiar stories include the suicide cases of a college

freshman who was unable to pay her tuition and a suicide-murder case of a family

whose business went bankrupt. The researcher has observed that in real life and in the

virtual world, people use words like “depressed” and phrases like “Pakamatay na lang
ako (I’ll just kill myself)” rather lightly, perhaps without knowing that these issues are

serious, and the use of these terms indicates a need for mental health care; in short,

these are not just moods or rants but real illnesses.

Research conducted by Lapeña, et al. (2015) showed that while Filipino youth

used positive strategies to cope with problems such as seeking help and talking about

problems, at the same time other youth used negative strategies like substance abuse

or ignoring the problem. This shows that there is indeed a need for guidance when it

comes to dealing with problems--guidance that can be provided by mental health

professionals.

Synthesis of the Related Literature and Studies

The review of literature and studies are relevant to the present study. They serve

as guidelines to provide great help to the researcher’s ideas and information about

relationship of mental health self-assessment and learning engagement

The cited studies and literature of Ahmed & Julius (2015), Grotan et al.

(2019), Herschbach (2019), Ball (2016), Gallanti et al. (2016), Martin et al. (2017),

Trade Journal (2018), Asia news monitor (2017), Datu (2016), Pineda and Bueno

(2016), Shahani (2016), Planco (2015), and lapena et al (2015) were mostly in the

mental health which is similar to the present study since the researcher give additional

information. These experiences can lead to mental health challenges resulting in short

term problems in school and with peers, and much more serious long-term problems

because the foundation of knowing how to face difficulties was never formed.
 In literature and study of Santrock (2017), Hobfoll (2015), Cleofas (2020),

Kecojevic et al (2020), Delfino (2019), and Marpa (2016) they are really significant for

the present study because all of these are focus on the learning engagement of the

respondents. Learning engagement is seen as the students’ extent of meaningful

participation in purposeful educational activities both in and outside the classroom which

leads, contributes, and links to high quality and measurable learning outcomes. The

enhanced guidance intervention program as the outcome will be the basis of studies in

addressing the need for mental health activities and strengthening learning engagement

strategies for the students.

The reviewed studies and literature helped the researcher in the

conceptualization of the study.

CHAPTER 3
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter provides a discussion of the research method used in this study, the

respondents who shall be included in the survey, the data-gathering procedures and

statistical treatment and analysis of data to further explain the existing relationship

between the respondents’ level of mental health and their learning engagement.

Research Design

The descriptive-correlational method of research used in this study to collect and

analyze data. Descriptive designs include surveys to gather the quantifiable data. The

goal of these designs is to get a picture of the current thoughts, feelings, or behaviors in

each group of people, specifically the respondents’ mental health self-assessment and

their learning engagement.

Consequently, the study is also correlation in nature because it determines the

relationship between respondents’ mental health self-assessment and learning

engagement and at the same time the proposed Enhance Guidance Intervention

Program which is the output of this study.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study are basically three hundred forty-four (344) Grade

9 students of General Mariano Alvarez Technical High School in GMA, Cavite where the

researcher is currently affiliated. They selected through simple random sampling.

 Similarly, an initial survey was conducted as to determine the number of students

who have stable internet connection/ mobile data who shall be selected as the

respondents since data gathering is primarily via online responses. The respondents

who have a good internet connection and mobile data was chosen since data gathering

utilize using a Google Form platform and Facebook-Messenger application.

Sampling Technique

This study used Simple Random Sampling (SRS). According to Singh (2015)

Simple Random Sampling (SRS) technique is the simplest and most common method

of selecting a sample, in which the sample is selected unit by unit, with equal probability

of selection for each unit at each draw. In other words, simple random sampling is a

method of selecting a sample from a population by giving equal probability of selection

to all units. It is a sampling scheme in which all possible combinations of units may be

formed from the population of units with the same chance of selection.

The study used standardized questionnaires as means of data gathering

generated through Google Forms or FB Messenger. Simple random sampling

techniques used in this study where three hundred forty-four (344) selected Grade Nine

(9) students assessed and evaluated. The researcher chose the Grade 9 level because

of the high reported dropped-out rate of 5.8% out of 2,168 students in S.Y 2019-2020,

leading to a higher home visitation rate of the Guidance Office for the past years.