IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF GRADUATING

STUDENTS OF THE CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY TAPAZ SATTELITE COLLEGE

CHERELYN J. DE LUNA

CHALLENE G. FERNANDEZ

CATHY B. DIAZ

2020
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY

Chapter 1 is composed of six parts: (1) Background of the

Study, (2) Statement of the Problem, (4) Theoretical framework

(5) Significance of the study, (6) Definition of Terms, (5) and

(6) Delimitation of the Study

Part One, Background of the Study gives the current

situation and the rationale for the choice of the problem.

Part Two, Statement of the Problem, presents the objective

of the study and specific questions to be answered.

Part Three, Theoretical Framework of the Study gives the

philosophical stance, theories, and related framework to which

the study is anchored.

Part Four, Significance of the Study, Determines the

group/persons that can benefit from the findings of the study

Part Five, Definition of Terms, presents the conceptual and

operational definitions of the terms used in the study.

Part Six, Delimitation of the Study, identifies the scope

and limitations of the study.

Background of the Study

Mental health issues are the leading impediment to academic

success (PhD; Alec Smith2020). Mental illness affects student’s

motivation, concentration, and social interactions-crucial

factors for stunts to succeed in higher education (Farzan

Sasangohar1,2,BA, BCS, MASc, SM, PhD, 2020).

It has been a stressful since 2020 when COVID-19 pandemic

emerged in our country all over the world and face to face

classes are officially closed and anxiety and depression

continues to be the most common problem not only to graduating

students of Capsu Tapaz but also all students all over the world.

Mental health is not a joke especially nowadays where

students are one of the targets and who have suffered a lot

during this pandemic, facing life-threatening, life-altering

conflicts, their ongoing fear, trauma and chronic stress is

compounded by the daily anxiety, uncertainty and hardship

produced by the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the mental

health of various affected populations. It is known that the

prevalence of epidemics accentuates or creates new stressors

including fear and worry for oneself or loved ones, constraints

on physical movement and social activities due to quarantine, and

sudden and radical lifestyle changes (Changwon Son1,BS, MS;2020).

 A recent review of virus outbreaks and pandemics documented

stressors such as infection fears, frustration, boredom,

inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and

stigma (Sudeep Hegde1,BEng, MS, PhD; 2020).

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a widely used instrument to

measure overall stress in the past month. Second, participants

were asked if their own and peers’ (two separate questions)

stress and anxiety increased, decreased, or remained the same

because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For those who indicated

increased stress and anxiety during the pandemic We then elicited

pandemic-specific stressors and their manifestations across 12

academic-, health-, and lifestyle-related categories of outcomes

such as effects on own or loved ones’ health, sleeping habits,

eating habits, financial situation, changes to their living

environment, academic workload, and social relations. Students

were also asked about the impact of COVID-19 on depressive and

suicidal thoughts. Graduating students were also asked about the

impact of COVID-19 on depressive and suicidal thoughts. Feedback

on the severity of COVID-19’s impact on these aspects was

elicited using a 4-point scale: 0 (none), 1 (mild), 2 (moderate),

and 3 (severe).

COVID-19 pandemic affects the mental health of graduating

students of Capsu Tapaz. It is the reason why the researchers

wanted to study or determine the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on

 mental health of graduating college students in Capiz State

University, Capsu Tapaz since most of the students was affected

of corona virus. The impact of covid-19 pandemic result was

investigated by this study.

Statement of the problem

This study is aimed to determine the effects of COVID-19

pandemic on the mental health of graduating students of Capiz

State University, Tapaz Satellite College.

1. What is the profile of the graduating respondents in terms of

name, age, sex and course?

2. What is the level of mental health with regards to personal

stress of the graduating respondents in terms of sex, age,

educational course?

3. Is there a significant difference to the level of mental health

with regards to personal stress of the graduating respondents in

terms of sex, age, educational course?

Hypotheses of the study

1. There is a high perceived stress among the graduating respondents

in terms of sex, age, educational course to the level of mental

health with regards to personal stress.

2. There is no significant difference to the level of mental health

with regards to personal stress of the graduating respondents in

terms of sex, age, educational course.

Conceptual framework

This study was guided by conceptual framework showing

personal related variables such as name, age, sex and course. The

Impact of covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of the

graduating students of Capiz State University, Capsu Tapaz.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Age
Level of Personal Stress
Sex

Educational Course

Figure 1.Illustrates the level of personal stress. Figure 1

shows the relationship of the variables present in the study. The

independent variables are sex, program and school graduated,

while the dependent variable is the level of academic stress.

This study looked into the relationship between the levels of

personal stress influenced by given independent variables.

Figure 1.Illustrates the relationship of variables in the study

Research Paradigm
R
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Figure 2. Illustration of the major steps of how the study that

was conducted

Figure 2 shows the phases of the study. The first part was

to administer the questionnaires to the respondents. Next was the

data gathering where the answered questionnaires were tallied for

the purpose to do the data analysis? After the data was analyzed,

the findings of the study were determined and the researchers

sought to formulate a conclusion. Lastly, recommendation was made

for the purpose to offer solutions to address the results of the

study.

Theoretical framework
This study was anchored on the Role of Metacognitive Awareness in

Learning and Mental Health Metacognitive awareness, thinking

about one’s thinking, undergirds all of these learning

strategy(Committee,2000,Dinsmore etal,2008

Nist&Holschu,2012,Nist-Olejnik

&Holschu,2014;Pintrich,2004,2012,Zimmerman,2012.)Because it

encompasses awareness of oneself, how one’s mind works, and what

strategies work best that individual (Muis & Franco, 2009a,

2009b; Pinritch, 2004, 2012; Zimmerman, 2012), metacognition is a

prime example of a potential strategy applicable to the issue of

college students experiencing mental illness and their learning

processes. If the information is delivered in a not-heavily

contextualized manner, students can be shown the possibility of

how it can apply to their everyday lives and potentially make

that cognitive transfer (committee, 2000/emmer man, 2012).If the

students with mental health concerns are able to transfer

metacognitive skills to their everyday lives, they have tools to

both assist them in academics and their personal lives(Crockeret

al,2009;Elion et al,2012;Sironic & Reeve,2012; Park et al,2012,

Polanco Roman et al.2013, Van Nguyen al,2015; Walker et al 2008).

This depends upon two conditions: (a)effective instruction about

metacognition and (b) student’s likelihood of applying it outside

of academic context(Committee,2000;Nist & Holschu,2012;

Pintrich,2012; Zimmermn,2012.Effective instructions in learning

theories of strategies such as metacognitive skills requires that

both the instructor and student take an active approach towards

the material (Pinrich,2012).Such instruction should be explicit-

explicating what metacognition is and how students can use it in

different situations (Committee,2000; Nist & Holschu,2012

Pintrich,2012;Zimmerman,2012). It should also conductive

student’s development of transferability of knowledge to other

contexts like the everyday (Committee, 2000). In order to

accomplish this, instructors likely need to demonstrate how

metacognition applies this, across situations because students

might not make the cognitive leap themselves as novice leaners

(Committee 2000,Muis & Franco, 2009a,2009b;Nist & Holschu,2012;

Pinritch,2012 Zimmerman,2012). This practice should further

assist students in the transfer it too highly

constextualized,students are less likely to be able to transfer

it to or modify it for different situations (Committee,2000;Muis

& Franco ,2009a,2009b;Nist & Holschu,2012 Pintrich,

2012;Zimmerman,2012).Part of this explicit instruction in

transferring the strategy could be how it applies to common

issues like stress. Given the stigma attached to and the

sensitive nature of mental illness, it would be desirable to

couch its applicability in terms of flexibility open, this

application would need to be presented as one use, not the

definitive use (committee ,2000).If applied in mental in mental

contexts, students metacognitive awareness could assist them in

seeing their learner characteristics, their learning

orientations, and and their self-regulatory skills

(belch,2011;Crocker et al,2009 Elion et al ,2012 ;Park et al,

Walker et al,2008; Van Nguyen,2015). This could be first step

towards effecting change in ones approach to learning and

functioning optimally in the context of experiencing mental

illness. Students could come to define their learner

characteristics.

Mental health is often understood as a concept related to

mental disorders. However, mental health can be defined from a

more general point of view that also comprises a positive

dimension of the concept (World Health Organization,

2003).In this report mental health will be defined as “a

state of well-being whereby individuals recognize their

abilities, are able to cope with the normal stresses of

life, work productively and fruitfully, and make a contribution

to their communities.” (WHO,2003, p 7).

The concept mental health can be applied to the ability of an

individual to develop themselves, to deal with the

circumstances of life and participate in society by making

their own contribution to it (WHO,2013).Additionally, mental

health is an important concept included in the definition of

health presented by the World Health Organization (2014) as “a

state of complete physical, mental and social well-being

and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Mental

illness refers to all mental disorders that can be

diagnosed and “feature abnormalities in cognition, emotion or

mood, and the highest integrative aspects of human behaviour,

such as social interactions” (U.S.Department of Health and

Human Services, 2001,p. 6).Mental health and mental

illness can be understood as two linked concepts that

constitute two sides of a spectrum. All conditions in between

mental health and mental illness can be defined as

mental health problems And will compose the scope of

this study.

Significance of the study

The result of the study would be beneficial to the

following:

Students. This study can help them to understand how serious

mental health problem is, especially to graduating college

students during these pandemic. This research informs the next

graduating students same problem with mental health problem

issues, and can teach them what is the future ahead if they

didn’t surpass it.

Teachers. This study will be beneficial to the teachers because

they can be informed on what is happening to their students and

how stressful their everyday living, and their mental health

problem during pandemic.

Parents. The research benefits the parents of graduating students

who studied here in Capiz state university Capsu, Tapaz. As

parents enrolled their children in this institution, comes with

self assurance that their child is okay and be informed by what’s

happening to mental health of their children during pandemic.

Capsu Tapaz Administrators. This research will beneficial to

Capsu, Tapaz School administrators managing the whole school to

fulfil the Goals, Vision, mission of students to understand the

effects of COVID-19 pandemic to mental health among the learners

of Capiz State University students Capsu Tapaz.

Future Researchers. who will conduct studies on similar concern,

will likewise benefit from this study by using results as

foundation for evaluation on their findings which may validate or

invalidate the findings of their study. However, they may also

initiate their own study with the factors or variables not

covered by this study.

Definition of terms

The following terms are defined conceptually and operationally

for clarity:
Mental Health- Mental health is “a state of wellbeing 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”.

It is our ability to enjoy life and cope with its challenges, it

has two dimensions-

Mental wellbeing: There are many different definitions of mental

wellbeing but they generally include areas such as: life

satisfaction, optimism, self esteem, mastery and feeling in

control, having a purpose in life, and a sense of belonging and

support.

Mental illness: Mental illness refers to a diagnosable condition

that significantly interferes with an individual's cognitive,

emotional or social abilities e.g. depression, anxiety,

schizophrenia.

Mental health and wellbeing is an important part of overall

health and wellbeing and can be affected by different factors,

including life events such as relationship breakdowns,

bereavement and work stress as well as mental health conditions

such as depression or anxiety.

COVID-19- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease

caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the

virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and

recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will

become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people

and those with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular

disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, or cancer are

more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with

COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age.

Educational Course- Refers to students aspiring to become a part

of the teaching profession in the field of education.

Delimitations of the study

This study is limited only to the investigation of the level

of personal stress. The respondents were the graduating students

in the Capiz State University who were enrolled in the academic

year 2020-2021. The total sampling size was determined using the

Slovin’s formula. Thus, Stratified random sampling was used to

choose the sample in each stratum.

The research instrument utilized in the study was the

Students’ Academic Stress Scale (SASS) developed by Kim (1970).

The ASS is designed to determine the level of personal stress of

the respondents. The data were analyzed with the use of mean,

standard deviation and T-test for data analysis.

 CHAPER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter attempts to present a brief resume of research

findings related to mental health. Keeping in mind these

objectives, the researcher reviewed literature in order to obtain

 information related to the study. Therefore, literature from

various sources was extensively reviewed in light of the present

investigation.

Mental health with the global development of the corona virus

disease (COVID-19) outbreak, the psychological issues which

accompany this pandemic have rapidly compounded its Public health

burden (Torales et al., 2020). Emerging Research assessing the

mental health implications ofCOVID-19 has identified a heightened

prevalence of Moderate-to-severe self-reported depressive and

anxious symptom mythology among the general public (Wang et

al.,2020), reflecting the widespread effects of uncertainty and

health-related fears. However, further research that Investigates

beyond the population level is required to Understand the

individualized disruption of lives and routines as a result of

COVID-19, and its associated psychological impacts.

For college students, heightened levels of psychological

distress and downstream negative academic consequences are

prevalent under normal circumstances (American College Health

Association, 2019. As a result of physical distancing measures

implemented in response to COVID-19, tertiary education

institutions have shifted to an emergency online learning format,

which would be expected to further exacerbate academic stressors

for Students.
 Based on insights from research examining the Impact of

academic disruptions on students (Wickens, 2011), it is

reasonable to venture that students may experience reduced

motivation toward studies, increased pressures to learn

independently, abandonment of daily routines, and potentially

higher rates of dropout as direct consequences of these measures.

Thus, by increasing academic stressors in a population with

heightened pre-existing stress levels and a potentially reduced

ability to rely on typical coping strategies – such as family who

themselves may be experiencing heightened distress – the COVID-19

pandemic has placed an unprecedented mental health burden on

students, which urgently requires further examination and

immediate intervention. To date, one published study has explored

the impact of COVID-19 on student education and well-being (Cao

et al., 2020). Approximately 25% of their sample reported

experiencing anxiety symptoms, which were positively correlated

with increased concerns about academic delays, economic effects

of the pandemic, and impacts on daily life. Furthermore, among

the many student surveys administered worldwide, one survey by

Young minds reported that 83% of young respondents agreed that

the pandemic worsened pre-existing mental health conditions,

mainly due to school closures, loss of routine, and Restriction

social connections (Young Minds, 2020).

 These preliminary findings highlight the multiple factors

contributing to students’ distress during this pandemic; however,

there remains much to be learned about the psychological impacts

facing students and what can be done to reduce their negative

effects. A timely call to action for further research examining

the impact of COVID-19 on student mental health is suggested.

Specifically, priorities should include the disturbances to

educational progress, adaptations of habitual coping strategies,

and approaches academic institutions have taken to reduce adverse

academic and psychosocial outcomes. New evidence may help to

inform student-centered support programs and mitigate the long-

term negative implications for student education and mental

health. As we come to terms with the Persistent realities of the

COVID-19 pandemic, the measures that are taken now to support a

vulnerable student Population will help mitigate the overall

global mental health burden associated with this period of

extraordinary Disruption and uncertainty. As the corona virus

pandemic rapidly sweeps across the world, it is inducing a

considerable degree of fear, worry and concern in the population

at large and among certain groups in particular, such as older

adults, care providers and people with underlying health

conditions. In public mental health terms, the main psychological

impact to date is elevated rates of stress or anxiety. But as new

measures and impacts are introduced – especially quarantine and

its effects on many people’s usual activities, routines or

livelihoods – levels of loneliness, depression, harmful alcohol

and drug use, and self-harm or suicidal behaviour are also

expected to rise.

Mental health and well-being experts draw from other areas

to inform their perspective. They also review a person’s mental

health within context. An act could be psychopathological in one

cultural context but not in another.

The main areas from which counsellors, psychologists, and

psychiatrists gain understanding about mental health are

(Dasgupta, 2013):

Spiritual – This approach explains who we are in the world

and how we are to act. It also tells us what we can expect after

death based on our actions. The spiritual perspective discusses

good and evil as they relate to suffering.

Moral character – This perspective posits that there are certain

virtues a person needs to learn. Doing so allows the individual

to live a better life free from mental illness.

Statistical – Based on mathematics, this seeks to define

what is ‘normal’ or ‘average’ for populations. Anyone falling

outside of the norm is abnormal.

Disease/medical/biological (genetics, neuromaging,

neurobiology) – This approach explains mental health as it

relates to changes in the brain. The well-known case of Phineas

Gage is an example. A rod went through his left frontal lobe.

This affected his personality and behavior. Before the accident,

people enjoyed his company and thought he was reliable. After,

they described him as ill-tempered, foul, and unreliable.

Psychological (psychodynamic, behavioural, cognitive-behavioural,

existential/humanistic) – Mental health develops along an

expected path. People try to adjust to their environment to

survive within it. Problems arise when a person learns

maladaptive strategies as a response to new situations.

Social – Biology, psychology, and society all affect a person’s

mental health. The influence of societal norms is important to

the adaptive or maladaptive behaviour of the individual.

Psychosocial (Social learning model) – Researchers in this area

study the relationship between a person’s thoughts

(psychological) and their social behaviour. This includes the

meaning a person gives to their psychological processes.

According to Bandura, people learn through observation and

modelling of other people’s behaviour (McLeod, 2016).

Bio psychosocial – The interplay of biological, psychological,

and social factors explains mental illness. This depends on the

person and their environment.

The diagnosis and treatment of mental illness vary, but many

therapists use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders (DSM-5). This tool provides clear definitions of and

criteria for more than 265 disorders. Diagnosis usually includes

a physical exam, including lab tests, and a psychological

evaluation (Mayo Clinic, n.d.).

There are approximately 20 classes of mental illness covering

everything from neuro developmental to paraphilic disorders.

Some treatment methods are medications, psychotherapy, brain-

stimulation, hospital and residential treatment programs, and

substance misuse treatment.

There are three ways to experience therapeutic intervention.

Sometimes therapists use a combination of these. Each environment

stresses confidentiality and creating a safe space for people to

share.

Individual counselling – This is a one-one session with a trained

counsellor. Depending on the type of therapy used, these sessions

can continue for months or years.

Group Counselling – People with similar challenges work together

with a trained counsellor. The goals are to talk about issues,

share knowledge, and solutions.

Family therapy – This method involves helping a family improve

their communication. Through the guidance of a licensed

therapist, they learn conflict resolution techniques. Not every

family member necessarily participates, and it is often short

term.

Mental Health Counselling Theories

There are five schools of thought that attempt to explain mental

health. Many therapists and counsellors operate from one or two

of these.

Theories guide the services and interactions therapists have with

their clients. This is important to know because it can affect

how well you and your therapist “click.”

The five schools of thought are:

Behaviourism – Behaviour is a result of life experiences, not the

unconscious mind. We learn through our experiences with our

environment. This approach is all about conditioning. It is

present-focused.

Biological – This is a medical model of treating mental

disorders. The idea is that something physical is the cause of

the mental illness. Symptoms are “outward signs of the inner

physical disorder” (McLeod, 2018).

Psychodynamic – Like behaviourism, psychodynamic therapists view

behaviour as a result of experiences. One of the differences

though is that their focus is on past experiences. They assert

that unconscious forces drive people’s behaviour. The client and

therapist revisit explored ground to achieve more understanding.

This therapeutic process can take many years.

Cognitive – The emphasis of this theory is on thinking, not

doing. A feedback loop exists between the person’s assumptions

and attitudes, their resulting perceptions, and the conclusions

drawn from them (Grace, n.d.). These therapists work to assist a

person to change their thoughts. Doing this leads to a change in

feeling and behaviour.

Humanistic – Three different therapies can help people achieve

their highest potential. Client-centered therapy, developed by

Carl Rogers, allows the client to investigate who they are at

their core. The therapist creates an environment of empathy,

acceptance, and genuineness. This encourages the client in their

self-exploration. Gestalt Therapy, created by Frederick Perls, is

present-focused and involves role-playing. Existential therapy is

about ownership of one’s life, including all its mishaps. The

responsibility of one’s life is one’s own.

It is easy to understand how a therapist influenced by one

of these theories might interact with a client. Positive

psychology practitioners, for example, primarily follow

humanistic theories. One would expect this therapist to be

empathetic and stress ownership and responsibility. The sessions

would include a healthy dose of self-exploration, especially

related to developing strengths.

Every theory of mental health comes from one of the above

five areas or a combination of them. Here is a brief overview of

theories derived from those broader categories.

Network theory explains that “mental disorders arise from direct

interactions between symptoms” (Borsboom, 2017). The biological,

psychological, and societal influences facilitate the connection

between Psychopathological symptoms.

Cognitive-behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on assisting the

person in changing destructive thoughts and behaviours. It is a

type of psychotherapy that helps a client to quickly identify and

manage problems. The approach is goal-oriented and often involves

homework. The homework helps to reinforce the in-person sessions.

It is the “gold standard in the psychotherapy field” (David,

Cristea, & Hofmann, 2018).

Operant conditioning still is a popular approach. Whether used by

therapists or physical trainers, it involves identifying the cue-

routine-reward pattern. The goal is to change the person’s

behaviour by changing the routine and sometimes the reward. It is

often used in the treatment of OCD through exposure therapy.

Exposure therapy allows the person to engage with the source of

their anxiety in a safe space. The goal is to slowly, and

incrementally, increase the person’s exposure to their fear.

There are several variations of exposure therapy (APA, n.d.).

It is useful in the treatment of: Phobias, Panic Disorder, Social

Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-traumatic

Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Classical conditioning also remains a popular treatment for

phobias through the use of systematic desensitization. This is a

variant of exposure therapy (Grace College, 2016).

 The Self-determination Theory of motivation (SDT), and more

specifically, the Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT) posit

that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are the primary

supports for well-being and optimal functioning (SDT, n.d.) If

anyone of these is faulty, then the person’s well-being

decreases. Intrinsic motivation increases through the

satisfaction of having these needs met (read more about intrinsic

coaching here).

The Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions

(Fredrickson, 1998, 2000) changed the discussion around emotions.

Many of the psychological theories and research before this dealt

with negative effect. These are emotions like anger, fear,

sadness, guilt, and shame (Stringer, 2013).

Fredrickson argued that negative emotions create a sort of tunnel

vision. Positive affect widens one’s perspective. Positive

emotions like awe, joy, and gratitude expand one’s experience

within the environment. The theory doesn’t advocate ignoring

negative emotions. Instead, it discusses the ramifications of

continuing to ignore positive ones.

The focus of the PERMA Theory of well-being (Seligman, 2011) is

helping people to thrive. It promotes building skills that allow

one to flourish (Positive Psychology Center, n.d.). Many

contemporary theories attempt to help a person reduce suffering.

PERMA theory of well-being states that well-being consists of

five elements: Positive emotion – These emotions increase our

hedonic happiness. Engagement – This is the flow that Mihaly

Csikszentmihalyi discusses. Being engrossed in one’s pursuit is

the reward. Relationships – Support is critical to our survival

and emotional well-being. Meaning – Serving or working in a

capacity that contributes to something larger than ourselves

gives us a sense of purpose and meaning. Achievement – We enjoy

pursuing accomplishments for the sake of doing so. Each of these

contributes in varying degrees to a person’s ability to flourish.

Positive psychology therapists and coaches often use this as a

backdrop for their sessions.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY

Chapter three is consists of two parts: (1) Research Design,

and (2) Methodology.

Part One, Research Design describes the research design

employed in this study and justifies its use.

 Part Two, Methodology describes the participants, research

instrument, data collection procedure, data analysis procedure,

and statistical tool.

Research Design

For the purpose to answer the proposed research questions, the

researchers had chosen to carry out a descriptive research. This
study is a descriptive research which is designed to measure the
level of personal stress. Descriptive research is a scientific
method which involves observing and describing the behavior of a
subject without influencing it in any way (Shuttleworth, 2008).
The descriptive research involved a survey of the level of
personal stress among the respondents. The researchers through
descriptive research will intend to describe whether there is a
distinct difference in academic stress to the respondents’ Age,
Sex, and Educational Course. Likewise, the method was used to
explore and determine the level of personal stress of graduating
students at Capiz State University

METHODOLOGY

Respondents of the study

The respondents of the study are the graduating college

student of Capiz state University, Tapaz Satellite College both

male and female graduating participants. The sample size was

determined using Slovin’s formula. Thus, Stratified Random

Sampling was utilized to determine the sample in each stratum.

Slovin’s formula was used in determining the sampling size, which

are 114 out of 159 students in the population.

Where:
n = the sample size

N = population size

e = desired margin error

Slovin’s formula

e
2
1+ N

n=

Research Instrument

In the gathering of research instrument, Students Perceived

Stress Scale (PSS) developed by (Sheldon Cohen 1992) was

utilized. The PSS is a item scale is designed to determine the

students’ level of academic stress. Respondents will report their

level of stress under 40 different stressful situations using a 4

point scale Likert response format (1=none, 2= Mild, 3=Moderate,

4=severe).

Validation and reliability of the instrument

The author established content validity of the tool on the

basis of the scrutiny of experts and item validity through item

analysis. As the investigator is using the tool viz., Students’

personal Stress Scale, is assumed that the adopted version is

having validity and reliability. The test-retest correlation of

50 students with an interval of 25 days has been found to be

0.82.

Data gathering procedure

The researchers secured endorsement letter from the adviser

to conduct the study. Then they prepared a letter addressed to

the Capiz State university, Capsu Tapaz school satellite director

San Julian Tapaz Capiz, requesting for their approval, the

research instrument was administered by the researcher themselves

to the respondents with the help of thesis adviser and students

who were cooperating for the research to ensure accurate

responses and the confidentiality of the information.

After the instrument was accomplished by the respondents, it

was retrieved and the data was encoded, tallied and processed

using statistical package for social science (SPSS)

Data Analysis Procedure

The result was interpreted to the corresponding mean of the

level of Personal stress among graduating students of Capiz State

University Tapaz Satellite college.

Table 1

Basis of Classifying Personal Stress

Score Level Description

27-40 High perceived In this level it

stress changes behaviour

and stress required

14-26 Moderate stress Optimal for maximum

performance

0-13 Low stress The low level of

stress is relaxed

stress

Statistical Tool

Mean. This was used to determine the average of the total scores

of level of personal stress of the graduating students of Capiz

State University, Tapaz Campus

Standard Deviation. This was used to determine the average

difference of the scores of the level of personal stress of the

graduating students of Capiz State University, Tapaz Campus from

the mean.

T-Test. This was used to distinguish the difference of the level

of personal stress of the graduating students of Capiz State

University, Tapaz Campus when grouped together as to sex, age,

and educational course.