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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

RATIONALE

"Stress" has been dubbed the "Health Epidemic of the 21st Century" by the World

Health Organization (2016). It is a nearly universal human experience. The coronavirus

disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is stressful for people. Fear, stress, and anxiety

about a new illness and what could happen can be overwhelming and cause strong

emotions in adults and children. Health repercussions regarding what is happening

during this pandemic for people will be a problem in general.

According to the 2019 Global Emotions Report Gallup's annual snapshot of the

world's emotional state, about a third of people worldwide were stressed, worried, and in

pain. Last year, more than half of Americans feel pressure and strain for a variety of

reasons.

Most Americans (55%) recall feeling stressed during much of the day in 2018.

According to The American Institute of Stress, in the United States, there are about 33%

of people report feeling extreme stress, 77 % of people experience stress that affects

their physical health, 73% of people have stress that impacts their mental health, 48% of

people have trouble sleeping because of stress.

Given its recent economic hardships, it hardly comes as a surprise that stress

levels remain significantly high in Greece with 59% of people surveyed there said they

are under much stress. The Philippines and Tanzania had the second-highest stress

levels, with 58% and 57%, respectively. The U.S. is also among the ten most stressed-
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out nations on the planet with 55% of its population saying they experienced much

stress. That is the same share as three other countries - Albania, Iran and Sri Lanka

(2019 Global Emotions Report)

According to the Global well-being index, Filipinos were among the most

stressed and most emotional populations in the world last year. Gallup’s annual Global

Emotions report found that the Philippines placed second in the list of most stressed

countries, with 58% saying they had experienced a lot of stress a day before the poll

was conducted in 2018.

This pandemic turned out to be a stressor to people due to many reasons like

financial incapacity because of job loss which there were over 7.3 million jobs were lost

in the Philippines as its unemployment rate hits a record high of 17.7% due to the

COVID-19 pandemic, according to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA, 2020).

When people are not knowledgeable about proper and positive coping

mechanisms and are not careful and delicate with how they handle this kind of situation,

it may cause panic which may further lead to destructive behavior and psychosomatic

and somatic problems very quickly (Fitzpatrick, et al. 2018).

Studies have revealed that greater perceived stress level are associated with

poorer health status, quality of life, and higher levels of depression, anxiety, distress,

and functional limitations in individuals with disabilities (Fitzpatrick, et al. 2018)

Preliminary evidence suggests that anxiety and depression (16–28%) and self-reported

stress (8%) are common psychological reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and may

be associated with disturbed sleep. Positive coping mechanisms play an essential role in

overcoming stress led by this pandemic (Fitzpatrick, et al. 2018).

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This research study can find answers to things that are unknown and filling gaps

in knowledge. It is sad to note, too, that most of the positive stress coping mechanisms

in the country focus greatly on the improvement of the personal development but fail to

strengthen people’s perception in terms of coping positive mechanisms (Imam, 2016).

At this premise, the researchers are motivated to conduct a research study on

the level of knowledge on positive stress coping mechanisms.

STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES

The general objective of the study determined the knowledge of the respondents

on Positive Stress Coping Mechanism.

Specifically, the study aimed to:

1. determine the demographic profile of the respondents as to:

1. 1 age,

1. 2 civil status,

1. 3 educational attainment,

1. 4 gender,

1. 5 occupation, and

1. 6 place of residence.

2. determine the level of knowledge of the respondents on positive stress coping

mechanisms.

3. identify the common stress coping mechanism practiced by the respondents.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study primarily aimed to determine the knowledge on positive stress coping

mechanism of the residents of Barangay 9 San Lorenzo Sarrat, Barangay 23 San Matias

Laoag City and Barangay Baligat City of Batac which has the highest COVID19 cases in

Ilocos Norte from May 21 to May 26, 2021.

The results of the study will benefit the following:

Ilocos Norte residents. This study will improve the perception and knowledge of

Ilocos Norte Residents on positive stress coping mechanisms.

Local Government Units, Rural Health Units, and the Department of Health.

This study will provide basis on planning certain programs and actions related to

this study.

Future Researchers. This will provide additional information as a reference for

future researchers who will want to pursue similar studies.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study focused on determining the level of knowledge of residents of Ilocos

Norte on positive stress coping mechanisms. The study considered the respondent’s

personal information such as age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, occupation,

and place of residence.

The study was limited only to the residents of Barangay 9 San Lorenzo Sarrat,

Barangay 23 San Matias Laoag City and Barangay Baligat City of Batac which has the

highest COVID19 cases in Ilocos Norte ages 21-59. Each of the respondents was given

a questionnaire to answer. And finally, to gather their honest opinion about the specific

problem of the study. The sample size was determined using Slovin’s formula.
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DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms were defined operationally to give a clearer understanding of

the study.

Socio-demographic characteristics- This refers to respondent’s age, civil status,

educational attainment, gender, occupation and place of residence.

Age. This refers to the biological number of years that the respondents has

lived.

Civil Status. This refers to whether the respondent is single, married,

divorced or in a common-law relationship.

Educational attainment. This refers to the highest level

of school completed.

Occupation. This refers to the job the respondent is employed to.

Place of residence. This refers to where the respondent lives or resides

either rural or urban.

Sex. This refers to whether the respondent is a male or a female.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the related literature, theoretical framework, conceptual

framework and research paradigm of the study.

RELATED LITERATURE

Stress is an inevitable phenomenon in life. Stress plays a pivotal role in

regulating the body's physiology. Stress also improves the survival skills of an individual.

However, when stress becomes unmanageable, it starts affecting the individual

adversely. The adverse effects of stress alter the normal physiology and the mental well-

being of the individual. People attempt to cope with their stressors using various coping

strategies. Adapting coping strategies may help in the successful handling of stress.

Maladaptive coping strategies, on the other hand, though control stress, are often

transient and may result in the impairment of mental health. Evidence suggests that

stress significantly affects the immune system of the body. The effect of stress on the

immune system may depend on the nature and severity of the stressor. Ineffective

regulation of stress results in immune dysregulation. Effective coping strategies for

handling stress might be useful to correct the immune dysregulation (Tripathy CS, et al

2019)

Worldwide Stress

"Stress" has been dubbed the "Health Epidemic of the 21st Century" by the World

Health Organization (2016). The effect of stress on our emotional and physical health

can be devastating. In a recent USA study, over 50% of individuals felt that stress
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negatively impacted work productivity. Between 1983 and 2009, Stress levels increased

by 10 to 30 percent among all USA demographic groups.

Stress comes in many different forms depending on where one may live. In parts

of the developing world, it can range from the threat of armed conflict to an unstable food

supply. Simultaneously, it can stem from negative thoughts about a difficult day in the

office to difficulty paying bills in more advanced economies. As part of its 2019 Global

Emotions Report, Gallup set out to gauge stress levels in 143 countries, finding that just

over a third of people said they experienced "much stress" the day before the polling

was carried out.

Given its recent economic hardships, it hardly comes as a surprise that stress

levels remain incredibly high in Greece, and 59 percent of people surveyed there said

they are under much stress. The Philippines and Tanzania had the second-highest

stress levels with 58 and 57 percent, respectively. The U.S. is also among the ten most

stressed out nations on the planet, with 55 percent of its population saying they

experienced much stress yesterday. That is the same share as three other countries -

Albania, Iran, and Sri Lanka.

Over the years, previous editions of the report found lower stress levels among

Americans. For example, in 2006, 46 percent said they were under much stress, which

grew to 47 percent in 2010. Stress levels grew steadily to 53 percent in 2014 before

dropping below 50 percent in 2017. The research found that younger Americans

between the ages of 15 and 49 are the most stressed, along with the poorest 20 percent

of the population.

Another study conducted was an online poll undertaken by YouGov, and had a

sample size of 4,619 respondents. This is the most extensive known study of stress
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levels in the U.K. In the past year, 74% of people have felt so stressed they have

been overwhelmed or unable to cope. For age differences, 30% of older people reported

never feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope in the past year, compared to 7% of young

adults. For behavioral effects, 46% reported that they ate too much or ate unhealthily

due to stress. 29% reported that they started drinking or increased their drinking, and

16% reported that they started smoking or increased their smoking. For psychological

effects, 51% of adults who felt stressed reported feeling depressed, and 61% reported

feeling anxious. Of the people who said they had felt stress at some point in their lives,

16% had self-harmed, and 32% said they had had suicidal thoughts and feelings, 37% of

adults who reported feeling stressed reported feeling lonely as a result. As to the causes

of stress, 36% of all adults who reported stress in the previous year cited either their own

or a friend/relative's long-term health condition as a factor. This rose to 44% of adults

over 55. For those who reported feeling stressed in the past year, 22% cited debt as a

stressor. For people who reported high levels of stress, 12% said that feeling like they

need to respond to messages instantly was a stressor. 49% of 18-24-year-old who have

experienced high levels of stress felt that comparing themselves to others was a source

of stress, which was higher than in any of the older age groups. 36% of women who felt

high levels of stress related it to their comfort with their appearance and body image,

compared to 23% of men. Housing worries are a key source of stress for younger people

(32% of 18-24-year-old cited it as a stressor in the past year). This is less so for older

people (22% for 45-54-year-old and just 7% for over 55s). Younger people have higher

stress related to the pressure to succeed. 60% of 18-24-year-old and 41% of 25-34-

year-old cited this, compared to 17% of 45-54s and 6% of over 55s).

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Philippine Stress Situation

According to a global well-being index, Filipinos were among the most stressed

and most emotional populations globally. Gallup's annual Global Emotions report found

that the Philippines placed second in the list of most stressed countries, with 58% saying

they had experienced much stress a day before the poll was conducted in 2018.

According to the same report, the Philippines and three other countries also topped the

most emotional nations last year.

Along with Niger, Ecuador and Liberia, the Philippines had 60% average "yes"

responses to all questions. They were followed by Costa Rica, Sierra Leone, Guinea,

Peru (59%), and Nicaragua, Honduras, Sri Lanka, Guatemala (58%). Last year, the

Philippines was the most emotional country in Asia and the fourth globally, with

58% average "yes" responses to all questions.

In another survey, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that

in the Philippines, one of 4 or 27 percent of Filipinos said that they frequently experience

stress in their daily lives. The latest survey also showed that 37 percent of Filipinos said

they sometimes suffer stress, while 34 percent said they rarely experience it. Two

percent said that they never felt stress.

Many people worldwide experience stress irrespective of their age, race, religion,

color, profession, academic background, or the surrounding environment (Esia-Donkoh,

Yelkpieri & Esia-Donkoh, 2011). A study by Anspaugh, Hamrick, and Rosato (2003)

opined that stress comes in different forms and affects different people at different ages

and walks of life. Environmental and personal events that because stress is known as

stressors. Different people perceive and react to stressors differently from other people.

Stress has become part and parcel of life, and it is unavoidable. It is known that life itself
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is stress-related, dependent on the individual's lifestyle and the type of cultural

development. In the opinion of Waghachavare et.al (2013), stress can be defined as

"any challenge to homeostasis or the body's internal sense of balance." Yusoff (2010)

stated that stress is the "emotional disturbance or changes caused by the stressors,"

The level of stress could range from mild stress to severe stress depending on the

individual.

Legal Bases

On January 21, 2020, the Department of Health issued the first memo, which is

an Interim Guidelines on the Preparedness and Response to Novel Coronavirus (2019-

nCoV) from Wuhan, China (as of Jan 21, 2020), in combat with the COVID 19 -

pandemic. The DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM No. 2020 – 0034 provided guidelines to

all national health security partners and stakeholders so as to take necessary

precautions, prevent and immediately act in the event of entry of potential cases of

2019-nCoV into the country. Being a novel or new pathogen never experienced by

humans, it is considered an emerging infectious disease and is currently being

monitored and the details of the pathogen investigated. This point stated, WHO

guidelines are closely followed and implemented and member states may adjust

recommendations asper their respective context.

Roughly two months later, in response to the arising pandemic, on March 13,

2020, Ilocos Norte Governor,  Matthew Manotoc,  issued the Executive Order No. 59-20

which suspended classes both in private and public institutions indefinitely and

mandated the duties of school officials/administrators and parents/guardians, which

included the adoption of and participation in alternative measures for course completion.
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The following day, March 14, 2020, he signed the Executive Order No. 60-20

placing the province under community quarantine. Whereas the local governments are

to abide by the directions of the Departments of Health and Interior and Local

Government in imposing general community quarantine in their respective jurisdictions.

Specifically, the order activated Task Force Salun-at, which was previously

institutionalized under Executive Order No. 51-20. Under the provisions of EO No. 60-

20, Task Force Salun-at was given authority over the province to deny entry to certain

individuals based on criteria specified in the order, and enforce checking of individuals

seeking entry and required clearance, endorsement, quarantine, and monitoring. The

executive order also included provisions for the regulation of ports and borders; the

preparation of health information forms; personal and public preventive measures;

identification of quarantine areas; prohibition of hoarding, reselling, and price spikes; and

prohibition of the spreading of fake news. All of which with the purpose to avert the

spreading of the disease and maintain the status of Ilocos Norte as COVID-free.

Stress During Covid19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 Pandemic brought the world to a halt. Since early 2020, social life

has changed for many people around the world. Government restrictions and new social

norms led to a reduction in mobility, avoidance of public transport, cancelation of the

majority of large events such as concerts, festivals, religious and sports events, and

temporarily closing down meeting spots such as cafes, restaurants, museums or

theatres.

The Pandemic has harmed the public mental health, which can even lead to

psychological crises. Early identification of individuals in the early stages of a

psychological disorder makes the intervention strategies more effective. Health crises
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such as the COVID-19 Pandemic lead to psychological changes in the medical workers

and the citizens, and such psychological changes are instigated by fear, anxiety,

depression, or insecurity (Salari et. al 2020).

Nervousness and anxiety in a society affect everyone to a large extent. Recent

evidence suggests that people who are kept in isolation and quarantine experience

significant levels of anxiety, anger, confusion, and stress. At large, all of the studies that

have examined the psychological disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic have

reported that the affected individuals show several neurological symptoms. These

symptoms include mental trauma, such as emotional distress, depression, stress, mood

swings, irritability, insomnia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress,

and anger. Research has also shown that frequent media exposure may cause distress.

Nevertheless, it is challenging to predict the psychological and emotional consequences

of COVID-19 accurately in the current situation. Studies conducted in China, the first

country affected by this recent Virus spread, show that people's fear of the virus'

unknown nature can lead to mental disorders (Salari et. al 2020).

The emergence of COVID-19, with its rapid spread, has exacerbated anxiety in

populations globally, leading to mental health disorders in individuals. This has even

caused cases of stereotyping and discrimination. Therefore, it is necessary to examine

and recognize people's mental states in this challenging, destructive, and unprecedented

time. Evidence suggests that individuals may experience psychosis, anxiety, trauma,

suicidal thoughts, and panic attacks. Recent studies have similarly shown that COVID-

19 affects mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic

stress symptoms. COVID-19 is novel and unexplored, and its rapid transmission, high

mortality rate, and concerns about the future can be the causes of anxiety. When above
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average, anxiety weakens the body's immune system and consequently increases the

risk of contracting the virus (Salari et. al 2020).

Types of Stress

In general, there are two categories of stress; eustress and distress. Eustress is

positive stress that motivates an individual to continue to work. This good stress

encourages learning where an ideal level of stress can boost learning ability (Yusoff,

2010). On the other hand, distress is negative stress, which occurs when the good

stress becomes too much to handle. This negative stress prevents and suppresses

learning and must be stopped and avoided. Esia-Donkoh and colleagues (2011) found

that workload at the workplace and the demands of an individual's job some-times exert

too much pressure than a person can bear, which directly leads them to stress. Notably,

exposure to stress causes an individual to undergo emotional problems, physical and

mental health problems, fatigue, and even mental breakdown (Yusoff, 2010).

Stress is simply the body's response to changes that create taxing demands.

There is a difference between eustress, which is a term for positive stress and distress,

which refers to negative stress. The coping mechanism plays a significant part in

overcoming or reduce the stress experienced by individuals. People use different types

of coping strategies to overcome their stress.

Effects of Stress

According to Ankari (2011), depending on the level of stress, it can be helpful or

harmful. Stress has many effects on a person; it can affect the nervous system,

musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system,

and gastrointestinal system. Furthermore, stress is linked to depression, anxiety, heart

attacks, stroke, hypertension, immune system disturbances that increase susceptibility

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to infections (American Institute of Stress, 2017). This effect of stress could affect any

individual.

According to the World Health Organization, stress affects different people in

different ways. Work stress experience can cause unusual and dysfunctional behavior

at work and contribute to poor physical and mental health. In extreme cases, long-term

stress or traumatic events at work may lead to psychological problems and be conducive

to psychiatric disorders resulting in absence from work and preventing the worker from

working again. When under stress, people find it challenging to maintain a healthy

balance between work and non-working life. At the same time, they may engage in

unhealthy activities, such as smoking, drinking, and abusing drugs. Stress may also

affect the immune system, impairing people's ability to fight infections.

Anspaugh et al. (2003) contended that most stressful situations fall into harm-

and-loss situations, threat situations, or challenge situations. Instances of harm-and-loss

situations are the death of a loved one, loss of personal property, physical assault and

injury, and severe self-esteem loss. Threat situations may be real or perceived and can

range from being caught in traffic to being unable to perceive an event. Threatening

events dwell on the ability of the individual to deal with day-to-day activities. Threat

stressors result in anger, hostility, frustration, or depression. Challenging situations

promote either growth or pain. These stressors mostly involve significant life changes,

including taking a new job, attending a new school, graduating from college, leaving

home, and getting married. Challenging situations are usually seen as useful but involve

stress because they disrupt homeostasis and require considerable psychological and

physical adjustment.
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Stoppler (n. d.) is of the view that manifestation of excess or poorly managed

stress can be extremely varied and that, while it has been reported by many people that

stress brings about headaches, sleep disturbances, feelings of anxiety or tension, anger

or concentration problems, others complain of depression, lack of interest in food, and

increased appetite, among others. In severe cases, Stoppler (n. d.) pointed out that

individuals experienced a loss of interest in usual activities.

According to Riches, as cited in Arikewuyo (2000), stress symptoms could be

internal or external. Internal symptoms may include experiencing headaches, being

moody, and feeling sick, while external symptoms may involve throwing things, shaking

with rage, and weeping. The physiological signals of stress outlined by Adegoroye

(1995), as cited in Arikewuyo (2000), included high blood pressure, shaky nerves, and

intolerance to heat, backaches, anxiety sexual performance failure.

Challenging situations can lead to positive outcomes such as motivation and

improved task performance (Rheinberg & Engeser, 2018) while threatening ones or

distress can result in anxiety, depression, social dysfunction, and even suicidal intention

(Tang, Byrne, & Qin, 2018). Along with the enhancements during the scientific era and

the speedy development of information, competitiveness has become increasingly

robust. Consequently, people have become busy and demanding, and thus, stress is a

natural consequence. It does not merely affect our thoughts and feelings but our actions

as well. However, overstress causes problems and discomfort and can have severe

effects on people. Precisely, students face stress when they enter an entirely new world

of education professionals.

Stress is continuously observed as a psychological process that encompasses

an individual's perception and response to any intimidating event. It is significant to note

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that stress can have both positive and negative effects on people. It means that stress

may be a healthy, adaptive reaction to an event perceived as a threat. Its role is to

awaken and prepare individuals to take defensive action.

For instance, fear of things that present realistic threats motivates individuals to

deal with them or avoid them. This essentially indicates that even though the average

level of stress is supportive, a higher level of stress can exacerbate mental health

problems if it is not managed effectively (Cairo, Bettis, & Compas, 2017). Additionally,

when a person is exposed to chronic stress, they are likely to experience both physical

illnesses (including heart disease) and mental illness (e.g., anxiety disorders). The

adverse effects of stress can cause headaches, sleep problems, anxiety, restlessness,

sadness, drinking problem, falling into depression, and many other health problems

(Pariat, Rynjah, Joplin & Kharjana, 2014).

Stress, according to Anspaugh et al. (2003), affected the lives of everyone. This

means that students, teachers, business people, parents, athletes, and children, among

others, live with stress. In their view, it is a misconception to see stress as an enemy

since stress is often neither positive nor negative. They continue that how people deal

with or react to stress determines its effect on their lives. The way we react to stress,

therefore, seems to be more important than the stress itself. In the opinion of Anspaugh

et al. (2003), stressors are any physical, psychological, or environmental event or

condition that initiates the stress responses. Stress, which results in positive responses,

is known as "eustress," while those which end up with negative responses are termed

distress.
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Coping Mechanisms

Coping mechanisms are the strategies people often use in the face of stress

and trauma to help manage painful or difficult emotions. Coping mechanisms can

help people adjust to stressful events while helping them maintain their emotional

well-being.

Based on Rogers and Yassin (2003), students need to develop different coping

strategies to encounter and manage stressful conditions. If not handled well, the

stressors that originated from financial problems, sleep deprivation, societal activities,

and many more can affect a student's ability to perform. Coping strategy refers to ways

to handle stressful and troublesome circumstances. Richard Lazarus and Susan

Folkman scientifically defined coping as the sum of cognitive and behavioral effort, which

are continually changing, aiming to handle particular demands, whether internal or

external, that are viewed as demanding. The coping mechanism plays a significant part

in overcoming or reduce the stress experienced by individuals. Adler and Park (2003)

stated that appropriate and effective coping might buffer the effect of stressful

circumstances on individuals' physical and mental health. People use different types of

coping to overcome their stress. For example, Shaikh and colleagues (2004) reviewed

that some people cope with drugs, alcohol, over-eating, and smoking, which are

counterproductive, while some cope by exercising, meditating, and listening to music. It

is proven to help reduce stress.

The use of practical coping skills can often help improve mental and

emotional well-being. People who can adjust to stressful or traumatic situations (and

the lasting impact these incidents may have) through effective coping mechanisms

may be less likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health

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concerns due to painful or challenging events. People who find themselves

defaulting to maladaptive coping mechanisms or experience difficulty utilizing

effective coping strategies may eventually see a negative impact on mental and

emotional well-being. Those who have difficulty knowing how to cope with anxiety,

stress, or anger may fall into the habit of relying on a maladaptive coping

mechanism. Consuming alcohol can often help people feel less stressed in the

immediate moment, for example. However, if a person comes to rely on alcohol, or

any other substance, in the face of challenging situations, they may eventually

become dependent on the substance over time. Due to the detrimental impact of

stress on health, individuals engage in different coping styles to deal with stressors.

Coping is, therefore, defined as an array of conscious behaviors and mental efforts

employed to deal with a stressful event or the situation to minimize its negative

consequence (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Coping involves specific cognitive evaluation

of whether an individual believes that he or she can handle the stressful situation.

Coping can take different forms, such emotion-focused coping in which individuals focus

on reducing the adverse emotional reaction, and problem-focused coping in which the

focus is on finding out a practical way of solving stressful situation (Lazarus & Folkman,

1984), also described as active and passive (Jex, Bliese, Buzzell, & Primeau, 2001) or

approach and avoidance (Anshel, 1996) stress coping styles. Moreover, according to

Anspaugh et al. (2003), all events in life brought about a reaction, but there were varied

ways people reacted or responded to them. To them, coping with stress is an attempt to

manage or deal with stress. In their view, coping does not necessarily result in success.

They comment that successful coping includes becoming aware of incidents and

situations that one perceives as stressful, and recognizing stressors means being aware
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of how one's body responds to stress. To Anspaugh et al. (2003), dealing successfully

with stress might require using different types of techniques.

Positive Coping Mechanisms

Among the more commonly used adaptive coping mechanisms are: Support;

Talking about a stressful event with a supportive person can effectively manage

stress. Seeking external support instead of self-isolating and internalizing stress can

significantly reduce a difficult situation's adverse effects. Relaxation; Any number of

relaxing activities can help people cope with stress. Relaxing activities may include

practicing meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or other calming techniques,

sitting in nature, or listening to soft music.

Problem-solving; This coping mechanism involves identifying a problem that

is causing stress and then developing and putting into action potential solutions for

effectively managing it. Humor; Making light of a stressful situation may help people

maintain perspective and prevent the situation from becoming overwhelming.

Physical activity; Exercise can serve as a natural and healthy form of stress relief.

Running, yoga, swimming, walking, dance, team sports, and many other physical

activity types can help people cope with stress and the aftereffects of traumatic

events.

Support. According to the Philippine Red Cross, connecting with loved ones

through video calls, phone calls, texts, or social media is a wat to cope with stress

positively. Social support refers to support received (e.g., informative, emotional, or

instrumental) or the sources of the support (e.g., family or friends) that enhance

recipients’ self-esteem or provide stress-related interpersonal aid (Dumont & Provost,

1999). Social support has been known to offset or moderate the impact of stress caused
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by illness (e.g., Aro, Hanninen, & Paronene, 1989). The perception of adequate social

support has been associated with lower levels of depression (Finch, Okun, Pool, &

Ruehlman, 1999), better social adjustment (Dunkel-Schetter, 1984), and higher self-

esteem (Feather & Wainstock, 1989). Research has documented many physiological

and mental health benefits of social support, including improved immune,

cardiovascular, and neuroendocrine function; positive adjustment to chronic disease;

decreased depression and anxiety; and effective buffering against the negative effects of

stress. One study from the University of Utah examined the effects of three of these

different types of social support among married couples and found that emotional,

tangible, and informational support all helped lower blood pressure when individuals

were faced with short-term stressors. Moreover, contacting professionals like

psychologists or counselors is also a positive stress coping mechanism. Seeking

external support instead of self-isolating and internalizing stress can significantly reduce

a difficult situation's adverse effects. According to the study conducted by Martinez, A.B.,

Co, M., Lau, J. et al., Filipinos across the world have general reluctance and unfavorable

attitude towards formal help-seeking despite high rates of psychological distress. They

prefer seeking help from close family and friends. Barriers cited by Filipinos living in the

Philippines include financial constraints and inaccessibility of services, whereas

overseas Filipinos were hampered by immigration status, lack of health insurance,

language difficulty, and experience of discrimination and lack of acculturation to host

culture. Both groups were hindered by self and social stigma attached to mental

disorder, and by concern for loss of face, sense of shame, and adherence to Asian

values of conformity to norms where mental illness is considered unacceptable. Filipinos

are also prevented from seeking help by their sense of resilience and self-reliance, but
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this is explored only in studies. They utilize special mental health care only as the last

resort or when problems become severe. qualitative

Relaxation. Another positive stress coping mechanism is practicing good sleep

hygiene. This includes having a consistent sleep and waking up, avoiding caffeinated

and alcoholic drinks close to bedtime, practicing getting into a relaxed state when you go

to bed, and shutting off electronic devices. According to Philippine Red Cross, Stress

can make your body hurt and make you feel sluggish and tired. Sleep disruptions are

one of the hallmark symptoms of being overly stressed. Some of the most common

physical signs of stress include stiff neck and back pain, headaches, and decreased

libido. Practicing good sleep hygiene includes having a consistent sleep and waking up,

avoiding caffeinated and alcoholic drinks close to bedtime, practicing getting into a

relaxed state when you go to bed, and shutting off electronic devices are essential

coping strategies to address the physical symptoms of stress. As stated by Dong-Woo

Choi (2018) stress awareness is associated with short sleep duration; specialized

workers, office workers, workers with household income above mid-high levels, and

those who graduated from university or college especially need to sleep adequately in

order to manage stress. The result implies that getting enough good quality sleep is

known to the respondents as a positive coping mechanism and they are always able to

perform this activity to reduce stress. According to Mental Health Foundation (2016)

sleep is essential. It is as important to our bodies as eating, drinking and breathing, and

is vital for maintaining good mental and physical health. Sleeping helps us to recover

from mental as well as physical exertion. Moreover, another positive stress coping

mechanism is giving oneself regular breaks. Take a walk, stop working, and eat a good

dinner or talk with a friend. Give the mind a moment to rest and reorganize. Contrary to

many people's first instincts when they are stressed, taking breaks makes someone
 22

more efficient, more energetic, and better able to tackle the challenges in front of you.

Maintaining a healthy diet is also a positive stress coping mechanism. When the mind is

full of worries and pressures, many people find that they slip into "mindless eating" or

cravings carbs and sweets. Maintaining a balanced diet of foods that provide a more

constant energy source can be a great first line of defense against the adverse effects of

stress. Even more importantly, it will help you maintain a connection to long-term goals.

Moreover, limiting consumption of alcohol and other mood-altering substances (including

sleeping aids) is also considered as a positive stress coping mechanism. While a couple

of glasses of wine at night can take the tension out of your shoulders for the moment, it

can cause sleep disruptions and an increase in a depressed mood, which, in turn, keeps

your stress levels high and increases your tension for the next day. Furthermore, singing

and listening to music is one of the proven means to reduce stress. Additionally,

Anspaugh et.al. (2003), emphasized relaxation as one of the means to reduce stress, to

which he further emphasized on listening to soft music, as one of the examples. Lastly,

this practice also conforms the claim of Philippine Red Cross, to which they discussed

about self-soothing techniques wherein they elaborated on listening to music as a part of

this technique. Other positive coping mechanisms under relaxation are practicing deep

breathing, meditation, or muscle relaxation,

Problem-solving. Making and following through with an action plan to solve

problems, seeking counselling if continuously to struggle with stress is a positive stress

coping mechanism. Instead of narrowing our focus like negative emotions do, positive

emotions affect our brains in ways that increase our awareness, attention, and

memory. They help us take in more information, hold several ideas in mind at once, and

understand how different ideas relate to each other. When positive emotions open us up
 23

to new possibilities, we are able to learn and build on our skills. That leads to doing

better on tasks and tests. Poloma and Pendleton (1989).

Humor. Furthermore, laughing or crying, going out with a friend (shopping,

swimming) is a positive stress coping mechanism. Swimming is regularly suggested as a

method for expanding active work and acquiring medical advantages. According to

Sports Medicine-Open (2015) among the possible kinds of physical activities, various

authoritative groups and researchers often recommend swimming as a means of

increasing physical activity and gaining health benefits. Swimming has proven to have

multiple positive effects in the areas of the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular

disease, on cardiorespiratory fitness, and on anthropometric measures such as body

weight, fat distribution, waist circumference, body mass index, and blood pressure.

Considered as an aerobic activity, swimming has been reported to have emotional state

benefits among healthy people and clinical populations on anxiety depression, moods, or

self-esteem. This implies that swimming is a good stress coping mechanism to eliminate

stress. Amy Morin, LCSW, a psychotherapist and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong

People Don’t Do, says that shopping can make a great coping mechanism for a number

of reasons, not least of all because you’re treating yourself. We imagine ourselves either

wearing the new outfit or using a new product, and when we think about that, we

envision ourselves being happier. It gives us a temporary boost just imagining it. That

temporary boost might also have something to do with the fact that shopping gives us a

sense of control, of regulating what we take into our lives. Shopping can be something

you do that’s social — whether you do it with friends or you do it as a way of getting

yourself out of the house and around other people. Moreover, Philippine Red Cross

stated regarding the regularly practice self-soothing techniques, whereas they

elaborated watching a movie, as one of the ways to self-soothe that will help one cope
 24

with stress and prevent becoming more stressed. Movie therapy (MT) increased general

self-esteem in teenagers suffering from serious emotional disturbances (Powell,

Newgent & Lee, 2006). In Poor Reza's study (2006), depression was significantly

lowered in chronic schizophrenic patients. Sharp, Sharp (2002) attest that movie therapy

is more than just watching a movie. They state that movie therapy involves therapeutic

discussion of the selected movie signifying the client/character similarities via strategic

questioning and metaphorical language. This helps to lower client resistance in the

process group. Hesley and Hesley (2001) assign watching the therapeutic movie as

homework to save time and for cost effectiveness. This procedure will reinforce the key

points leading to mastery of the desired behaviors in the natural settings and ultimately

connect the knowledge gained in therapy to real life experience (p.11). Mongin (1999)

asserts that the movies more likely influence the patients emotionally rather than having

an impact on the intellectual level; movies help reduce defense mechanisms like

repression. Movies can be used as a medium for self-exploration. Through movie

therapy, client may identify with his chosen heroes in the film and ensuing analysis of

character behaviors, needs, and drives. Movies not only can diagnostically raise the

level of a client’s insight, but also may help to resolve the client's difficulties. The goal is

to help the client face his issues in an objective manner by viewing a story similar to that

of his own and then by applying that learning to his own situation (Rizza, 1997).

Moreover, movie therapy encourages client to talk about his issues with a sense of

hope. The characters in movie model a set of behaviors that can help client solve his

problems. Equipped with various lenses, movies can be effective in modifying observer's

cognition, attitude, and behavior. By stimulating emotions and changing levels of

Neoendorphins and stress hormones, movies also bind biological effects. According to

Gary Solomon Ph.D., MPH, MSW (2000), the author of two books on cinema therapy,
 25

watching movies encourages emotional release. Even those who often have trouble

expressing their emotions might find themselves laughing or crying during a film. This

release of emotions can have a cathartic effect and also make it easier for a person to

become more comfortable in expressing their emotions. This can be invaluable during

counseling as well as in “real life.” Sad films can make us happier. While it might seem

counter-intuitive, I think many of us can relate to this. I know that after I watch a

particularly sad or distressing film, I feel thankful for my own life and my “smaller”

problems in comparison. Others’ tragedies make us more appreciative of everything

good in our own lives. Watching movies can help us make sense of our own lives. For

thousands of years, knowledge and wisdom have been passed down through the art of

story-telling. Stories offer us different perspectives and help us understand and make

sense of the world. And movies are stories. Movies give us a break from whatever is

currently bothering us. We are transported to a different time and place and can just

focus on the present moment for a short time. This gives our brains a much-needed rest

from “the usual.” Movies bring us a sense of relief, even if they stress us out first.

Watching something suspenseful releases cortisol (the stress hormone) in the brain,

followed by dopamine, which produces feelings of pleasure.

Physical activity. Dancing can improve your health in a lot of ways but there

are both positive and negative effects of being a dancer. Dance can help improve your

health, body, and mind. Some of these ways include fighting against diseases,

improving posture and weight, and reducing stress. But there are also some negative

effects of dance including a higher risk of injuries and the lasting effects those injuries

can have on a person’s life. According to Hanna, J. L. (2017) stated in her book- The

Oxford Handbook of Dance and Wellbeing. Dancing is an art, exercise,

and language that uses the mind-body connection.  Language is a way of explaining

 26

difficult ideas and topics with or without sound.  Dance uses both verbal and

nonverbal meanings, vocabulary, and rules to express a bigger picture that connects

emotions and physical feelings that sometimes verbal words are not able to fully

convey.  This allows people a more flexible and sometimes safer option to cope with

problems. Dancing combats stress and can be used as a coping skill because it releases

dopamine and oxytocin, while also rebuilding the brain.  Dancing absorbs detrimental

stress hormones and releases dopamine, the pleasure hormone, instead.  When this

hormone is released, people experience motivation and rewards which results in

learning, improved mood, and increased memory. Partner dancing is an especially

power way to release oxytocin (the bonding hormone), which makes us feel good. 

Dancing helps develop the brain and increases growth of cells that prolonged stress

would naturally break down.  This results in improved mental health, reduced muscle

tension (due to that mind-body connection), and simply improves mood. Dancing, and

especially partner dancing, can therapeutic as a response to a stressful event as a way

to release tension, “explain” peoples’ emotions through movement, or simply as a

distraction. Dance can even provide coping benefits before a stressful event occurs as it

keeps the body and mind fully charged and prepared for anything.   On the other hand,

according to BP Dance Studio, Dance Classes’ cost varies from which package will be

availed. Per month, their Walk-in costs PHP 350, second is the 5-Class Package which

costs PHP1500, third is the 10-Class Package which costs PHP2800, and lastly the 20-

Class Package which costs PHP5200. Moreover, Dancers are high-performance

athletes who are highly vulnerable to sustaining an injury (Ramkumar et al., 2016), which

can have severe consequences, such as required medical treatment, experienced

discomfort, decreased health-related quality of life, restricted artistic development due to

absence from dance activities, and a significant delay in studying (Kenny et al.,
 27

2016; Yau et al., 2017; White et al., 2018). Previous literature showed prevalence and

incidence rates of injuries among pre-professional ballet, modern and contemporary

dancers ranging from 37 to 86% and from 0.77 to 4.71 injuries per 1,000 h of dance

(Kenny et al., 2016; Lee et al., 2017; van Winden et al., 2019). Furthermore, Williams et

al. (2020), stated in his paper that making self busy with everyday activities like being

busy with works, studies, or other social activities was imperative for preventing low

mood, and therefore claimed it to be a positive coping mechanism. As humans, we may

often have a desire to be productive and use our time well. It’s when the busyness takes

over our lives and we stop enjoying living that it’s important to look more closely. If you

feel busyness has become a coping mechanism for you, therapy may help. (Kristen

Gardenhire, 2019). Also, exercising or getting outdoors to enjoy nature is a positive

stress coping mechanism. According to Anspaugh et.al. (2003), one of the techniques in

dealing with stress is Physical activity; Exercise can serve as a natural and healthy form

of stress relief. Running, yoga, swimming, walking, dance, team sports, and many other

physical activity types can help people cope with stress and the aftereffects of traumatic

events. The Philippine Red Cross also stated that this technique, Exercise regularly is

one of the most essential coping techniques in reducing tension and increasing energy.

According to Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (2021) Scientists have

found that regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall

levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem.

Even five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate anti-anxiety effects. Stanton (2014)

exercise has demonstrated benefits for people with mental illness including symptom

reduction, improved cardiovascular risk profile and improved physical capacity.

Ironically, exercise is one of the first things to fall by the wayside, yet it is one of the most

essential coping techniques in reducing tension and increasing energy. Remember that
 28

a brisk 20-minute walk will likely help. Other positive coping mechanism under physical

activity are writing, painting, or doing other creative activities, and gardening or making

home repairs.

Moreover, religious coping can be helpful for immediate relief from stressful

situations. Specifically, it can give the individual confidence to endure and it can give

meaning to hardships (Folkman & Moskowitz, 2004). Research shows the benefits of

positive religious coping mechanisms. Practicing positive religious coping strategies was

correlated with better mental health outcomes in a meta-analysis of 49 studies by Ano

and Vasconcelles (2004). They found that positive religious coping mechanisms, such

as seeking spiritual support and collaborative religious coping, were related to better

adjustment to stress and growth from stress. Prayer is a form of religious coping that

involves communication with God. LaBarbera and Hetzel (2015) found an association

between prayer frequency and stress.

According to the Philippine Red Cross, here are the following steps to cope up

with stress positively; connecting with loved ones through video calls, phone calls, texts,

or social media is a wat to cope with stress positively, stay informed with accurate,

reliable information from trusted sources, avoid social media accounts and news outlets

that promote fear or rumors, take care of oneself and monitor the physical health needs

of your loved ones. Eat healthily, drink plenty of water, and get enough rest.

Generally, an excellent social network buffers stress (Macgeorge, Samter,

& Gillihan, 2005) and comprises any interpersonal connection, which can include

face-to-face interactions and online socialization. Good friends can increase

resilience and decrease stress encountered at university (Singh, 2016). Friend

support plays a protective role with resilience amid an environment of academic

 29

stress. However, both part-time and full-time students may reduce their social and

non-academic activities to cope with their studies, according to Gaedke, Covarrubias

Venegas, and Simbrunner and Janous (2012), is counterproductive since

socialization acts as a stress buffer. Besides, the research explored religious coping

strategies such as prayer commonly practiced by many people. For example, Qidwai,

Tabassum, Hanif, and Khan (2009) discovered that prayer is a common strategy

that individuals use to cope with stress and maintain good holistic health. In the

same way, personal religious involvement, mainly the frequency of attendance at

religious services, was found to positively associated good health and inversely

associated distress (Ellison, Boardman, Williams, & Jackson, 2001) and act as

buffers against stress and beneficial for upholding life satisfaction (Fabricatore,

Handal, & Fenzel, 2012).

One indicator of positive adjustment that is associated with coping is emotion

regulation. Individuals who can better regulate their emotions and engage in more

positive affect may be more likely to seek out and use several positive coping strategies.

According to the broaden-and-build theory, the experience of positive emotions (e.g.,

joy) broadens attention and thinking (i.e., heightens openness to new possibilities, big

picture focus, etc.), in comparison to negative emotions, which tend to result in a

narrowing of focus (i.e., fight or flight, etc. This broadening of attention is hypothesized to

build personal resources, such as adaptive coping strategies. In light of this, individuals

who are better able to regulate emotions more positively may have a heightened ability

to think more broadly, allowing for engagement in various positive coping strategies,

compared to those who have more narrow thinking. Alternatively, it may be that

individuals who engage in a more significant number of positive coping strategies may

have a greater sense of control and demonstrate a more remarkable ability to adjust
 30

their coping responses and adapt to stress. As a result, these individuals may become

more proficient in their ability to regulate their emotions. Fredrickson posits that both

interpretations warrant investigation (i.e., directionality) by emphasizing that positive

emotional experience should help facilitate a broader source of coping, which could help

improve later experiences of positive emotions.

Another way coping has been implicated in the promotion of positive adjustment

is in its association to self–esteem. For instance, individuals with high self-esteem are

thought to have more effective and appropriate coping resources to deal with stress

(e.g., planning and problem-solving. The count of coping strategies used could be that

individuals with high self-esteem may be more confident in their ability to cope with

different stressors (and thus be more likely to engage in a variety of positive coping

strategies). However, it also may be that individuals who can use a more significant

number of positive coping strategies may develop a sense of control and feelings of

confidence in their ability to handle different situations appropriately, thus leading to

increased self-esteem. Also, academic achievement may be another important factor

associated with coping. Academic achievement typically requires an ability to work well

under pressure (e.g., writing exams, oral presentations) and an ability to collaborate on

group projects. The ability to cope efficiently and employ more frequent positive

orientated strategies when under stress/pressure has been associated with better

academic achievement than those who rely on less effective coping strategies.

Sociodemographic Profile

Age. According to the Age and Sex Structure of the Philippine Population (2010),

the school-age population (5 to 24 years old) in the country comprised 41.8 percent of

the 92.1 million household populations. In the Province of Ilocos Norte, it was presented
 31

the populations each group and age group between 20-24 were 49,483 populations.

Additionally, a new survey from the American Psychological Association points to the

age group that's been hit hardest: Gen-Z. Gen-Z adults, those ages 18 to 23, reported

the highest levels of stress compared to other generations and were the most likely age

group to report symptoms of depression, according to the APA's 2020 Stress in America

survey. More than seven in 10 Gen-Z adults surveyed said they experienced common

symptoms of depression in the prior two weeks, such as: feeling so tired they sat around

and did nothing, having trouble thinking and concentrating, and feeling very restless,

lonely, miserable, or unhappy. So why is Gen-Z hit so hard with stress and depression

during the Pandemic? They are "experiencing adulthood at a time when the future looks

uncertain." At the same time, older generations might have more perspective that

enables them to cope with the changes, according to the report. The APA survey took

place from Aug. 4 to Aug. 26. When asked to rank their stress level on a scale of one to

10 the prior month, Gen-Z adults said they experienced the highest stress levels, 6.1 out

of 10, compared to other generations. To put that in perspective, millennials (ages 24-

41) ranked their stress level 5.6 out of 10, and Gen X (ages 42-55) said their stress

was5.2 out of 10. The overall reported stress level for adults in 2020 is 5.0. For Gen-Z

teens, ages 13 to 17, 51% said that the Pandemic made it impossible to plan for the

future, and 67% of Gen-Z adults in college said the same. The Gen-Z adults in college

also said that uncertainty about the school year was a significant source of stress. The

APA says a few strategies can help decrease anxiety and build emotional resilience in

young people.

Civil Status. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, in 2015, there were

34.8 million single persons in the Philippines, or 44 percent of the total population 10

years old over.  This is higher by 3.5 million compared to the 2010 report of 31.3 million
 32

single persons. Thus, most of the population in the community were single. According to

American Psychological Association (2012), survey results showed single women are

also more likely than married women to say they feel they are doing enough to manage

their stress (63 percent vs. 51 percent). In general, married individuals are happier (Lee

& Ono, 2012), live longer and healthier lives (Kiecolt‐Glaser & Newton, 2001), and are at

a lower risk of committing suicide (Waite & Gallagher, 2001). A recent study by Chin et

al. (2017) supported previous conclusions at a physiological level. Interestingly, the

authors investigated the cortisol levels (a hormone that is often associated with stress) of

married and single persons, and found that married individuals had lower cortisol levels

than unmarried and previously married people, which would suggest that they

experience lower levels of stress. Similar patterns have been observed among persons

in intimate relationships (not necessarily married), who exhibited lower levels of stress

compared with single persons when stress was assessed by blood pressure

(Sisca, 1985), self‐reported measures (Hudson & O'Regan, 1994), or a broad range of

well‐being indices (Sorokowski et al., 2019).

Educational Attainment. According to Philippine Statistics Authority (2013), the

educational attainment of the population in the country had improved since year 2000.

The proportions of graduates of both secondary and tertiary (college) levels had

increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2010, high school graduates accounted for 19.1 percent

compared to only 12.9 percent in 2000. College graduates increased from 4.3 percent in

2000 to 10.1 percent in 2010. Moreover, according to New York University (2009),

college students now report being more stressed-out than ever before and many of the

emotional and physical symptoms that occur commonly in the college population, such

as headaches, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and the inability to cope, can be attributed to

or exacerbated by stress. The relationship between education and health has existed for
 33

generations, despite dramatic improvements in medical care and public health. Recent

data show that the association between education and health has grown dramatically in

the last four decades. Now more than ever, people who have not graduated high school

are more likely to report being in fair or poor health compared to college graduates.

Between 1972 and 2004, the gap between these two groups grew from 23 percentage

points to 36 percentage points among non-Hispanic whites age 40 to 64. African-

Americans experienced a comparable widening in the health gap by education during

this time period. The probability of having major chronic conditions also increased more

among the least educated. According to NYU (2009), college students now report being

more stressed-out than ever before and many of the emotional and physical symptoms

that occur commonly in the college population, such as headaches, fatigue, depression,

anxiety, and the inability to cope, can be attributed to or exacerbated by stress. Reduced

stress: People with more education—and thus higher incomes—are often spared the

health-harming stresses that accompany prolonged social and economic hardship.

Those with less education often have fewer resources (e.g., social support, sense of

control over life, and high self-esteem) to buffer the effects of stress. Life change,

traumas, chronic strain, and discrimination can cause health-harming stress. Economic

hardship and other stressors can have a cumulative, negative effect on health over time

and may, in turn, make individuals more sensitive to further stressors. Researchers have

coined the term “allostatic load” to refer to the effects of chronic exposure to

physiological stress responses. Exposure to high allostatic load over time may

predispose individuals to diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular disease,

gastrointestinal disease, and infections11 and has been associated with higher death

rates among older adults.

 34

Occupation. Stress is both physical and mental. It is caused by major life events

such as illness, the death of a loved one, a change in responsibilities or expectations at

work, and job promotions, loss, or changes. Major workplace and personal stress are

inevitable. (Heathfield, 2020). According to Zuckerman (2020), 90% of US workers say

that they are under stress. What is even more disconcerting is 25% of employees

believe they are at risk of burn out within a year. Most Filipinos continue to experience

stress brought by the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis; results of the special

Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed. The survey, conducted from July 3 to 6,

found that 86 percent of Filipinos said the COVID-19 pandemic brought them stress,

51% “great stress,” a slight decline from the 55 percent in May and 35 percent “much

stress,” which hardly changed from 34 percent. The proportion of those who experienced

“great stress” was higher among families that had experienced involuntary hunger in the

past three months at 62 percent compared with families that did not experience hunger

at 48 percent. Those with “great stress” were at 55 percent among those who did not

have a job but used to have one and those who never had a job, higher than the 46

percent among those who had jobs. “Great stress” was highest in Metro Manila and

Visayas at 56 percent followed by Luzon outside Metro Manila at 49 percent and

Mindanao at 46 percent. Those who experienced great stress were also highest among

junior high school graduates at 58 percent. The survey had a margin of error of plus-

minus 2 percent.

Place of Residence. Philippine Statistics Authority (2013) reported that 92.3

million populations in the Philippines in 2010, 41.9 million lived in areas classified as

urban while the rural population or those who loved in areas classified as rural numbered

50.5 million. Moreover, those living in remote rural communities may have adopted a

range of coping strategies and coping norms that may prevent disclosure and hamper
 35

effective policy delivery. Remote rural dwellers may experience stress differently

because of their stoical outlook and cultural norms. This can hide unemployment and

homelessness and make service delivery difficult on a number of levels (very limited

help seeking; suspicion of formal services; problem with stigma of mental illness;

problem of confidentiality). In tight-knit or small communities interventions need to be

particularly sensitive to the context in which they are operating. Social science

researchers argue that emotional disorder is a predictable outcome of social change, in

contrast to the psychiatric perspective where disorder equals abnormality. Support

services need to tackle life-event stressors in context rather than as isolated events.

Sex. According to PSA (2015), in the community there are more female

than male. Men and women report different reactions to stress, both physically and

mentally. They attempt to manage stress in very different ways and perceive their ability

to do so — and the things that stand in their way — in markedly different ways. Findings

suggest that while women are more likely to report physical symptoms associated with

stress, they do a better job connecting with others in their lives. At times, these

connections are essential to their stress management strategies. Though they report

similar average stress levels, women are more likely than men to report that their stress

levels rise. They are also much more likely than men to report physical and emotional

symptoms of stress. According to the American Psychological Association 2012, when

comparing women with each other, there also appears to be differences in how married

and single women experience stress. American Psychological Association result shows

that women are more likely than men (28 percent vs. 20 percent) to report having a great

deal of stress (8, 9, or 10 on a 10-point scale). Almost half of all women (49 percent)

surveyed said their stress has increased over the past five years, compared to four in 10

(39 percent) men. Women are more likely to report that money (79 percent compared
 36

with 73 percent of men) and the economy (68 percent compared with 61 percent of men)

are sources of stress, while men are far more likely to cite that work is a source of stress

(76 percent compared with 65 percent of women). Women are more likely to report

physical and emotional symptoms of stress than men, such as having had a headache

(41 percent vs. 30 percent), having felt as though they could cry (44 percent vs. 15

percent), or having had an upset stomach or indigestion (32 percent vs. 21 percent) in

the past month. Men and women report wide gaps between determining what is

meaningful and how successful they are at achieving those behaviors. Women are much

more likely than men to say that having a good relationship with their families is essential

to them (84 percent vs. 74 percent). While fewer women say they are doing an excellent

job at succeeding in this area, they outpace men (67 percent vs. 53 percent). Women

are also more likely than men to say that having a good relationship with their friends is

essential to them (69 percent vs. 62 percent), even though friendship is cited less often

than family for both men and women. Even though nearly half of all women (49 percent)

say they have lain awake at night in the past month because of stress, three-quarters of

women rate getting enough sleep as extremely or very important (75 percent compared

with 58 percent of men).

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This study will be based on the transactional model of stress coping of Lazarus

and Folkman (1987), which states that "coping as a phenomenon that involves both

cognitive and behavioral responses that individuals use in an attempt to manage internal

and external stressors perceived to exceed their resources" (Echemendia, 2019). In this

theory, two concepts are central to any psychological stress theory: appraisal, i.e.,
 37

individuals' evaluation of the significance of what is happening for their well-being and

coping, i.e., individuals' efforts in thought action to manage specific demands (Krohne,

2002).

According to Krohne (2002), coping potential Lazarus means a person's

evaluation of the prospects for generating certain behavioral or cognitive operations that

will positively influence a personally relevant encounter". The focus of the transactional

theory is that of a person's psychological aspect in conformity to this is the adaptation

theory of Sister Callista Roy wherein "Roy's model is concerned with the problem of

human adaptation. She suggested that the human organism consists of parts that

depend on their existence and survival on the whole body's integrated functioning.

The parts which make up the whole, therefore, are linked together in a dynamic

equilibrium such that any change to one part (or force applied to it) would lead to the

reaction which would ultimately affect the whole organism." (Akinsaya, 1994) As stated

by Akinsaya (1994), "Hence the central concept of the model is that of man as a 'bio-

psycho-social' being." the Transactional model has been the chosen theory for this study

because it is focused more on the effect of the psychological aspect to the individuals

coping potential rather than the adaptation theory or stress theory according to Selye

(1950), "the ability to live organisms to adapt themselves to changes in their

surroundings, their adaptability or " adaptation energy," is a finite quantity; its magnitude

appears to depend mainly upon genetic factors." which focuses more on the biological

aspect as a factor for adaptation or copying of an organism or individual.

 38

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The study aims to determine the respondents' level of knowledge of the theory's

positive stress coping mechanism. This study's general concept will be established in the

research paradigm, as presented in Figure 1. The left box on the research paradigm

comprises the demographic profile of the respondents as to age, sex, civil status,

occupation, and place of residence, which are the independent variables, and on the

right box is the level of knowledge of the respondents on positive stress coping

mechanism which is the dependent variable. The arrow line shows the influence of the

demographic profile of the respondents on their level of knowledge.

 39

Demographic Profile of the Level of knowledge of the

respondents in terms of: respondents on positive
coping mechanism
1. Age
2. Civil status
3. Educational Attainment
4. Occupation
5. Place of residence
6. Sex

Figure 1: Research Paradigm

 40

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter discusses the general outline of the procedure used in the study. It

includes the research design, research locale, population and sampling, research

instrument, data gathering procedure, and statistical treatment of the data to be used in

this study and ethical considerations.

Research Design

The research group utilized descriptive research design which attempted to

determine the profile of the respondents, their level of knowledge on positive coping

mechanisms, and the common practices of the respondents on stress coping.

Research Locale

This study was conducted in Ilocos Norte, it is a province in the Philippines

situated in the Ilocos Region occupying the Luzon’s northwestern section. The city of

Laoag is considered as the capital of the said province. It covers a total area of 3,467.89

square kilometers (1,338.96 sq mi), occupying the northern tip of the Ilocos Region in

Luzon. The province is bordered by Cagayan to the extreme northeast, Apayao to the

east, and Abra to the southeast, Ilocos Sur to the southwest, the South China Sea to the

west, and the Luzon Straight to the north. 

Ilocos Norte has 21 municipalities and two (2) cities. The total number

of barangays in the province is 557. Ilocos Norte was chosen to be the locale of the

study because the Ilocos region is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus

 41

disease 2019 (COVID-19). The virus reached the Ilocos Region on March 20, 2020,

increasing up to present.

Moreover, the researchers obtained the top 3 local government units that have

the highest COVID19 cases in Ilocos Norte namely Laoag City, Sarrat and City of Batac.

The researchers will also determine the top 1 barangay with the highest COVID19 cases

in each of the chosen local government units in Ilocos Norte.

Research Instrument

This study used questionnaires to gather the needed data. For the

questionnaire’s draft, it was drawn based on the researchers’ readings on literature,

previous studies, professional literature, and published theses relevant to the study. For

instance, a statement describing the situation or issues pertaining was toned down to

accommodate the knowledge preparedness of the respondents. Open- ended questions

were provided to accommodate free formatted views related to the topic. The survey-

questionnaire is composed of three parts. In Part 1, it comprises the Respondent’s

Profile. The Part 2 aims to determine the Level of Knowledge on Positive Stress Coping

Mechanisms and Part 3 aims to determine the Common Practices of the Respondents

on Stress Coping.

Pre-testing was performed twice to test the reliability of the instrument using 20

independent subjects who has similar criteria as the final respondents. Revisions were

made after two pre-testing. Finally, data gathering instrument were administered to the

final respondents.
 42

Population and Sampling Procedures

To meet the adequate sample size and ensure proper sample

representativeness, the researchers used stratified random sampling to choose the

respondents. Additionally, the researchers utilized Slovin’s formula in determining the

proportional amount of population to consider from Barangay 9 San Lorenzo Sarrat,

Barangay 23 San Matias Laoag City and Barangay Baligat City of Batac which has the

highest COVID19 cases in Ilocos Norte.

Participants shall be within the age limit of 21 – 59 years old of any gender since

they are the age group that do not belong under the vulnerable group.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers requested permission from the Dean of the College of Health

Sciences through the Department Chair of the Department of Nursing. After permission

was secured, the researchers requested a permission to the municipal mayors of the

selected local government units through the Barangay Captains of Barangay 9 San

Lorenzo Sarrat, Barangay 23 San Matias Laoag City and Barangay Baligat City of Batac

of which has the highest COVID19 cases in Ilocos Norte. After which, respondents were

then identified and informed of the purpose of the study. Informed consent for each of

the respondents were obtained. Due to the present situation, the questionnaires were

administered through google form and answered by the target respondents to obtain

substantial data pertaining to knowledge of the respondents on positive stress coping

mechanisms. The respondents had 4-5 days to answer the given questionnaire.
 43

Statistical Treatment of Data

The data from the set of questionnaires were tabulated and statistically analyzed

using the following statistical tool.

Range of Interval Descriptive Interpretation

3.26 - 4.00 Very Highly Knowledgeable (VHK)
2.51 - 3.25 Highly Knowledgeable (HK)
1.76 - 2.5 Slightly Knowledgeable (MK)
1.00 - 1.75 Not Knowledgeable (NK)
Frequency and weighted mean were used as the statistical treatment in this

study to analyze and interpret the results. Each of the specific problems was separately

considered to obtain appropriate answers to each question to gain the overall average of

the study participants' responses or perceptions.

The Likert four-point scale was used in the study. The following range intervals

with their corresponding descriptive interpretations describe the respondents’ level of

knowledge on positive stress coping mechanisms.

In terms of the determining the common practices of the respondents on stress

coping mechanisms, the following range intervals with their corresponding descriptive

interpretations were used:

Range of Interval Descriptive Interpretation

3.26 - 4.00 Always (A)
2.51 - 3.25 Often (O)
1.76 - 2.5 Rarely (R)
1.00 - 1.75 Never (N)
 44

Ethical Consideration

Ethical approval was sought from the MMSU Research Ethics Review

Board (URERB) prior to conducting the study to check for any ethical issues. The

researchers fully observe the relevant ethical principles throughout the conduct of the

study. After gaining approval from the MMSU URERB, the researchers began the pre-

testing of the survey questionnaire. Same as true is applied for the participants, the

consent was sought first from the respondents via google form right before answering

the questions. And thus, through which, all the necessary information regarding the

research process were provided and explained simply and concisely. Additionally, it

should be highlighted that they were not forced to participate, instead, they have the

choice whether to do so or not, since this is merely voluntary and that they may withdraw

anytime, if they want to. Also, they were informed that participation to this study would

only require a bit of their time, effort and internet connection. Furthermore, rest assured

that, anonymity and confidentiality were maintained since respondents are given with the

option to remain anonymous, as a means for them to answer the questions honestly

without being conscious in the data collection, analysis and reporting of the study

findings. In line with this, all forms of data of the involvement of the participants can only

be accessed by the researchers and kept in full confidentiality. The instrument used in

the study will be submitted to URERB for safe keeping and will be shredded after 3

years from the day of the study. Thus, being done, minimal to no risk therefore, is

associated in participation to this study. The study will provide as awareness to the

community with regards to positive stress coping mechanism. This study will improve the

perception and knowledge of Ilocos Norte Residents on positive stress coping

mechanisms. And this study will serve as basis on planning certain programs and

actions related to this study.

 45

CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION, AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

This chapter contains detailed presentation and discussion of data analysis and the

results of this study.

Socio-demographic Profile of Research Respondents

On the whole, the study had 197 respondents. Tables 1 illustrate the socio-

demographic profile of the respondents.

Table 1. Socio-demographic profile of the student respondents. (n=197)

Indicators f %

Age 52 – 59 12 6.09
47 – 51 5 2.54
42 – 46 4 2.03
37 – 41 4 2.03
32 – 36 8 4.06
27 – 31 7 3.55
21 – 26 157 79.7
Total 197 100%
Sex Male 66 33.5
Female 131 66.5
Total 197 100%
Civil Status Single 172 87.31
Married 24 12.18
Widow/Widower 1 0.51
Total 197 100%
Educational College Graduate 63 31.98
Attainment
College Undergraduate 113 57.36
High School Graduate 15 7.61
High School 5 2.54
Undergraduate
Elementary 1 0.51
Total 197 100%
Occupation Government Employee 30 15.23
Private Employee 22 11.17
Self-employed 7 3.55
None 138 70.05
Total 197 100%
Place of Residence Rural 119 60.41
Urban 78 39.59
Total 197 100%
 46

Age. As presented in table 1, out of the 197 respondents, big majority ( x=¿

79.7%) were ages 21-26, while four ( x=¿ 2.03%) were ages 37 – 41 and 42 - 46. This

indicates that big majority of the respondents of this study belongs to the group of

generation Z born (between 1996-2015). According to the Age and Sex Structure of the

Philippine Population (2010), the school-age population (5 to 24 years old) in the country

comprised 41.8 percent of the 92.1 million household populations. In the Province of

Ilocos Norte, it was presented the populations each group and age group between 20-24

were 49,483 populations. Moreover, a new survey from the American Psychological

Association points to the age group that's been hit hardest: Gen-Z. Gen-Z adults, those

ages 18 to 23, reported the highest levels of stress compared to other generations and

were the most likely age group to report symptoms of depression, according to the

APA's 2020 Stress in America survey. More than 7 in 10 Gen-Z adults surveyed said

they experienced common symptoms of depression in the prior two weeks, such as:

feeling so tired they sat around and did nothing, having trouble thinking and

concentrating, and feeling very restless, lonely, miserable, or unhappy. Gen-Z is the

generation that was hit hard with stress and depression during the Pandemic because

they are experiencing adulthood at a time when the future looks uncertain. The

pandemic made it impossible to plan for the future, and 67% of Gen-Z adults in college

said the same. The Gen-Z adults in college also said that uncertainty about the school

year was a significant source of stress.

Sex. Table one reveals that, of the 197 respondents, big majority ( x=¿ 66.5%)

were females, whereas 66 ( x=¿ 33.5%) were males. This confirms the findings of PSA

(2015) that in the community, there are more female than male. Moreover, women are

more likely than men to report that their stress levels rise. Moreover, women are much

more likely than men to report physical and emotional symptoms of stress. According to
 47

the American Psychological Association 2012 result shows that women are more likely

than men (28 percent vs. 20 percent) to report having a great deal of stress (8, 9, or 10

on a 10-point scale). Almost half of all women (49 percent) surveyed said their stress

has increased over the past five years, compared to four in 10 (39 percent) men.

Women are more likely to report that money (79 percent compared with 73 percent of

men) and the economy (68 percent compared with 61 percent of men) are sources of

stress, while men are far more likely to cite that work is a source of stress (76 percent

compared with 65 percent of women). Women are more likely to report physical and

emotional symptoms of stress than men, such as having had a headache (41 percent vs.

30 percent), having felt as though they could cry (44 percent vs. 15 percent), or having

had an upset stomach or indigestion (32 percent vs. 21 percent) in the past month.

Civil Status. Most of the respondents are single ( x=¿ 87.31%). According to the

Philippine Statistics Authority, in 2015, there were 34.8 million single persons in the

Philippines, or 44 percent of the total population 10 years old over.  This is higher by 3.5

million compared to the 2010 report of 31.3 million single persons. Thus, most of the

population in the community were single. A recent study by Chin et al. (2017)

investigated the cortisol levels (a hormone that is often associated with stress) of

married and single persons, and found that married individuals had lower cortisol levels

than unmarried and previously married people, which would suggest that they

experience lower levels of stress. Similar patterns have been observed among persons

in intimate relationships (not necessarily married), who exhibited lower levels of stress

compared with single persons when stress was assessed by blood pressure

(Sisca, 1985), self‐reported measures (Hudson & O'Regan, 1994), or a broad range of

well‐being indices (Sorokowski et al., 2019).

 48

Educational Attainment. As shown in the table above, majority ( x=¿ 57.35%)

are college undergraduate. According to Philippine Statistics Authority (2013), the

educational attainment of the population in the country had improved since year 2000.

The proportions of graduates of both secondary and tertiary (college) levels had

increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2010, high school graduates accounted for 19.1 percent

compared to only 12.9 percent in 2000. College graduates increased from 4.3 percent in

2000 to 10.1 percent in 2010. Moreover, according to New York University (2009),

college students now report being more stressed-out than ever before and many of the

emotional and physical symptoms that occur commonly in the college population, such

as headaches, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and the inability to cope, can be attributed to

or exacerbated by stress.

Occupation. It can be gleaned from Table 1 that big majority are students ( x=¿

70.05%). College students commonly experience stress because of increased

responsibilities, a lack of good time management, changes in eating and sleeping habits,

and not taking enough breaks for self-care. (The Learning Center, 2008)

Place of residence. It is evident that majority ( x=¿ 60.41%) are living in rural

area, while there are 78 respondents (39.59%) living in urban area. Philippine Statistics

Authority (2013) reported that 92.3 million populations in the Philippines in 2010, 41.9

million lived in areas classified as urban while the rural population or those who loved in

areas classified as rural numbered 50.5 million. Furthermore, remote rural dwellers may

experience stress differently because of their stoical outlook and cultural norms. This

can hide unemployment and homelessness and make service delivery difficult on a

number of levels (very limited help seeking; suspicion of formal services; problem with

stigma of mental illness; problem of confidentiality). In tight-knit or small communities

interventions need to be particularly sensitive to the context in which they are operating.
 49

Table 2. Level of knowledge of the respondents on positive stress coping

mechanisms.

Coping Mechanisms Mean Descriptive

Interpretation
1. Joining team sports 3.01 HK
2. Practicing meditation 3.06 HK
3. Doing regular exercise 3.31 VHK
4. Doing yoga 2.55 HK
5. Swimming or unwind in beaches 3.35 VHK
6. Getting a massage 2.97 HK
7. Sleeping and taking enough rest 3.57 VHK
8. Walking/running in the neighborhood 3.29 VHK
9. Attends to dancing classes 2.31 SK
10. Making myself busy with everyday activities 3.33 VHK
11. Singing and listening to music 3.68 VHK
12. Watching movies and entertaining comedies 3.69 VHK
13. Sharing one’s problem with parents, friends, 3.24 HK
and teachers
14. Contacting professionals like psychologists or 2.49 SK
counselors
15. Connecting with loved ones through video 3.52 VHK
calls, phone calls, texts or social media
16. Putting into action some potential solutions 3.25 HK
for effectively managing it
17. Praying, reading religious scripts, listening 3.47 VHK
spiritual songs
18. Making a list of your personal strengths and 3.14 HK
use these to help both yourself and others
stay emotionally strong.
19. Avoiding caffeinated and alcoholic drinks 3.08 HK
close to bedtime
Overall Mean 3.17 HK

Legend:

Range of Means Descriptive Interpretation

3.26 - 4.00 Very Highly Knowledgeable (VHK)
2.51 - 3.25 Highly Knowledgeable (HK)
1.76 - 2.50 Slightly Knowledgeable (SK)
1.00 – 1.75 Not Knowledgeable (NK)
 50

Table 2 shows that the respondents are highly knowledgeable ( x=¿ 3.17)

regarding positive stress coping mechanisms.

As shown in the table above, the respondents are very highly knowledgeable (

x=¿3.69) that watching movies and entertaining comedies is a positive coping

mechanism. This has the highest mean. This correlates to the discussion of Philippine

Red Cross regarding the regularly practice self-soothing techniques, whereas they

elaborated watching a movie, as one of the ways to self-soothe that will help one cope

with stress and prevent from becoming more stressed.

Moreover, movie therapy (MT) increased general self-esteem in teenagers

suffering from serious emotional disturbances (Powell, Newgent & Lee, 2006). In Poor

Reza's study (2006), depression was significantly lowered in chronic schizophrenic

patients. Sharp, Sharp (2002) attest that movie therapy is more than just watching a

movie. They state that movie therapy involves therapeutic discussion of the selected

movie signifying the client/character similarities via strategic questioning and

metaphorical language. This helps to lower client resistance in the process group.

Hesley and Hesley (2001) assign watching the therapeutic movie as homework to save

time and for cost effectiveness. This procedure will reinforce the key points leading to

mastery of the desired behaviors in the natural settings and ultimately connect the

knowledge gained in therapy to real life experience. Mongin (1999) asserts that the

movies more likely influence the patients emotionally rather than having an impact on

the intellectual level; movies help reduce defense mechanisms like repression. Movies

can be used as a medium for self-exploration. Through movie therapy, client may

identify with his chosen heroes in the film and ensuing analysis of character behaviors,

needs, and drives. Movies not only can diagnostically raise the level of a client’s insight,
 51

but also may help to resolve the client's difficulties. The goal is to help the client face his

issues in an objective manner by viewing a story similar to that of his own and then by

applying that learning to his own situation (Rizza, 1997). Moreover, movie therapy

encourages client to talk about his issues with a sense of hope. The characters in movie

model a set of behaviors that can help client solve his problems. Equipped with various

lenses, movies can be effective in modifying observer's cognition, attitude, and behavior.

By stimulating emotions and changing levels of Neoendorphins and stress hormones,

movies also bind biological effects. According to Gary Solomon Ph.D., MPH, MSW

(2000), the author of two books on cinema therapy, watching movies encourages

emotional release. Even those who often have trouble expressing their emotions might

find themselves laughing or crying during a film. This release of emotions can have a

cathartic effect and also make it easier for a person to become more comfortable in

expressing their emotions. This can be invaluable during counseling as well as in “real

life.” Sad films can make us happier. While it might seem counter-intuitive, I think many

of us can relate to this. I know that after I watch a particularly sad or distressing film, I

feel thankful for my own life and my “smaller” problems in comparison. Others’ tragedies

make us more appreciative of everything good in our own lives. Watching movies can

help us make sense of our own lives. For thousands of years, knowledge and wisdom

have been passed down through the art of story-telling. Stories offer us different

perspectives and help us understand and make sense of the world. And movies are

stories. Movies give us a break from whatever is currently bothering us. We are

transported to a different time and place and can just focus on the present moment for a

short time. This gives our brains a much-needed rest from “the usual.” Movies bring us a

sense of relief, even if they stress us out first. Watching something suspenseful releases
 52

cortisol (the stress hormone) in the brain, followed by dopamine, which produces

feelings of pleasure.

Furthermore, findings shown that the respondents are slightly knowledgeable (

x=¿2.31) that attending dancing classes is a positive stress coping mechanism. This

has the lowest mean. Dancing can improve your health in a lot of ways but there are

both have positive and negative effects of being a dancer. Dance can help improve your

health, body, and mind. Some of these ways include fighting against diseases,

improving posture and weight, and reducing stress. But there are also some negative

effects of dance including a higher risk of injuries and the lasting effects those injuries

can have on a person’s life. According to Hanna, J. L. (2017) stated in her book- The

Oxford Handbook of Dance and Wellbeing that dancing is an art, exercise,

and language that uses the mind-body connection.  Language is a way of explaining

difficult ideas and topics with or without sound.  Dancing uses both verbal and

nonverbal meanings, vocabulary, and rules to express a bigger picture that connects

emotions and physical feelings that sometimes verbal words are not able to fully

convey.  This allows people a more flexible and sometimes safer option to cope with

problems. Dancing combats stress and can be used as a coping skill because it releases

dopamine and oxytocin, while also rebuilding the brain.  Dancing absorbs detrimental

stress hormones and releases dopamine, the pleasure hormone, instead.  When this

hormone is released, people experience motivation and rewards which results in

learning, improved mood, and increased memory. Partner dancing is an especially

power way to release oxytocin (the bonding hormone), which makes us feel good. 

Dancing helps develop the brain and increases growth of cells that prolonged that stress

would naturally break down.  This results in improved mental health, reduced muscle

tension (due to that mind-body connection), and simply improves mood. Dancing, and
 53

especially partner dancing, can therapeutic as a response to a stressful event as a way

to release tension, “explain” peoples’ emotions through movement, or simply as a

distraction. Dancing can even provide coping benefits before a stressful event occurs as

it keeps the body and mind fully charged and prepared for anything.   On the other hand,

according to BP Dance Studio, Dance Classes’ cost varies from which package will be

availed. Per month, their Walk-in costs PHP 350, second is the 5-Class Package which

costs PHP1500, third is the 10-Class Package which costs PHP2800, and lastly the 20-

Class Package which costs PHP5200.

Table 3 shows the different common stress coping mechanisms that

respondents practice whenever they are stressed.

As shown in the table below, the respondents always ( x =3.60) watch movies and

entertaining comedies whenever they are stressed, making it as a common coping

mechanism used by the respondents. This correlates to the discussion of Philippine Red

Cross regarding the regularly practice self-soothing techniques, whereas they elaborated

watching a movie, as one of the ways to self-soothe that will help one cope with stress

and prevent becoming more stressed. A study by Sideridis (2008) reveals five most

frequently used coping strategies by students; browsing the internet, sleeping and

resting, watching TV shows or movies, and instant messaging. According to Gary

Solomon Ph.D., MPH, MSW (2000), the author of two books on cinema therapy,

watching movies encourages emotional release. Even those who often have trouble

expressing their emotions might find themselves laughing or crying during a film. This

release of emotions can have a cathartic effect and also make it easier for a person to

become more comfortable in expressing their emotions. Movies give us a break from

whatever is currently bothering us.

 54

Table 3. Common stress coping mechanism practiced by the respondents.

Coping Mechanisms Mean Descriptive

Interpretation
1. Make myself busy with everyday activities. 3.28 A
2. Concentrate my efforts on thinking of a solution/action 3.40 A
plan about the situation I’m in.
3. Drink alcohol and caffeine to make myself feel better. 1.99 R
4. Get emotional support from others/getting help and 3.05 O
advice from other people.
5. Exercise or getting outdoors to enjoy nature 3.22 O
6. Go outside the house and eat variety of foods. 3.21 O
7. Attend to dancing classes 1.57 N
8. Painting, writing, gardening or other creative activities. 2.67 O
9. Sing and listen to music 3.53 A
10. Watch movies and entertaining comedies 3.60 A
11. Make jokes about it. 2.91 O
12. Do something to think about it less, such as going to 3.48 A
movies, watching TV, reading, daydreaming, sleeping, or
shopping.
13. Find comfort in my religion or spiritual beliefs. 3.20 O
14. Blame myself for things that happened. 2.49 R
15. Practice relaxation exercises such as yoga, prayer 2.80 O
and meditation.
16. Get enough good quality sleep. 3.36 A
17. Take vacations away from home 2.69 O
Overall Mean 2.97 O

Legend:

Range of Means Descriptive Interpretation

3.26 – 4.00 Always (A)
2.51 – 3.25 Often (O)
1.76 – 2.50 Rarely (R)
1.00 – 1.75 Never (N)
 55

We are transported to a different time and place and can just focus on the

present moment for a short time. This gives our brains a much-needed rest from “the

usual.” Movies bring us a sense of relief, even if they stress us out first. Watching

something suspenseful releases cortisol (the stress hormone) in the brain, followed by

dopamine, which produces feelings of pleasure.

On the other hand, as shown in the table, the respondents never ( x =1.57)

attends dancing classes when they are stressed. This implies that respondents do not

use this coping mechanism. It was supported by the literature stating that attending

dancing classes is costly. According to BP Dance Studio, Dance Classes’ cost varies

from which package will be availed. Per month, their Walk-in costs PHP 350, second is

the 5-Class Package which costs PHP1500, third is the 10-Class Package which costs

PHP2800, and lastly the 20-Class Package which costs PHP5200. Moreover, Dancers

are high-performance athletes who are highly vulnerable to sustaining an injury

(Ramkumar et al., 2016), which can have severe consequences, such as required

medical treatment, experienced discomfort, decreased health-related quality of life,

restricted artistic development due to absence from dance activities, and a significant

delay in studying (Kenny et al., 2016; Yau et al., 2017; White et al., 2018). Previous

literature showed prevalence and incidence rates of injuries among pre-professional

ballet, modern and contemporary dancers ranging from 37 to 86% and from 0.77 to 4.71

injuries per 1,000 h of dance (Kenny et al., 2016; Lee et al., 2017; van Winden et al.,

2019).
 56

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presented the summary of the findings, conclusions, and

recommendations drawn from the study. This chapter aims to cover-up the result of the

study.

Summary of Findings

The study was conducted for the purpose of determining the level of knowledge

regarding positive coping mechanisms of the residents of Barangay 9 San Lorenzo

Sarrat, Barangay 23 San Matias Laoag City and Barangay Baligat City of Batac, which

has the highest COVID19 cases in Ilocos Norte. It utilized the descriptive research

design and simple random sampling technique was applied to establish the 197

respondents of the study. The research questionnaire served as the instrument for

collecting data through the Google form platform. The data that was gathered was

tabulated and analyzed. The categories have been ranked and counted through

descriptive statistics like frequency count and rank distribution. The study was conducted

during the second semester of the academic year 2020-2021.

On the demographic characteristics of the respondents, particularly on age,

majority of 157 ( x=¿ 79.7%) were 21-26 years old. Whereas for the sex, majority of 131

( x=¿ 66.5%) were females. For the civil status, majority of 172 ( x=¿ 87.31%) were

single. For the educational attainment, majority of 113 ( x=¿ 57.36%) were college

undergraduate. For the occupation, majority of 138 ( x=¿ 70.05%) were unemployed.

For the place of residence, majority of 119 ( x=¿ 60.41%) were from rural.
 57

In relation to the Level of Knowledge of the Respondents on Positive Stress

Coping Mechanisms, an overall mean of 3.17 and interpreted as highly

knowledgeable. More specifically, watching movies and entertaining comedies had

the highest mean of 3.69, and interpreted as very highly knowledgeable.

In relation to the Common Stress Coping Mechanisms practiced by the

respondents had an overall mean of 2.97 and interpreted as always. More specifically,

watching movies and entertaining comedies had the highest mean of 3.60 and

interpreted as always.

Conclusions

Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:

1. Most of the respondents belonged to ages 21-26 years old, females, single,

college undergraduate, has no occupation and the residents are living in a rural

area.

2. Majority of the respondents are very highly knowledgeable that doing regular

exercise, swimming or unwind in beaches, sleeping and taking enough rest,

walking/running in the neighborhood, making themselves busy with everyday

activities, singing and listening to music, watching movies and entertaining

comedies, connecting with loved ones through video calls, phone calls, texts or

social media and lastly praying, reading religious scripts, listening spiritual songs.

3. Majority of the respondents practiced common stress coping mechanism by

making themselves busy with everyday activities, concentrate their efforts on

thinking of a solution/action plan about the situation they’re in, sing and listen to

music, watch movies and entertaining comedies, do something to think about it

 58

less, such as going to movies, watching TV, reading, daydreaming, sleeping, or

shopping and get enough good quality sleep.

Recommendations

Based on the findings and results of the study, the following recommendations

were made:

1. Nursing Learners should be encouraged to discover and employ positive stress

coping mechanisms to cope up with stress and impart the knowledge to the

community people to further raise awareness.

2. University Administrator should be encouraged to critically examine the

effectiveness of the study in raising awareness about positive stress coping

mechanisms and help support the learners in conducting similar studies by

providing funds that could encourage learners in conducting similar studies.

3. Health Practitioners such as nurses, physicians and other members of the

health care team should be encouraged to design programs that could further

raise awareness to the public about positive stress coping mechanisms and

advocate to enlighten people and increase their knowledge for possible ways to

reduce stress during the covid-19 pandemic.

4. Locale Government Unit should be encouraged to enforce programs such as

free zumba classes to support need for further information dissemination to the

public about dance as a positive stress coping mechanisms and raise awareness

to them.

5. Future Researchers should be encouraged to utilized the study as a

springboard for future researches.

 59

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