“FACTORS AFFECTING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF A STUDENT

AMIDST COVID-19 PANDEMIC”

INTRODUCTION

Rationale of the Study

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been defined as an extreme

health, economic and social emergency and it was declared a global pandemic by the
World Health Organization on March 2020 (World Health Organization, 2020), resulting
in lockdown and life restrictions as worldwide in the attempt to prevent and slow the
spread of the virus. Beyond the unprecedented health emergency, the COVID-19
pandemic represents a new big challenge for mental health of a students. During the
COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of students have been severely impacted in terms
of development of mood disorders. On top of that, many students have suffered anxiety,
depression, sadness, sleep problems and perceived social isolation. Comparable
previous emergencies, such as this COVID-19 outbreak, were strongly demonstrated as
spreading stress and inducing psychological disease in terms of depression, anxiety,
panic attacks, and even psychotic symptoms, delirium and increased rates of suicidal.

With the global development of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, the
psychological issues which accompany this pandemic have rapidly compounded its
public health burden (Torales et al.,2020). Emerging research assessing the mental
health implications of COVID-19 has identified a heightened prevalence of moderate-to-
severe self-reported depressive and anxious symptomatology among the general public
(Wang et al., 2020), reflecting the widespread effects of uncertainty and health-related
fears. However, further research that investigates beyond the population level is
required to understand the individualized disruption of lives and routines as a result of
COVID-19, and its associated psychological impacts.

Students’ have been identified as a vulnerable group experiencing significant levels

of stress, anxiety and depression affecting their mental health. Before the pandemic,
one in five students worldwide experienced one or more diagnosable mental disorders.
The academic years are considered on essential element in building a foundation of
positive health behaviors that promote well-being into adulthood. During this period of
life, young adults face a variety of challenges and are exposed to significant risk
affecting their health status.

The pandemic has the potential to affect the students physically, academically,
financially and psychologically. In order to prevent widespread transmission of the
COVID-19 virus among staff and the young adult population, higher education
institutions across the country have rapidly switched from in person to online or modular
learning. In a short period of time, lives dramatically changed as they have been asked
to leave campus, adjust to new living circumstances, and adapt to online/modular
learning platforms. The switch to online or modular learning has increased stress
among students. Courses designed to include high levels of interaction and hands-on
experiences such as practicum, labs, and/or artistic performance have a clear
disadvantage in regards to the evaluation of students. Some students may have
difficulties with access to computers/mobile device and internet at home. Additional
challenges include concerns about their health, health of family members, and worry
about finances.

Students’ mental health has been rising concern with a significant number of
students experiencing psychological distress. Mental health issues can significantly
impair students’ academic success and social interactions affecting their future career
and personal opportunities. The rapid spread of COVID-19 and social distancing
measures imposed across the country are expected to further affect the mental health
of the population, including students. Several studies have examined the psychological
impact of the pandemic on the general public, healthcare workers, or other adults.
These surveys revealed greater concerns about social isolation, and increased stress,
anxiety, depression among respondents. Interestingly, a study of Chinese general
public also reported that exposure to accurate content of health information during the
epidemic was associated with lower stress levels. Conversely, the studies of previous
epidemics show that inaccurate information, particularly prevalent in online discussion
boards or social media, was associated with anxiety and fear. Accurate information,
knowledge and perceptions of risk can contribute to behavioral changes, such as social
distancing, which is currently one of the few ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The current evidence also shows that taking prescribed precautionary measures (i.e.
hand hygiene, mask wearing) to prevent the spread of COVID-19 may reduce negative
psychological impacts by providing a sense of security to those engaging in these
preventative actions.

The development of new guidelines to establish appropriate counselling, preventive

and curative psychological actions online or for specific groups such as healthcare
workers or older people have been identified as necessary measures in this situation.
Thus, the uses of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), particularly Internet]-based CBT,
could aid in the prevention of the spread of infection during the pandemic.
Unfortunately, none of these measures currently address the particularly vulnerable
student population. Studies have demonstrated the importance of assessing the health-
related quality of life of the student community, passing through an important phase of
life. The epidemic SARS, Ebola, H1N1 and now COVID-19 have had a significant
impact on the activity, behavior, morale and health of our fellow citizens. The first
studies conducted in China on the impact of the current epidemic reported a significant
amount of anxiety and depressive disorders as well as sleep disorders. Other studies
have suggested a risk of increased suicidal behaviors, psychotic symptoms,
psychosomatic symptoms, symptoms of post-traumatic stress and consumption of
psychoactive substances (alcoholic, tobacco, etc.)

The situation of the lockdown and its psychosocial and economic consequences
(serious somatic disorders and death) act on the mental health of a students. Moreover,
long periods of social isolation are well known to be associated with mental health
problems, post-traumatic stress symptoms, avoidance behaviors and family conflicts. In
our study, mental health status of post-secondary students was closer to that of
chronically ill young adults than the general population.

This research concludes that there is a very high fear of COVID-19 among
students, along with anxiety and depression symptoms. This study also concludes that
the fear of COVID-19 Scale has a moderate positive correlation with the anxiety and
depression scales, respectively.

Theoretical Background

Physical, social and mental settings all have a role in mental health issues. As a
result, Gordon, Holland and Lahelma (2000)’s ideas of physical, social and mental
space provide an appropriate theoretical background for analyzing the students’
expressed opinions on how they deal with the contradictions between emancipation and
regulation, and between agency and control, by defining themselves as specific types
of people who are always changing.

They theoretically separated space into highly interconnected physical, social and
mental aspects to understand agency, control and processes of becoming. Education
takes place not only in a physical, geographical location (such as a classroom or locker
room before physical activity), but also in a social space comprised of social space
comprised of social interactions (perhaps involving isolation) and mental space, i.e.
people’s understandings of themselves to those spaces.

It is noted that in the midst of pandemic, people may experience an ‘emotional

contagion’ (i.e., the spread of mood and affect through populations by the direct
induction of emotions) (Hatfield et.al., 1993). The fear and distress experienced by one
person may be unconsciously mirrored by others by others, thus leading to a spread of
these emotions throughout society. In our deeply interconnected and digitalized world,
these emotions may spread for more easily, as dire news from one corner of the world
can influence people in another distant country by a myriad of news outlets, social
media networks, videos and chat rooms (Gao et al., 2020). As a consequence of this,
we may expect first peak of EEC in the community. There may also be an increase in
the rates of relapse and recurrence of mental disorders in those already living with
mental illness (Torales et al., 2020).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health includes

subjectivity well-being, self-efficacy, autonomy, ability, intergenerational dependence,
intellectual or emotional potential. When there is a problem with mental health, there will
be a decline in subjective well-being and various negative emotions (such as fear,
nervousness, loneliness, and despair), and symptoms such as mental distress (such as
anxiety, depression, and stress) will appear (Hossain et al., 2020). Mental health issues
are considered as public health problems that are often affected by factors related to
occupation, employment opportunities, and economic stress (Ali et al., 2021). Many
scholars have examined the impact of economic poverty and unemployment on mental
health (Jin et al., 1997). Disaster mental health research also shows that people
generally suffer emotional or psychological distress following a disaster (Pfefferbaum
and North, 2020).

Review on Related Literature

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first identified in Wuhan in the East of
China in December 2019, has spread at an alarming rate and has become a major
challenging public health problem around the world. In response to this pandemic, the
World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international
concern on January 30, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant worldwide impact on the lives of
more than 1.6 billion students and its peak (UNESCO 2021) and their schooling. Similar
to many other countries, the United States also pursued a policy to lockdown schools,
starting in mid-March 2020, to mitigate the pandemic. The lockdown caused the schools
to rapidly adopt and pursue remote learning using video conferencing video methods
and printed modules for the modular learning. The teachers, students, and their families
have experienced several different challenges, including increased stress and anxiety
that has led to degradation of mental health. The issues have been further compounded
by stringent social distancing measures necessitated due to the lack of vaccines and
high mortality rates (over two million deaths worldwide).

China was the first country to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence,
several studies analyzing the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of students
have been reported. Hou et al., (2020) discuss the issue of mental health problems and
suicidality among senior high school students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, their study did not specifically focus on specific stressors, though they
surmise that educational pressure, pronged school closure, and social stigma of COVID
infection might be stressors. Nevertheless, they report that higher exercise frequency, a
control in our study, correlated with fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Another cross-sectional study of Chinese high school student by Zhang et al., (2020)
showed that resilience and positive coping were protective factors against depression,
anxiety and stress symptoms.

As the coronavirus pandemic rapidly sweeps across the world, it is inducing a

considerable degree of fear, worry and concern in the population at large and among
certain groups in particular, such as older adults, care providers and people with
underlying health conditions. In public mental health terms, the main psychological
impact to date is elevated rates of stress or anxiety. But as new measures and impacts
are introduced – especially quarantine and its effect on many people’s usual activities,
routines or livelihoods – levels of loneliness, depression, harmful alcohol and drug use,
and self-harm or suicidal behavior are also expected to rise.

The issue of degrading mental health due to pandemics has been reported in the
past (Hawryluck et al., 2004; McAlonan et al., 2007; Lau et al., 2010; Xiang et al.,
2014). The circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the
stress and anxiety in people (APA 2020; Tandon 2020; Wang et al., 2020) including
high school students. Liang et al. (2020) report a much higher fraction of youth with
psychological issues during the COVID-19 pandemic when compared to prior
pandemics. The American Psychological Association (APA), reports [American
Psychological Association (APA), 2020] that nearly 81% of Gen Z teens (ages 13-17)
experience more intense stress due to COVID-19, associated with schooling. However,
APA’s report does not delve into the specific details of the stressors arising from the
pandemic-related changes in schooling and their impacts have been reported in many
countries (Dolean and Lervag, 2021).
Previous works also showed that during an outbreak, individuals experience
negative emotional responses, such as anxiety and depression symptoms; hence,
stressful events and public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 outbreak are
potent adverse environmental factors that can have more psychological effects among
students that can be expressed as fear, worry, altered quality of sleep and finally altered
quality of sleep and finally altered quality of life.

Another problem during the lockdown concerned the potentially excessive use of
the internet. Indeed, in times of social isolation, the internet is an obvious solution to
maintain a social link with others. However, students are particularly fond of the internet
and may tend to overuse it. Studies clearly shows that excessive internet use has a
negative impact on students’ mental health.

THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental
health of a students.
The researchers constructed this study to examined the effects of COVID-19
pandemic in terms of mental health of the selected students of Policronio S. Dano Sr.
High School. Specifically, this study aimed to answer the following questions:
 1. How does the COVID-19 pandemic affect the students in terms of the following:

1.1 Mental Health;

1.2 Academic Performance; and

1.3 Everyday Life

2. What are the factors that are affecting the mental health of a student amidst

COVID-19 pandemic?

3. Why did the students prone to mental health problems at this pandemic?

4. What can we do to cope with the effects of COVID-19 pandemic to the mental

health of a student?

Significance of the Study

This study is conducted to have a piece of more profound knowledge about how
the COVID-19 pandemic affects the mental health of a students. The researchers want
to identify the factors that are affecting the mental health of a students. This research
paper will be beneficial to the following:

Students. This can be beneficial to all students who experience mental health problems
brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. This will let them take some innovative steps to
cope with the effects found in the paper.
Parents. This study will be a great help for the parents to understand how their children
suffered and how the mental health of their children was affected by
pandemic. It will also a great help for them to get some information on how to cope with
the effect of this pandemic on the mental health of their children in case they will
experience it.

Teachers. The resultant of this study will enable the teachers to have better
understanding on how the mental health of a student are greatly affected by this
pandemic. The paper will be beneficial to them by simply offering social awareness to
everyone.

Future Researchers. The study results that will be found using this research will be
helpful and serve as a basis for the forthcoming research paper that they might be
planning to create.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study is a cross-sectional analysis emblematic of the global lockdown of

education institution a major interruption in student learning: disruptions in internal
assessment and the cancellation of public assessment for qualitative or their
replacement by an inferior alternative. This pandemic has created the largest
disruptions of education system in human history.
The study is based at the Policronio S. Dano Sr. High School, a large research
conducted by the researchers who examine the effects of COVID-19 pandemic in terms
of mental health in their students.

Research Environment

The study site is located at Policronio S. Dano Sr. High School, Nueva Fuerza,
Carmen, Bohol which is in 5.5 kilometers away from the town proper and situated at
Sitio Upper Tagbaongao which is 1 kilometer away from the Baranggay Hall. It has a
population of 587 students comprising the Junior and Senior High School. There are 12
sections in Junior High School and 4 sections in Sr. High School. The researchers have
these school as the site of the study because it is one of the schools that is conducting
a modular class amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

Research Participants

The Research Participant in this study will be a selected student from the
Policronio S. Dano Sr. High School since students are very prone to mental health
problems because of this pandemic.

The overall number of participants in this study is estimated to be between 15 and

20. This study collect data through virtually sending questioners regarding the impact of
COVID-19 pandemic to the mental health of a students.
Research Instrument

In this study, the researchers will conduct an online survey as the primary
instrument for the purpose of collecting information to determine the impact of COVID-
19 pandemics to the mental health of a student. All students received detailed
information regarding the purpose of the study and provided online informed consent to
participate in the study. The survey was anonymous to ensure the confidentiality and
reliability of the data. The questionnaire will be divided into four parts. The first part will
ask for the participant’s information including their name, age, gender and grade level.
The second part involves the questions about how the mental health of the respondents
are affected with the current pandemic. Third, it would involve the questions about what
are the factors that are affecting the mental health of a student brought by the
pandemic. Lastly, it would involve questions about the steps they can do to cope with
the effects of COVID-19 pandemic to their mental health and follow-up questions to
conclude the whole questionnaire form. The questionnaire will be completed and
conducted through Google Forms, one of the features of Google.

RESEARCH FLOWS

Data Gathering

Before conducting the proper survey, the researchers will now write to the chosen
participants which is the selected students from Policronio S. Dano Sr. High School, to
request their time and take part in running the survey. When the participants grant the
request, they will provide each answer to the study. The researchers at this time would
slowly collect the data and create conclusions out of it. The survey was anonymous to
ensure the confidentiality and reliability of the data.
Definition of Terms

In this research, the researchers employed certain terms that might be unfamiliar
to the readers. The following are the terms together with their operational definition so
that readers will effectively understand the concepts in the study.

Mental Health Condition – It includes the emotional, psychological, and social well
being condition of the student during COVID-19 pandemic.

Student – In this research it refers to the participant or respondents who are affected by
the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of mental health.

Pandemic – it refers to an epidemic of an infectious disease called COVID-19

pandemic affecting a substantial number of individuals especially the students who are
severely affected in terms of their mental health.

Stress – it refers to the pressure or tension that many students experienced because of
the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact – it is an effect caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of a

students.

Factors – it refers to the circumstances brought by the COVID-19 pandemic that

affected the mental health of the students.
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 PRACTICAL RESEARCH I

“Factors Affecting the Mental Health of Students Amidst

COVID-19 Pandemic”
(Research Paper)

Submitted to:
Mrs. Myrna J. Gumapac

Submitted by:
Leader: Janine Gumapac
Assistant Leader: Aiza Jumawid
Members:
Ramjun Langi
Jay Mangmang
Joshua Matildo
Serwendel Matildo
Marvin Miculob
Christine Jeschelle Dapar
Jay Ann Dapar
Blessie Angela Doyungan
Rona May Elicano
Joanna Jaspe
Heidi Lamoste
Victor Diva