ST.

JOSEPH ACADEMY OF VALENZUELA

Senior High School Department

“Self-esteem as Correlates to Homophobic Bullying Among Highschool Student in St. Joseph Academy of

Valenzuela”

A Research Proposal

Presented to the

Faculty of St. Joseph Academy of Valenzuela

Senior Highschool Department

St. Joseph Academy of Valenzuela

by

Louis Emmanuel R. Adana

Ace Hermosa

2022

CHAPTER 1

The Problem and Its Background

Introduction

The culture of the Philippines is permeated, like many other societies, by heterosexism, an intellectual

framework that denigrates and stigmatizes any behavior that is not homosexual, as well as any identity,

relationship, or group. Because of the stigmatize behavior, it develops unto teens that might threaten the self-
 ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY OF VALENZUELA
Senior High School Department

esteem of the minority status. Most children that grew up in the Philippines develops internalize social norms or

early sexism that is heterosexual. This is typically referred to as it's common for internalized homophobia to

make the process of identity formation can be challenging and pose psychological difficulties faced by young

gay men and lesbians. Centuries ago, since the first study of self-esteem have been published, Rosenberg

(1965), one of the pioneers of this domain, stated that self-esteem refers to an individual overall self-evaluation,

he added that high self-esteem consists of an individual respecting himself and considering himself worth. In the

course of the development of the individual belonging to a different sexual orientation, homosexuality has been

formed within the process of recognizing their identity, the process which often termed as -coming out-. Sexual

orientation according to the American Psychological Association (APA) (2008), is the long-lasting emption,

romantic, or sexual attraction towards men, women, or both. Although sexual orientation varies through

continuity, it is widely discussed as the following terms: heterosexual (the sexual attraction to the opposite sex),

homosexual/gays/lesbians (attraction to the same sex) and bisexual (the attraction to the both sex). These

variations of sexual orientation have different paths and development of coming out. Regardless of their sexual

orientation, teenagers face a number of developmental obstacles that are both the same and unique from those

faced by heterosexual adolescents. However, being part of the sexual minorities as a young men and women

they have to cope through the prejudices as the society views them, and in peculiar cases this are brought into

them by their families, school and communities. Here in the Philippines being a Roman Catholic country plays a

significant role that embodied with the prejudices and discriminations the sexual minorities experience, it plays

the role of creating a conservative culture influencing heterosexism and widely contributes on marginalizing

gay, lesbians and bisexual youth. In a sense this event leads to the deflation of the sexual youth minorities self-

esteem.

Within the school settings the homophobia that develop unto young men and women have been form and

depicted what is so called homophobic bullying. The widespread act of homophobia represents an important

challenge to the self-esteem of not only young students that is part of gay men and lesbians but also all the
 ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY OF VALENZUELA
Senior High School Department

people having a different gender expression. From young teens that which haven’t fully integrated and

developed their identity might threaten their self-esteem making them vulnerable to functioning on their basic

activities such as education, socializing, etc. A few established empirical studies it’s prevalence or identify its

correlates.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a group of St. Joseph Academy of Valenzuela pupils who

identify as individuals belonging to a different sexual orientation. Particularly, it seeks answer to the following

sub-problems:

1. What is the profile of the respondent in terms of:

1.1 Grade Level;

1.2 Gender Identity;

1.3 Sexual Orientation;

2. What is the level of self-esteem among the respondents?

3. What is the level of gender-based bullying among the respondents?

4. Is there a significant relationship between self-esteem and homophobic bullying?

5. Based on the result of the study, what self-esteem program among sexual oriented minorities can be

proposed?

Research Hypothesis

Who: There is a significance relationship between self-esteem and homophobic bullying.

 ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY OF VALENZUELA
Senior High School Department

Significance of the Study

This study will be beneficial to the following:

Students. This study will be beneficial to the affected students. This will boost the self esteem of the

student.

Sexual Minorities. This study will be beneficial to the sexual minorities. This will help the sexual

minorities to understand the affects of homophobic bullying.

Parents. This research will benefit the parents of the students. Having a good self-esteem means that the

students will be more open to the parents.

Teachers. This study will be beneficial to the teachers in general. Through this research, teachers may

notice the struggles of the students belonging to sexual minorities, and give them the befitting support the

students need.

Future Researchers. This will serve as reference for the future researchers.

Scope and Limitation

This study was limited by the sexual minorities students that attended Senior and Junior High School in

St. Joseph Academy of Valenzuela that were stress by homophobic bullying.

The main focus of the research is the self-esteem of the sexual minorities’ students and homophobic

bullying. The researcher requested the grade level, gender identity, and sexual orientation of the respondent to

be accurately identified on the demographic profile. To obtain the correct correlational information, the analysis

also requested the level of self-esteem and gender-based bullying. The researcher identified the demographic

association with self-esteem and homophobic bullying through the respondent’s experiences.
ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY OF VALENZUELA
Senior High School Department