DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING

THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

In this chapter, the researchers discuss the nature of this study, its objective, the

purpose of the research problem, and questions to be addressed.

Background of the Study

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It

affects how we think, feel, and act, it also helps determine how we handle stress, related

to other, and make healthy choices. Students health must be considered specially in terms

of their mental health because it affects student’s energy level concentration,

dependability, mental ability and optimism, and hindering performance. Among Filipino

children aged 5 to 15, 10% to 15% are affected by mental health problems. According to

the World Health Organization (WHO), 16.8% Filipino students aged 13 to 17 have

attempted suicide at least once within a year before the 2015 Global School-based

Student Health Survey. A student that is mentally unstable is associated with impaired

academic achievement, worse occupational preparedness, and lower future occupational

performance.

We often think about the reasons why there are lot of students who’s mentally

unstable, what could be the circumstances that they were facing especially during face-to-

face classes? The key findings of the study indicated that students are being more

challenged by financial problems and time management practices. The main factors that

are contributed to the learning difficulties in face-to-face that affect their mental health
1
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

includes: absence and lack of learning resources such as internet, poor learning and

learning strategies. According to Leonor Briones (DepEd Secretary) reading in English is

the weakness of learners which affects their performance in Science and Math, as the

medium of instruction and testing in later grades is English. Academic, emotional and

social issues abound for children who are poor readers. Children who are behind their

peers in reading struggle with low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy.

During COVID 19 the survey, conducted through YouGov, it says that in

households with a high school or college student experiencing on educational disruption

from COVID-19, 71% of survey respondents reported increased stress resulting from this

disruption. This includes 81% of current adult students who said they are feeling

increased stress and 66% who said a student in their household is increasingly stressed.

Anyone might experience mental health problem. Mental health difficulties can

be provoked by many factors. Stress, life events, past experiences and genetics all play a

part in asserting our mental health. Each student’s life exposes to risk factors affecting

mental health comprising financial worries, periods of transition, substance use, parental

pressure, culture shock and disconnection from previous supports. People with past

problems are likely to struggle more.

In addition, resilience showed that mental health problem affects a lot of students

in particular to their academic performance. When mental health problem is not

recognized, students may be unable to reach their academic potential. Students

encountered challenges during face-to-face that may result to their unstable mental

health. They will be distracted in everything they are doing.

2
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to find out what are the Difficulties Encountered by the Grade 12

students in Quezon National High School during face-to face classes that affects their

mental health, particularly it seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the difficulties encountered by the Grade 12 students during the face-to-face

classes?

2. How do the difficulties encountered by the Grade 12 students during the face-to-face

classes affects their mental health?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the difficulties encountered by the Grade 12

students on their mental health?

Hypotheses Of the Study

The researchers devised the hypotheses regarding the difficulties encountered by

Grade 12 students in Quezon National High School during face to face classes affecting

their mental health:

Null Hypothesis

3
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

1. There is no significant relationship between the difficulties encountered by the Grade

12

Students on their mental health.

Alternative Hypothesis

1. There is a significant relationship between the difficulties encountered by the Grade 12

students on their mental health.

Significance of the Study

The study on Difficulties encountered by the Grade 12 students in Quezon

National High School during face-to-face classes affecting their mental health is

significant to the following:

QNHS and its employees: This study will give information to the school staff about the
problems and difficulties that affecting the mental health of the students. By this, the
school may come up with solution to lessen the problem. The teachers can adjust their
way of interacting with students and be gentle with them.

The researcher/s: The outcome of the study will help the researchers manage the actions
that they will conduct while gathering data from the respondent

Students: With the help of the study any information that the recipients can get in this
will be beneficial. The recipients having a mental health problem will be guided by the
research on how to handle their problems it will increase the awareness and knowledge
about mental health illness. And with more knowledge, there is less stigma. This means
that students who have or suspect that they have mental illness may feel more
comfortable reaching out

4
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Future Researchers: The result of this study will serve as a source of the future
researchers.

Scope and delimitation

Scope

This study considers the students personal information, limited to the factors contributing

to the psychological status such as academic stressors, coping mechanism and other

relevant information of Grade 12 Senior high school students. The study’s participant

includes the whole grade 12 senior high school students studying in Quezon national high

school. In order to assure manageability of the collected data the questionnaires only

included Checklist questions and no open-ended response were included. The researchers

have used the descriptive survey method which involved the use of questionnaires as the

main tool for data gathering.

Delimitation

This study is delimited to grade 11 under. Only grade 12 students from Quezon national
high school were included in the study. The study is also delimited to other high school
students from schools other than Quezon national high school and post-graduate students.

Definition of Terms

5
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Circumstances. A fact or condition with or relevant to an event or action.

Concentration. The ability to give something our undivided attention to the exclusion
distractions.
Dependability. The quality of being able to be trusted and being very likely to do what
people expect.
Emotion. A natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one’s circumstances, mode, or
relationships with others.
Impaired. Weakened or damage
Inadequacy. The state or quality of being inadequate and not enough
Optimism. Hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of
something.
Provoke. Stimulate or give to (a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome
one) in someone.
Psychological. Concerned with a person’s mind and thoughts.
Social issues. Topics or subjects that impact many people.
Stress. A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very
demanding circumstances.

6
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

In this chapter, the literature review is built to collect all the previews relevant
studies. It represents related literature and studies that address the different ideas,
generalizations, and conclusion that will contribute to better understanding the study.

Related Literature
A. Local Literature
The attributional reformulation of the learned helplessness model of depression
proposes that causal attributions about negative outcomes play a causal role in reactive
depression. This research tested this hypothesis by studying the causal role of attributions in
depression in 180 college students. On 2 occasions separated by 1 mo, Ss were
administered a battery of tests that included an attributional style questionnaire and the Beck
Depression Inventory. The attributional dimensions of internality, stability, and globality were
correlated with depression; when the possible causal role of attributions was tested through
the use of cross-lagged panel correlational analysis, the hypothesis that stability and
globality attributions for bad outcomes might be causes of depression was supported. There
was no support, however, for the hypothesis that internal attributions for bad outcomes are a
cause of depression. Evidence was also found that unstable attributions for good outcomes
may function as a cause of depression. (27 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all
rights reserved). -Golin, S., Sweeney, P. D., & Shaeffer, D. E. (1981).

https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.90.1.14

The Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression (CES-D) scale is a well-

validated and frequently used measure for assessing symptoms associated with

7
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

depression. This scale was developed primarily on the basis of American

populations, however, and previous research has suggested that the original factor
structure may not be appropriate for all populations. One such population is the
Filipino population. This study represents the first study we are aware of to
examine the factor structure of the CES-D scale in a sample of Filipino seafarers.
Seafaring is considered a high stress and high-risk occupation. Based on data
collected from 135 Filipino seafarers, we conducted factor analyses to identify the
appropriate factor structure for the CES-D in this population. We found that a
three-factor structure better described the responses of Filipinos in our sample
than the standard four-factor structure. The Filipino factor structure appears to
collapse depressive affect and somatic factors found in previous research, while
including a specific factor of social-focused symptoms of depression. This structure
maintains the positive affect factor found in previous work. Implications of this for
clinical psychology assessment and practice in the Philippines are discussed. -
Karina Therese G. Fernandez

Over the years, the number of international university students has been
increasing in the Philippines. Depression tends to be common among this demographic
sector, because of the varying challenges and expectations associated with studying
abroad. Depression can be prevented if its symptoms, particularly those at higher levels,
are identified and addressed early and effectively. This survey examined the social and
demographic factors that are significantly associated with higher levels of depressive
symptoms. One hundred twenty-six international university students were interviewed
using the University Students Depression Inventory. Of the 13 factors analyzed, 3 were
found with statistically significant associations with more intense levels of depressive
symptoms.
These factors were: level of satisfaction with one’s financial condition, level of
closeness with parents, and level of closeness with peers. In identifying international
students with greater risk for depression, characteristics related to their financial
condition and primary group relationships can be considered. There is a need to carry
out more studies to confirm this initial evidence. The findings can help guide further
discourse, research and program to benefit international students with higher levels of
depressive symptoms. - Romeo B Lee, Madelene Sta Maria, Susana Estanislao, Cristina
Rodriguez (Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 44 (6), 1098-107, 2013)

There is an increasing local and international pressure to integrate mental health into
educational institutions due to a surge in discrimination and lack of mental healthcare services,
especially among developing nations including the Philippines. However, there remained to be
sparse information regarding mental health in these settings. This study determined the

8
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

relationship and the extent of adverse academic experiences, anxiety, and depression among
Filipino College students. Methodology This is a randomized cross-sectional study that employed
descriptive statistics and logistic regression. A total of 232 adult college students participated in
this study. Findings College students at risk for depressive and anxiety disorders were 35% and
47.2%, respectively. Experiencing difficulties coping with studies was associated with significant
depressive symptoms (OR=4.824, p .001) and anxiety problems (OR=2.148, p .040) with an
index of determination of 8.5% to 18.6%. Discussion The rates of depression and anxiety among
college students have increased over the years. They are also two to three times at risk for
depression and anxiety problems compared to the general population. Students experiencing
difficulties coping with their studies have up to five times higher risk for depression and anxiety.
Instituting mental health promotion in school settings can decrease these rates by up to 18.6%.
Thus, mental health promotion should be integrated into the educational system -Rowalt
Alibudbud

Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression have been steadily rising among
university students in the Philippines. While there exists literature determining students’ quality
of life and health access behavior, there remains a substantial gap in having a local framework
with which to understand their vulnerabilities. In this paper, we aim to identify the socio-cultural
factors that exacerbate the challenges that Filipino university students navigate in their
attainment of well-being. The lived experience of 60 university students revealed that
factors including volatile household dynamics, intergenerational [mis]understanding of
mental illness, stressful academic engagement and religious associations contributed to
the individual framing of their conditions, which ranged from self-stigma to self-
prescribed isolation. Various experiences linked to the Filipino value
of pagdamay (sharing the burden) significantly aided students’ management of their
conditions. - Health Education Journal, 00178969221141547, 2022

9
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

B. Foreign Literature

Mental health, although not a concern, has become increasingly acceptable to

discuss in recent years. A growing body of research about college students’ mental health
concerns underlines the need of educators to consider how mental health might affect
students and what and what courses of action are available. This is imperative given how
mental illness may hinder student success (Breslau, Lane, Sampson, & Kessler, 2008;
Cranford, Eisenberg, & Serras, 2009; Elion, Wang, Slaney, & French, 2012; Keyes,
Eisenberg, Perry, Dube, Kroenke, & Dhingra, 2012; Thompson, Connely, Thomas-Jones,
& Eggert, 2013). Even though mental health supports exist on many campuses, research
shows that these are often insufficient to meet the demands of the student population
(Reetz, Barr, & Krylowics, 2013; Novotney, 2014). – Ren VanderLind

According to Ren VanderLind from Texas State University no research exist on

the connection between students in developmental education and mental health; this is
problematic given the rising numbers of college students reporting mental health
concerns, something that may hinder the success of students placed into developmental
education. Nonetheless, there exist links between learning and mental health that should
be explored in detail to better understand how instruction can benefit students with
mental illness.

The issue of degrading mental health due to pandemics has been reported in the
past (Hawryluk et al., 2004; McAloney et al., 2010; Xiang et al., 2014). The
circumstances surrounding the COVID- 19 pandemic have increase 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 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. The issues related to schooling and their impacts have been reported in
many countries (Dolean and Lervag,2021).

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.
Their study involved 859 high school students (61.4% and 79.4% below 16 years of age).
Their results showed that depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicidal ideation, and suicidal
attempts were 71, 54.5, 85.5, 31.3, and 7.5% respectively. However, their study did not

10
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

specifically focus on specific stressors, though they surmise that educational pressure,
pronged school closure, and social stigma COVID infection might be stressors.
Nevertheless, they report that higher exercise frequency, a control in our study, correlated
with fewer symptoms. Another cross-sectional study (Liang et al., 2020) of 584 youth
(age 14-35) in China showed that 40.45% were prone to psychological problems and
14.4% had PTSD symptoms. In the context of COVID-19, their study suggested that
mental health was related to educational level, employment, and using negative coping
styles.

Asano et al. (2021) discuss results from a cross-sectional survey of over 1,500
high school students (age 14-18) in Ecuador. Their survey has been conducted via phone
interviews with the participants, focusing on topics related to access to remote learning
technologies and their impacts. They used the MHI-5 index proposed by Viet and Ware
(1983) that uses a five-point Likert-like scale to assess their mental health along with a
cutoff score of 17 (max score of 25), with higher scores indicating better mental health.
Their survey found 16% of participants had scores that indicate major depression.
Similarly, a longitudinal study involving 442 last year high school in Greece by
Giannopoulos et al. (2021) showed an 15.3% increase in depression, 17% increase in
severe depression, 25.7% increase in anxiety, and 16.7% increase in severe anxiety after
just one month of lockdowns. They use Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7),
which is a 7-item questionnaire with each item using a 4-point Likert-type scale to assess
anxiety. They used a modified version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, that also
uses a 4-point Likert-like scale, to assess depression.

Similar to the works of Asano et al. (2021) and Giannopoulos et al. (2021), our
study also used a 5-point Likert-like scale to assess the mental health of high school
students. Although our survey is not longitudinal, it includes self-reported mental health
scores before and during the pandemic, giving it some longitudinal characteristics. Since
the survey was conducted during the pandemic, the self-reported mental health scores
prior to the pandemic are subject to recall bias, similar to the analysis reported by
Giannopoulos et al. (2021). Moreover, similar to Giannopoulos et al. (2021) we have also
used Cronbach’s alpha to establish good internal consistency of the survey results, which
mitigates some of recall bias and increases confidence in our results and analysis.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Various studies have identified the challenges to synchronous videoconferencing

and asynchronous modular learning. Volkswagen, et al. (2021) disclosed that
synchronous learning at home eroded support for their student role while also creating
conflicts between the student role and other competing roles, such as child, sibling, or
supplemental wage earner resulting to the of lacked motivation to complete schoolwork.

11
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Students with a poor conductive learning environment affect their concentration on the
synchronous meeting (Pinar, 2021). Another study reported on the lack of engagement
resulted from course management systems that lack the functionality to support student
activities and reports from instructors. It is challenging to keep pace with current online
technology and content (Revere et al., 20110. Engagement and participations of the
students in an online learning environment is limit by the disturbance which leads to
boredom and isolation (Martin et al., 2018)

Furthermore, some students reported difficulty in managing tasks such as note

taking and listening at the same time in synchronous videoconferencing while
participating in the interactive activities, and solving the problems. This is consistent with
the cognitive load theory (He et al., 2007). This results to congestion of learning lessons
and lack of reflection time among students (Park et al., 2007). In addition, instruction
becomes ineffective when learners are unnecessarily required to mentally integrate
disparate sources of mutually referring information such as separate text and diagrams.
Such split source information may generate a heavy cognitive load because material must
be mentally integrated before learning can commence (Chandler, 1991). Along with
academic performance or financial pressures, poor multitasking behavior and self-
interruptions while studying contribute stress to students (Mark et al., 2014). Another
study reported on the discomfort of the use of technology in an online distance learning.
One study opined that remote students felt distanced and they were hesitant to interrupt
the instructor while teaching even if they wanted to ask questions (Anderson, et al.,
2003). Some students also complained that online lectures caused anxiety about using
cameras and were not focused while studying (Shimamura, et al., 2020). Fitzgibbon
(2003) added that it is natural that learners will have anxieties about a teaching medium
that they have never experienced before. However, one study revealed that remote
student’s participants appear to be more relaxed during synchronous meetings and felt
like the are in real classrooms (Candoli et al., 2012). Meanwhile, the use of self-directed
online modules has its disadvantages to the students as well. Self- regulation becomes a
challenge to modular learners (Cho & Shen. 2013). According to Faisal et al., (2014),
students in asynchronous set-up engaged in procrastination, especially during the
discussion where students spend a lot of time thinking. These leads them to go to what
they have missed, thus wasting their time (Faisal et al., 2014). This degrees to the study
conducted by adduce (2015), which reported the procrastination, prioritization and
planning were strong indices that affected the students’ academic performance.
According to Nadler (1998), students are having dilemma of asserting one’s individuality
vs. depending on others when seeking online-help. Other researchers agrees that ego
involvement increased executive help seeking in students who attribute failure to low
ability (Er et al., 2015). This resulted to help seeking avoidant students who were more
anxious, performed more poorly and relied less on rehearsal and more on organization
strategies (Karenic, 2003). Along with this, guan et al (2008) disclosed that the lack of
time and peer response were given as the main reasons for low participation in social

12
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

activity and learning discussions for students enrolled in online modules. Students
experienced most difficulties interpreting scientific representations in the learning
modules and that teachers’ reflections on difficulties students experienced as they
participated in the module (Varma et al., 2008).

13
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Furthermore, the implementation of self-directed instructional design may not

appeal to all learners but ultimately, it is the learner’s responsibility to claim control of
their own learning (Mentz et al., 2018). A study reported that there is a strong association
between self-management and test scores of the students which implies that higher self-
management scores learning style scores have a positive effect on student performance
(Bodkin & Steven, 2015). Also, Fleming et al. (1992) suggested that asynchronous mode
of curriculum delivery might not be beneficial to visual learners and auditory learners,
and would be expected to have learning difficulties. Furthermore, poor self-regulated and
self-directed learners are likely to pose difficulties on learning and workplace simulations
(Joss Berger et al., 2010). On the other hand, Francis et al., performance or preferences of
the students.
In terms of interaction, Jaya Chitra et al., (2020) reported that e-learning system
lacks interaction, and students get isolated with no personal contact with the instructors or
teachers as opposed to traditional teaching methods. The report added that the
instructional, design, usability, evaluation, and quality of learning materials have
significant positive influence students’ academic achievements (Gangapur, 2013). As a
result, Canyon et al. (2019) online module must contain at least material and enrichment
activities, formative test, assignment, regulations and quality assurance.

Along with these challenges, Wilda sky (2017) and Alvarez (2020) reported that
lack of gadgets such personal computers, and poor internet connections also limits that
success of asynchronous design. Didi et al. (2020) disclosed that poor internet
connections in the camps severely impacted both students’ and instructors experienced of
the course. Several factors such as the lack of conducive area, existence of distractions
and external disturbance affect students’ performance in an online learning environment
(Batticaloa et al., 2021; O’ Doherty et al., 2018). Also, students needed conduct
household tasks and home duties and they lack sufficient room for study (Bahian et al.,
2020). The said barriers compromised students focus and throws off the balance of
learning time among the students, this challenge is also evident to other countries (Khalil
et al., 2020).
Lastly, a study reported that there was a stronger sense of immediacy to respond
to peer’s questions in synchronous mode than in asynchronous mode (Chou, 2020). The
immediacy of response and interactivity affects student success in asynchronous design
(Wang et al., 2007). The report added that online learning may not always foster two-way
interaction and that students need time to the material, reflect on it, and received feedback
(Wang et al., 2007). Another study disclosed that students who show high levels of
engagement appear less likely to be at risk of failing, and how engaged a student is in
their online experienced can be characterized as factors contributing to their social
presence (Shelton et al., 2017). This is also stressed in the Community of Inquiry (COI)

14
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

which identifies the social presence and teaching presence otherwise actively facilitate
tasks so that students accomplish of educational outcomes (Anderson et al., 2017).

Related Studies

A. Local Studies
The findings of the study of Jayben P. Locion¹*, Johncarlo C. Sison², Sean Bazel
C. Suarez³, Meriel T. de Jesus, Jennesa C. Pelande , Maryknoll S. Uy6at Samar National School
imply that students have different types of struggles in the new learning system during
pandemic. These struggles affected their mental health and academic performance. Not all
these students find the new learning system effective. Attempting to learn new things inside
their bedroom is different than that of learning inside an actual classroom, and this had a big
impact to them. Not everyone finds the blended learning effective. Especially, they are in their
own house which apparently, could have barriers that they have been experiencing as a student,
barriers such as noise, doing chores, and lack of motivation.

Furthermore, the students’ perspective and adjustments in the new learning mode gave
them a hard time pacing because some are not used to an online learning set-up and they only
try their best to adapt to the new learning system as soon as possible. The Struggles the
students have been experiencing in the midst of the pandemic has really impacted the way they
act and behave. Stress, Anxiety and in worst case scenario, Depression are the problems that
affects these students. By these acts, it affected the way they perform in terms of academic.
Some students are mentally stable and some students are mentally stressed in an online
learning mode, students cannot cope their responsibilities because of these struggles that
caused them to have mental health issues and affected their academic performance. To avoid
these struggles, they make changes to what they used to do and adapt their self to the new
learning system. It’s all about managing their time for it really helps them to be responsible to
what they do. Time Management will help them to maintain and balance their well-being. They
have these coping strategies that helps them to surpass those struggles, and by that, it can
lessen their stress.

https://journal.formosapublisher.org/index.php/eajmr/article/download/684/532

By the Study of DOH, Mental illnesses affect 19% of the adult population, 46% of
teenagers and 13% of children each year. People struggling with their mental health may be in
your family, live next door, teach your children, work in the next cubicle or sit in the same
church pew. However, only half of those affected receive treatment, often because of the
stigma attached to mental health. Untreated, mental illness can contribute to higher medical

15
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

expenses, poorer performance at school and work, fewer employment opportunities and
increased risk of suicide (Holthaus, 2020).

Suicide incidents rose by 25.7% in 2020 compared to the previous year. Self-harm death
cases increased in the Philippines, as the economy struggled to reopen amid a failed pandemic
response. Latest figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that suicide
incidents rose 25.7% in 2020, making it the 27th leading cause of death in 2020 from 31st in 2019.
Intentional self-harm cases recorded in 2020 were 3,529 cases, which was higher than the 2,808
deaths recorded in 2019. From 2015 to 2020, the average number of deaths caused by suicide
was at 2,630 (Rivas, 2021).

International students' cross-cultural living though exciting, can be challenging as

they experience stress due to the continual changes and adaptation difficulties in host
countries. During the acculturation process, these students' stress subjects them to poor
mental health and well-being. Initial evidence suggests a link between social support,
psychological adjustment, and acculturative stress experienced by students. The study
revealed that international students experience very high acculturative stress.
International students also reported low social support and a very high psychological
adjustment. The study revealed a moderately negative significant relationship between
psychological adjustment and acculturative stress. The study also revealed that there is
a highly negative significant relationship between social support and acculturative
stress.- the authors: Blesslove Nimako Pinamang, Ohene Bobie-Nimako, Williams Kwasi
Peprah, Simon Akwasi Osei, Fiskvik Boahemaa Antwi, Nana Owusu Nimako, Elvis
Agyenim-Boateng

In a larger research study that investigated the conceptualizations, experiences, and

coping behaviors of 294 male and female college students exposed to parental verbal abuse,
this paper identifies and measures seven culture-specific coping behaviors in the Philippine
setting, as experienced by 143 highly abused students identified in the study. Results indicated
that both males and females coped essentially through silence. Neither used humor to relieve
anxiety nor an intermediary to facilitate communication with the abusive parent. Multivariate
analysis of variance suggested that while both experienced anger, females were more inclined
than males to accept and tolerate verbal abuse, suppress feelings, and attempt to please the
abusive parent. Female victims were disadvantaged due to: differentiated child-rearing
expectations and practices; birth order; and the female victim’s attitudes, affective reactions,
and failure at meaningful communication with the abusive parent. -Esther J Esteban

16
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

the study was conceived within the context of increasing incidence of mental health
challenges observed among college adolescents in the Philippines. Being an important social
institution, the school must be able to create a social environment in order to foster better
mental wellbeing and quality of life among its students. This research sought to examine the
relationship among student involvement, mental health and quality of life among college
students in a Philippine university. This study utilized a quantitative cross-sectional, descriptive,
correlational design. Survey was administered to 249 students in a private university. Results
suggest that involvement in school organizations was correlated to depression levels, general
positive affect and life satisfaction. Social interactions with entities in school was also related
with quality of life. All subscales of mental health were associated with quality of life among the
student respondents

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673843.2019.1670683

B. Foreign Studies
This study showed that living conditions during lockdown had a clear impact on the
mental health of French post-secondary students. There is a need to improve prevention and to
access distance education as well as an urgent need for measures to develop healthy coping
strategies for students. This is significant challenge and will assist in moderating the risk for the
development of further distress and mental health concerns.

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

stress, anxiety and depression affecting their mental health [6, 7]. Before the pandemic, one in
five college students worldwide experienced one or more diagnosable mental disorders [8, 9].
The academic years are considered an essential element in building a foundation of positive
health behaviors that promote well-being into adulthood [10]. During this period of life, young
adults face a variety of challenges and are exposed to significant risks affecting their health
status [11]. A change in place of residence, increased responsibility, peer pressure, learning and

17
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

work scheduling are all sources of psychological difficulties such as stress, depression and
anxiety [12]. With years of budget cuts and the inability to meet basic student needs, these
same students are even more vulnerable in such a crisis, and current evidence shows that
students from lower sociodemographic backgrounds are more affected [13, 14].

https://hqlo.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12955-021-01903-9

In the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, schools have confronted unprecedented
challenges as they moved to quickly shift classes to an online format, provide equitable access
for all students, support teachers’ and students’ educational needs, and make plans amidst
great uncertainty. The pandemic itself has caused much worry, stress, and grief. These stressors
can cause mental health challenges for anyone and can cause acute symptoms to appear for
people who may experience preexisting mental health challenges.

Some of the typical indicators teachers may use to identify students experiencing
mental health difficulties may not be available. Some teachers may not be meeting with
students in person. Some teachers may not have the same student drop-ins. Some teachers may
not be able to read students’ masked faces. As such, teachers may wonder how students are
doing or the degree to which they are struggling, particularly with respect to emotional
problems.

Here we address how teachers can use existing processes in schools to identify students
who may need extra support—especially regarding anxiety and depression, which can often go
undetected even under the best of circumstances.

https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/student-mental-health

This study investigates students’ social networks and mental health before and at the
time of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, using longitudinal data collected since 2018. We
analyze change on multiple dimensions of social networks (interaction, friendship, social
support, co-studying) and mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness)
within two cohorts of Swiss undergraduate students experiencing the crisis (N = 212), and make

18
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

additional comparisons to an earlier cohort which did not experience the crisis (N = 54). In
within-person comparisons we find that interaction and co-studying networks had become
sparser, and more students were studying alone. Furthermore, students’ levels of stress,
anxiety, loneliness, and depressive symptoms got worse, compared to measures before the
crisis. Stressors shifted from fears of missing out on social life to worries about health, family,
friends, and their future. Exploratory analyses suggest that COVID-19 specific worries, isolation
in social networks, lack of interaction and emotional support, and physical isolation were
associated with negative mental health trajectories. Female students appeared to have worse
mental health trajectories when controlling for different levels of social integration and COVID-
19 related stressors. As universities and researchers discuss future strategies on how to combine
on-site teaching with online courses, our results indicate the importance of considering social
contacts in students’ mental health and offer starting points to identify and support students at
higher risk of social isolation and negative psychological effects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citation: Elmer T, Mepham K, Stadtfeld C (2020) Students under lockdown: Comparisons of

students’ social networks and mental health before and during the COVID-19 crisis in
Switzerland. PLoS ONE 15(7): e0236337. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0236337

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0236337

Among Filipino children aged 5 to 15, 10% to 15% are affected by mental health
problems.3 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 16.8% of Filipino students aged
13 to 17 have attempted suicide at least once within a year before the 2015 Global School-based
Student Health survey.4 This is just one of the many indicators showing the state of mental
health of these children. These statistics involving children’s mental health are concerning as
childhood is a crucial period where most mental health disorders begin. Efforts should be made
to identify these issues early for proper treatment in prevention of negative health and social
outcomes.4 Childhood mental and developmental disorders also frequently persist into
adulthood, making it more likely for them to have compromised growth with greater need for
medical and disability services and higher risk of getting involved with law enforcement
agencies.5 In this context, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to worsen these numbers,
affecting the delivery of the Philippines’ health care services, including those for children’s
mental health.

https://www.who.int/ncds/surveillance/gshs/PIH2015_fact_sheet.pdf

19
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY GRADE 12 STUDENTS IN QUEZON
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DURING FACE TO FACE CLASSES: AFFECTING
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH

Social distancing following school closures may increase mental health problems in
adolescents at a time when they are experiencing anxiety over the pandemic, which may be
worsened by concerns on future employment [20], the absence of interpersonal communication
[21] and lack of understanding of the virus transmission in addition to fearing the unknown. In
our study, students identified the feelings of stress, anxiety, loneliness and depression as the
mental health effects of the pandemic. Students may experience stress due to increased
pressure to perform independent learning and abandoning their usual routines, which can lead
to psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping and stress eating
[22]. As clinical placements had to be cancelled, this could exacerbate students’ loneliness, in
addition to setting apart from their usual social contacts in schools or colleges [23]. Such findings
seen in our study are not dissimilar to other studies.

https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-021-02968-2

20