PERCEIVED DEPRESSION PREVALENCE AND ASSESSMENT OF SENIOR HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS

A Research Presented to the

Faculty of the Senior High School Department

Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr. High School

Tawog, Caramoan, Camarines Sur

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

Senior High School

PR 2

(Quantitative Research in Practical Research 2)

Obias, Nicolette Flora N.

Batas, Fatima D.

Boncodin, Aliyah N.

Buenaflor, John Benedict G.

Gabino, Gabviona Jane A.

Raymundo, Mark Conrad

Sarmiento, Aldrin

Teoxon, Christian Jay

January 2024
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

Background of the Study

Depression casts a long shadow across the globe, affecting millions regardless of background.

It is not just a fleeting sadness, but a persistent dimness that steals the joy from once-cherished

activities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this insidious illness ranges in

severity, from mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number and severity of symptoms, and can

disrupt every corner of life, from school desks to office chairs.

A quarter, or 25%, of students experience symptoms of depression at any point in time,

highlighting the prevalence of this mental health issue within the student population (Beck & Young,

1978). Numerous studies have indicated a high prevalence of mental health problems among students,

including depression, compared to the rest of the population (Yusoff et al., 2013). More importantly,

recent studies in this area indicate that the psychological and mental problems of students continue to

increase (Field, Diego, Pelaez, Deeds & Delgado, 2012). In fact, research from the Centers for

Disease Control (CDC) indicates that over a third of high school students have poor mental health

recently. Worse, nearly half struggle with persistent sadness and hopelessness. Students navigate not

only academic pressures for success but also the need to adapt to diverse changes in their social,

emotional, behavioral, and even financial circumstances (Ginwright & James, 2002). Given these

intricate challenges, understanding and addressing concerns surrounding student mental health

becomes crucial.

In recent years, mental health concerns, particularly depression, have become increasingly

recognized in educational settings owing to the fact that university years can be a stage of conflicting

demands and overwhelming expectations for young people (Arslan et al., 2009). Thus, this research

aims to explore the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms among senior high students at
Bonifacio D. Borebor using the BDI-II scale. Dr. Aaron T. Beck, a psychiatrist and a pioneer in

cognitive therapy, introduced the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-I) in 1961. This tool, initially

comprising 21 items reflecting depression symptoms, aimed to gauge depression severity and serve as

a screening tool. Dr. Beck and colleagues affirmed its reliability and validity, leading to widespread

adoption in research and clinical settings. The revised version, BDI-II, has sustained its significance.

According to the article of “Manila Bulletin,” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian secured a ₱210

million boost for DepEd’s mental health initiatives in the 2024 budget, exceeding his initial proposal

of P160 million. This increase comes in response to a concerning rise in school suicides and attempted

suicides, with DepEd data revealing 1,686 deaths and 7,892 attempts between 2017 and 2023.

The alarming rise in student depression has become a concerning trend, leading to a significant

number of cases where individuals discontinue their education or cease attending classes altogether.

The emotional toll of depression can be crippling, impacting a student's ability to cope with academic

pressures and maintain a consistent attendance record. Tragically, in extreme cases, the distress can

escalate to the point where some students contemplate or, devastatingly, resort to suicide as a

seemingly insurmountable escape from their struggles. This research not only aligns with DepEd's

directives but also seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on student’s mental health, a

crucial step in developing effective strategies and interventions.

The alarming rise in student depression has become a concerning trend, leading to a significant

number of cases where individuals discontinue their education or cease attending classes altogether.

The emotional toll of depression can be crippling, impacting a student's ability to cope with academic

pressures and maintain a consistent attendance record. Tragically, in extreme cases, the distress can

escalate to the point where some students contemplate or, devastatingly, resort to suicide as a

seemingly insurmountable escape from their struggles. This research not only aligns with DepEd's

directives but also seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on student’s mental health, a

crucial step in developing effective strategies and interventions.

Statement of the Problem

The researchers will look for the level of perceived depression of the Senior High
School students. Respectively, it will seek to answer the following questions:

1. Profile of senior high school students according to:

a.) Name (Optional)

b.) Age

c.) Gender

d.) Strand

2. What are the perceived levels of depression of the sr. high school students?

3. Are there significant differences in the perceived levels of depression based on variables
such as age, gender, and strand?

4. What activity matrix could be developed to lessen the perceived levels of depression?

Assumption

The research study assumes that the senior high school students from Bonifacio D.

Borebor Sr. High School have dealt/deal with different levels of perceived depression. The

study will also ascertain whether there are significant differences in the perceived levels of

depression based on the respondents' age, gender and social environment. In addition, the study

is believed to be a guideline for student council's new program or activity with regards to the

students' mental state.

Significance of the Study

Students. This study will serve as a way for their mental condition to be addressed and

also for them to build up their self-awareness, which can help them conquer any obstacles they

might face in the future.

Parents and Guardians. This research could be a way to enlighten parents and

guardians regarding their children's mental health. To also make them realize how important it

is to keep an eye on their children.

Staffs/School. This study will remind the staffs/faculty of the school to nurture students.

As well as to implement more strategies on how to address these kind of issues.

Supreme Secondary Learner Government (SSLG). As a result of this study, it will

serve as a finding/reference of what program/activity the student council should execute. A

program or activity that will benefit not only the students who dealt with depression but also the

SSLG itself, teachers, and other staffs of the school.

Future Researchers. This research study will further open doors for future researchers

to expand studies in relation to depression.

Scope and Delimitation

Out of all the Senior High School students of BDBSHS, the researchers will use a

minimum of 100 students as their respondents. This study will focus exclusively on senior high

school students enrolled at Bonifacio D. Borebor during the academic year 2023-2024. Its main

purpose is to identify the level of perceived depression of the students using the Beck

Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). This study includes their personal information and

experiences. Each of the respondents are given the same questionnaires to answer.
Locale of the Study

This study will be conducted in one of the secondary schools of the Municipality of

Caramoan, the Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr. High School that is Located in Brgy. Tawog,

Caramoan, Camarines Sur. The municipality is located at 13.42 N 123.53 E on the tip of the

Caramoan Peninsula. It is located approximately 574 kilometers southeast of Manila and 98

kilometers east of Naga City. It is in Southern Luzon of the Philippine archipelago. The

researchers chose this school due to the fact that they are pertaining to the assessment of

perceived depression of the senior high school students from Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr. High

School.
Figure 1. Local of the Study
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter incorporates the present study within the context of prior relevant literature

and studies, synthesis, conceptual framework, and the definition of terms.

Related Literature

As of late, it has emerged as the primary global cause of disability (World Health

Organization, 2017). Its economic impact is enormous in high-income nations like the US, UK, and

Canada, as evidenced by the reductions in productivity and the direct expenses of health care

(Greenberg et al., 2015; Conference Board of Canada, 2016). If the illness is not addressed, those with

it may experience severe suffering, as well as their family. Evidence-based treatments are widely

available in many high-income nations, including the US and Canada. However, there are still gaps in

the quality of care because many individuals with depression receive mental health care that does not

meet the most basic standards for adequate treatment (Thornicroft et al., 2017; Puyat et al., 2016).

Depression also ranks highly among the primary causes of disability in low-income nations

like the Philippines. According to a World Health Organization report (2017), the overall prevalence

of depression in the Philippines is estimated to be 3.3%, meaning that, based on the population

estimate from 2015 (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2016), roughly 3.3 million Filipinos may be

suffering from depressive symptoms. The eighth-leading cause of disability in the nation was also

found to be depression (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2017). Given the scarcity of

mental health experts, the insufficient capacity of the country's tertiary care institutions, and the high

number of individuals and families afflicted by depression, there are grave worries regarding the state

of mental health treatment in the nation.

 Mental health diseases afflict around one billion individuals globally, accounting for 16% of

the global population. Nonetheless, there has been insufficient research and inconsistent estimation of

psychological morbidity among Filipinos residing in low-income neighborhoods in the Philippines.

According to Phillip J. Nurs (2021), the global prevalence of common mental illnesses in 2015 was

estimated to be 3.6% for anxiety disorders and 5.5% for depression; suicide accounted for 1.5% of all

fatalities worldwide in the same year (WHO, 2017). Adolescent depression is a severe issue that

affects 29.9% of high school students and 10.7% of all teens; 17% of high school students have

thought about suicide. However, youth with depression frequently go undiagnosed (Kroning &

Kroning, 2016).

Prevalence rates are rising across generations, and they are now higher than they were a

decade ago (Daly, 2022; Jorm et al., 2017). Because of this, experts in public policy advise anybody

12 years of age and older to get screened for depression every year (USPSTF, 2022). Researchers

have found a number of risk and resilience characteristics that prospectively predict depression in an

effort to better understand (and stop) the development of depression throughout childhood and

adolescence (Hankin & Cohen, 2020).

Related Studies
The study of Maya (2021) reveals that 81% of Gen Z teenagers reported feeling more stressed

out than usual during the COVID-19 epidemic. A Midwest high school that used a survey-based

method discovered that, with some racial variations, online learning has the biggest impact on the

decline of mental health. Exercise time lowers the deterioration of mental health. There was no

discernible impact of other variables such as gender, homework load, previous experience with mental

illness, or therapy on the decline of mental health. Lack of support for mental wellbeing, social

isolation, and increasing stress from homework were three recurrent themes found.
 Based on the study of Auttama N (2021), 81.6% of university students in Thailand reported

having mental health difficulties. This indicates a high prevalence of these concerns. Getting used to

the physical, emotional, and social changes that come with starting university life can be difficult for

some students. Parenting style, education, and problem-solving abilities are just a few examples of the

variables that can affect mental health disorders. The results will be utilized to create a mental health

curriculum that can lessen mental health issues among college students. To avoid mental health

problems, executive boards, administrators, and faculty should concentrate on enhancing instruction,

curriculum, and mental health support.

According to Shim (2022) pupils' awareness of and attitudes regarding mental illness are

greatly impacted by mental health education. Following their completion of the Abnormal Psychology

course, students felt that mental health was less stigmatizing and more treatable. The study also

discovered a relationship between stigma and mental health awareness, as well as a relationship

between stigma and mental health awareness.

As stated on the study of Atoni Reis de S. J. (2018), depression is a common mental illness in

the world, more common among women. Although the exact cause of this gender disparity is

unknown, biological and sociocultural variables may be at play. Depression scales frequently use the

same assumptions about traits for both genders, however results based on gender groupings may be

compromised if there is insufficient evidence of measurement bias. The BDI-II score's gender-related

measurement bias has not been extensively studied. In terms of age, late adolescence is a transitional

stage for young adults, and college-aged people frequently suffer from psychiatric problems.

Twentysomething college students have greater rates of depression because of part-time work, family

responsibilities, and job searching. Age and gender disparities could reveal which group needs early

depression prevention and management.

As believed by Reem et. al (2019) one of the most significant phases of life is adolescence,

and since it is so crucial we should focus our efforts to overcome the hard situations like depression,
anxiety and stress. It is not so simple on an account of the multifactorial changes that are going place

in that period such as biological, physiological and psychological. Psychiatric problems in this period

are a serious public health concern because of their impact on the lives in practically every aspect

from poor academic performance, substance misuse to the suicide attempts.

According to Nam et al. (2016) and Huang et al. (2022) there is evidence that family dysfunction can

be a risk factor for depression. Building family relationships is one of the major depression risk

factors, requiring a lot of time and attention because parenting and family building are crucial to

children's development (Zheng R. Zhou et al. 2021; Abbas J. 2020). Halonen et al. (2021) came to the

conclusion that family ties are important for the emergence, maintenance, and motivation of

adolescent depression. In general, teens with depression have worse family relationships with their

parents than teens without depression. Youth depression is largely caused by a number of factors,

including weak family relationships, family conflict, broken homes, and marital problems, particularly

an unhappy married life (Coley RY et al., 2021). Even after adjusting for source bias, Ruchkin et al.

(Rhuckin V et al, 2021). claimed that African Americans typically have poor family bonding and

depressed teenagers. Few studies, however, have concluded that the most important factor in

predicting teenage depression is family unity. Eaton observed that emotionality and emotional

regulation may be harmed by extreme broken family expressions (Curby TW et al., 2021; Abdul

Rahman, 2022). Family risk factors come in two varieties: soft and hard. Families with weak family

building structures, parents with little to no education, and of course the family's financial situation

are hard factors to deal with. Numerous studies have demonstrated that students with high risk factors

have a higher chance of developing depression. First off, compared to students from complete and

happy families, those from broken families exhibit lower levels of confidence in all facets of life and

are less capable of managing emotional breakdowns (Sparks JA et al., 2021; Abbas J, 2022).
Synthesis

The body of research from Phillip J. Nurs (2021) to Maya (2021) highlights the growing crisis

in mental health, specifically anxiety and depression, among teenagers and young adults. According

to these studies, over 80% of some student populations suffer from mental health problems. The

COVID-19 pandemic (Maya, 2021) and the difficulties of adjusting to university life (Auttama N,

2021) have made the situation worse. In order to reduce stigma and increase awareness, mental health

education, as shown by (Shim, 2022), has a key role to play, suggesting a way to intervene. The

gender disparity in depression, especially prominent in late adolescence (Atoni Reis de S. J., 2018),

highlights the necessity for gender-sensitive approaches in mental health assessment. This global

concern is reflected in the high disability rates caused by depression, as reported by the World Health

Organization (2017), with countries like the Philippines experiencing significant treatment gaps and

underdiagnosis issues in their adolescent populations (Phillip J. Nurs, 2021). Additionally, the data

point to a significant negative influence of dysfunctional family structures on depression and

emotional control (Curby TW et al., 2021; Abdul Rahman, 2022). Abbas J. and Sparks JA et al.

(2021). Students from unstable family backgrounds frequently exhibit lower self-confidence and have

greater difficulty managing their emotions, according to (2022). Overall, these findings call for a

systemic improvement in mental health care and advocates for regular, including the introduction of

regular screening practices at an early age, and taking into account of demographic factors in

assessment and intervention.

Gap Bridge of the Study

This study aimed to measure the perceived depression of the senior high school of Bonifacio

D. Borebor Sr. High School (BDBSHS). All studies have been made for the researchers to have an

idea regarding depression and anxiety from the contents of related literature and related studies. Since
there hasn't been prior research done in this school about measuring perceived teenage depression, the

researchers will look at it, measure it, and then work to make the community better. Additionally, the

senior high school students of Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr. High school students have not been included

in any related studies or literature about perceived depression. This study was conducted to identify

the level of perceived depression among the senior high school students and to serve as a data base for

the student-proposed activities/programs about mental health awareness.

Conceptual Framework

The researchers used the input, process, output (IPO) model. It shows the materials and

information that are required in the process. In the box allotted for input, the researchers put the

profile of the respondents. The second box, which is named process includes the administering of

questionnaires to be answered by the respondents, the collection of students’ profiles, and lastly, the

organization and analysis of the collected data. For the output, the researchers put the expected

outcome of the study: that this study will be able to assess the perceived level of depression of senior

high school students from Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr. High School and serve as a guide or baseline data

for the students/student council to propose a programs or activities that will help the students’ current

mental state.
 Input Process Output
- Assessed level of
- Profile of senior high - Distribution of survey
depression of senior high
school students questionnaires.
school students from
- Data gathering of
according to:
Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr.
students’ profile.
a. Name FEEDBACK High School.
- Organization of students’
b. Age - Baseline data for
responses.
c. Sex programs to be proposed
- Statistical Analysis of data
by the students/student
(Beck Depression
council.
Inventory).
- Programs/activities

proposed by the students.

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

Definition of Terms

Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The term "BDI" in this study refers to a self-report questionnaire

with 21 items that is used to gauge depression severity.

Depression. In this study, it refers to the mental health disease that varies in intensity from mild,

moderate, to severe.
  Academic Performance. This refers to the poor student's participation in class caused by

having perceived depression

 Age. It refers to the range at which depression is most likely to occur in this study.

 Gender. The usage of the term gender in this study is pertaining to whether the sexuality of a

person has something to do in dealing with depression.

 Social Environment. It indicates if peers, family, and surroundings have an influence on a

person's mental state

Perceived Level of Depression. This phrase refers to the extent of depression severity acknowledged

or reported by the person, and is frequently evaluated using instruments such as BDI-II.

Senior High School Student/s. In this study the use of this term refers to the senior high school

students of Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr. High School.

Student-proposed Programs. This refers to the initiatives of the student council to raise awareness

of mental health issues through programs/activities.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter will cover and present the methods and procedures considered in order to

accomplish the study's objectives.

Research Design

The researchers will use a descriptive method, seeking detailed information through

specific questions posed to the respondents. The aim is to assess the level of perceived

depression among senior high school students. The data collected using this method will enable

the researchers to derive meaningful conclusions.

Respondents

The respondents of this study will be the senior high school students (minimum of 100)

studying at Bonifacio D. Borebor Sr. High School for the A.Y 2023-2024.

Data Gathering Instruments

The researchers will use the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) scale for the data

gathering process to get quantitative data. The primary aim of the survey questionnaire is to

assess the level of perceived depression of the senior high school students in Bonifacio D.

Borebor Sr. High School.

Statistical Tools

The researchers will make use descriptive statistics, such as percentage technique in

analyzing and interpreting the data gathered. The percentage technique is calculated by taking

the frequency in the category divided by the total number of respondents and multiplying by

100%.
 In this study, the percentage technique identifies the number of percentages for each

factor on the survey questionnaires to see what is the perceived level of depression of senior

high school students as well as the factors affecting it.

Percentage Technique

n
P= ×1 OO
N

Where:

P – Percentage

n – Number of Responses

N – Number of Respondents