THESIS PROPOSAL TITLE

A STUDY ON THE PERCEIVED

LEVELS OF STRESS AND COPING
STRATEGIES OF STUDENTS OF
THE FEBIAS COLLEGE OF BIBLE
S.Y. 2009-2010:
IMPLICATIONS FOR GUIDANCE AND
COUNSELING PRACTICE
By Mrs. Remilinda B. Banzuelo
 
 CHAPTER I- INTRODUCTION

• College students face great deal of challenges

that may bring stress and distress.
• Academic success is not a single entity.
• How one handles the pressures and stress that
go with school work should be considered.
• Gender is a variable to better understand and
assist guidance clients individually.
 CHAPTER I- INTRODUCTION
• Studies reveal that gender influences the
choice of coping strategies (Smith and Renk Ki 2007; Kariv
and Heiman 2005; Rao, Moudad and Subbakrishna 2000; and Hobfoll et al.
1994).
• Females tend to use distress-reducing coping strategies such as
emotion-focused coping and securing social support while males were
found to prefer behavioral methods of coping (Rao et.al 2000).
• Males tend to use avoidant coping (Kariv and Heiman 2005)
• Studies reveal that females prefer pro-social coping while males prefer
aggressive and anti-social strategies in coping according to Hobfoll et
al. 1994.
 CHAPTER I- INTRODUCTION

* Shield (2001) found out that certain coping strategies lead to

better adjustment.
Hobfoll et al. 1994 reported that Active coping is related to
lowered levels of psychological distress.

* Active coping predicted academic success and personal-

emotional adjustment among a sample freshmen students
(Shields 2001 in Leong, Bonz, and Zachar 1997).
 CHAPTER I- INTRODUCTION
A. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Cognitive Theory of Psychological Stress
Proponents: Richard Lazarus
Psychological Stress- “Relationship between the
person and the environment that is appraised
by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her
resources and endangering his or her well-
being”
(Lazarus & Folkman, 1984)
Relationship between:
elements of the person
+ elements of the environment
Psychological Stress
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress
A. Cognitive Appraisal

B. Coping
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress
A. Cognitive Appraisal
 Information-processing and evaluative in
nature.
 Aims to find meaning and significance in
tough times.
 “determine why and to what extent a particular
transaction or series of transactions between the
person and environment is stressful”
(Lazarus and Folkman 1984, 19)
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress
A. Cognitive Appraisal
2 components of Cognitive Appraisal:
Primary Appraisal-Assesses if there is a potential
stressor.
Secondary Appraisal- Deals with what can be
done to manage the appraised situation.
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress
A. Cognitive Appraisal
1.Primary Appraisal-Assessed situation can be
identified as:
a) Irrelevant appraisal- nothing can be gained
or lost in the situation.
b) Benign appraisal- situation involves positive
result on the person’s well-being.
c) Stress appraisal- situation involves possible
harm, threat or challenge.
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress

A. Cognitive Appraisal
2 Components of Cognitive Appraisal:
1) Primary Appraisal-
2) Secondary Appraisal- Deals with what can be
done to manage the appraised situation.
- cognitive process that determines possible
coping options.
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress
A. Cognitive Appraisal
B. Coping- refers to the constantly
changing cognitive and behavioral
efforts to manage specific external and
internal demands that are appraised as
taxing or exceeding the resources of the
person.(Lazarus and Folkman 1984, 141)
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress
B. Coping
 process-oriented than trait-like
 Emphasizes action and excludes
Automized behavior and thought that
do not require effort.
 Efforts may include all forms whether it
works or not.
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress
B. Coping
Major Forms of Coping Strategies:
1) Problem-focused Coping-
a) directed at the environment
b) directed at self
2) Emotion-focused coping-
“Directed at the emotions that result as a response to the
problem and finding ways to regulate or handle it.”(Lazarus and
Folkman 1984, 150)

can either increase or lessen emotional distress. It can also mean to

change the meaning of how the person sees the stressful situation.
 2 Major Concepts of
Cognitive Psychological Stress
B. Coping
Major Forms of Coping Strategies:
2) Emotion-focused coping-
“Directed at the emotions that result as a
response to the problem and finding ways to
regulate or handle it.”(Lazarus and Folkman 1984, 150)
* It can either increase or lessen emotional distress. It can also
mean to change the meaning of how the person sees the
stressful situation.
 STRESS, COPING & ADAPTATION
EFFECTS
Man’s adaptation- refers to how he successfully
adjust and survive in life on a day-to-day and
long-term basis.
Areas where Adaptation outcome may be seen:
1) Social functioning- how one fulfills his role
2) Morale-how person feels about himself and his
conditions in life.
3) Somatic Health- related to physical well-being,
absence and presence of diseases.
 Environmental Demands Individual

Cognitive Process

Primary Appraisal Secondary Appraisal Choice of Coping

Problem-focused Coping Emotion-focused Coping

Social Functioning Morale Somatic Health

Figure 1. Researcher’s Proposed Framework

 TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF STRESS
Environmental Coping
Demands Behavior

Cognitive Processes

Primary Secondary Choice of

appraisal appraisal Coping
Appraisal behavior
Appraisal

SYMPTOMS
Distress Worry Social
Health Dysfunction
Problems

Figure 2
B. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
To identify and compare the
perceived levels of stress and coping
strategies of male and female students
of FEBIAS College of Bible.
Specific Questions:
1.What is the perceived level of stress of
students in the FEBIAS College of Bible?
1.1 Males
1.2 Females
2. What are the coping strategies of students in
the FEBIAS College of Bible?
2.1 Males
2.2 Females
Specific Questions:

3. Is there a significant difference between the

perceived level of stress between male and
female students of the FEBIAS College of
Bible?

4. Is there a significant difference between the

coping strategies between male and female
students of the FEBIAS College of Bible?
Hypotheses

1.There is no significant difference between the

perceived levels of stress of male and female
students of the FEBIAS College of Bible.

2. There is no significant difference between the

coping strategies of male and female students
of the FEBIAS College of Bible.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
 Stress and academic reform
 The idea of stress is confusing since it has no one
direct and clear cut definition.
Definition of stress-17th century- It came from Latin
word “stringere”- to draw tight. It is used to refer
hardship or affliction. (Cooper 2003)
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
 Studies on stress
1920 - William Osler ( chest pain & hectic pace of life)
1939 - Walter B. Cannon (environmental forces &
diseases) (resistances to forces result to stress)
1936 - Hans Selye Popularized and explained stress
“syndrome produced by diverse noxious agents”
* Recently stress denotes a set of changes that people undergo
in situation they appraise as threathening to their well-being.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
The Biopsychosocial Approach to Stress by Bernard
and Krupat (1994)
- An approach that is an all inclusive that involves
three components of stress from which many
models of stress were based.
1) the external component
2) the internal component
3) the interaction bet. external and internal component
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
Three components of Biopsychosocial Approach to
Stress
1) the external component model
• The idea of Claude Bernard-emphasis is placed on the
environmental stimulus that triggers one to become
stressful. (Oxford companion to the Body 2003)
• Stressor- Event, condition, situation or stimulus that
threaten the person’s health and well-being, which is
commonly known.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
The Biopsychosocial Model of Stress by Bernard
and Krupat (1994)
1) the external component model
• Stoits (1995) 3 major stressors
a. Life Events
b.Chronic strains
c. Daily hassles
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
Three components of Biopsychosocial Approach
to Stress
1) the external component model
• Other Types of stressors by Everly and
Lating (2002)
a. Psychosocial stressors
b.Biogenic stressors
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
Three components of Biopsychosocial Approach to
Stress
2. The internal component model of Stress
• The idea of ‘fight or flight’ by Walter Cannon
(1939)
- Emphasis is given on how an organism’s internal
biological and biochemical resources defend
itself against stressful attack.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
Three components of Biopsychosocial Approach to
Stress
2. The internal component model of Stress
• A stress is manifested by a syndrome which consists of all the
non-specifically induced changes in biologic system. (Hans Selye)
• The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) by Hans Selye
• Stimulus events are capable of producing common response
pattern of systemic stress (GAS) with the following stages:
1) Alarm Stage 2) Resistance Stage 3) Exhaustion Stage
 CHAPTER II
RELATED LITERATURE
Three components of Biopsychosocial Approach
to Stress
3. The Interaction of External and Internal Component of Stress
• Proposed by Richard Lazarus (1966)
• The combination of internal and external factor of stress,
which he calls relationship or transaction between the
environment and the person.
• Subjective evaluation of the person is given importance.
• Appraisal and Coping as the major ideas.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
• In 2006, Lawrence et al.
Problem: gender differences with regards to choice of coping
strategies of undergraduate students and their impact on self-
esteem and academic attainment.
Instruments: York Self-esteem Inventory, Emotional Control
Questionnaire and Coping Styles Questionnaire
Result:
 Males and females differ significantly in self-esteem, coping and
academic success.
 None of the coping strategies were significant predictors of the final
grade.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
• In 2006, Lawrence et al. Result:
 Males and females differ significantly in self-esteem, coping
and academic success.
 None of the coping strategies were significant predictors of
the final grade.
 Coping and Self Esteem higher the self-esteem the higher the
tendency to perceive the situation as controllable.
The high
 Coping and attainment-not related
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
• In 2005, Wang and Yeh
Problem: examined the stress perception, sources of entrance
exam stress and use of coping behavior.
Instruments: The authors used the Stress Perceived Scale, Coping
Behavior Inventory and Chinese Health Questionnaire
 Result: Results identified the top five sources of college stress as:
test-taking, learning tasks, students’ own aspirations, parents’
aspirations and teachers’ aspirations. To cope, the college
students generally used problem-focused coping strategies
including optimistic action and seeking social support.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
• In 2005, Wang and Yeh
Result:
 Students tend to cope using emotion-focused coping as the
perceived level of stress and emotional disturbance increased.
 Scores from the tests revealed that problem-focused coping
had a positive main effect on alleviating psychological health.
 The interaction effect showed that problem-focused coping
behaviors were potentially more adaptive in relation to
psychological health at the lower and moderate stress levels
than at the extreme stress levels
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
• Smith and Dust (2006)
Problem: a correlational study that examined the effect of coping
on the students’ appraisal and dispositional traits.
Instruments: The COPE inventory, Rosenberg’s Self-esteem Scale,
Campbell Self-concept Clarity, Personal Problem-Solving
Inventory, Emotional Control Questionnaire and Hopkins
Checklist were used to assess the respondents’ dispositional
qualities. For stress appraisal, the Perceived Stress Scale was
utilized.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
• Smith and Dust (2006)
Results:
 Cognitive coping whether preferred (trait) or situational
(state) were related.
 Cognitive strategies as preferred coping was related to a set of
dispositional factors. Results showed that self-esteem and
problem-solving confidence had positively predicted the use of
cognitive coping style.
 Subjects appraisal of the situation was seen as related to their
use of specific coping strategies.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
• 2001 by Shield
Problem : studied college students who persisted and did not persist in
completing their course, the relationship among stress, active coping
and academic performance was examined.
Instruments: telephone survey, questions include:
• Conducted a telephone survey and evaluated the students’ objective
academic performance.
• Respondents were asked what attempts they made to seek
information and help for 21 different school-related needs over the
past academic year.
• 10-point scale, students were asked to rate how stressful they found
their experiences as college students.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
• 2001 by Shield
Results:
 persistent students experienced significantly higher stress levels than those
who were non-persistent. They also scored high on coping.
 Older students persisted longer than young students.
 That stress was related to increased coping efforts
 Higher levels of stress were related to lower GPAs among persisting
students.
 No significant relationship was found between perceived stress and active
coping.
 Men were twice as likely than women to persist in their college studies.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
In 2005, Kariv and Heiman
Problem: conducted a study among 283 college students to explore the effect
of stress perception and coping behavior on their academics.
Instruments:
 Subjective questions about how they felt about their academic load.
 Using a 4-point Likert scale, they were asked to rate the level of stress they
felt about their academic load.
 Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations was used.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Foreign Studies)
Results:
 The higher the objective load of the students, the higher their scores on
perceived academic stress.
 Academic stress perception significantly contributed towards predicting
coping behaviour.
 Students tend to use task-oriented coping as they perceived task under
their control, eventually they used emotion-oriented coping as the
academic stress level increase.
 Age and gender were significant variables
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Local Studies)
• Sollano (2008)
Problem: to determine the stressors and coping styles of nursing students.
Findings:
 Students stressors are varied
 Male stressors –more of interpersonal; females-more of intrapersonal
 Student economic status influence kind of stressors
middle & high SES-more of intrapersonal stressors
low SES- academic stressors
 Generally most students use coping such as Religion, positive
reinterpretation, active coping and planning. Males tend to use
independent coping and less of coping using emotions; Female resort to
coping by associating with others and emotional coping.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Local Studies)
• 2006, Elenita Roxas
Problem: perceived stress and academic performance of senior college
students of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa to determine the
stressors and coping styles of nursing students.
Findings:
 Factors that generally affected the college students were: getting enough
sleep, finances, social activities and the influence of peers, teachers and
school administrators.
 Perceived stress and general grade point average had no significant
relationship.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Local Studies)
• 2004, Salvacion
Problem: define out the stress profile of students of the College of Dentistry of the
University of the Philippines.
Instruments: Personal Stress Profile Questionnaire, Modified Dental Environment
Findings:
 Results showed that academic and clinical requirements were top stressors
among the U.P. College of Dentistry students.
• examinations and grades
• heavy academic load
• difficulty in completing clinical requirements
• fear of getting delayed
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Local Studies)
• 2004, Salvacion
Problem: define the stress profile of students of the College of Dentistry of the
University of the Philippines.
Instruments: Personal Stress Profile Questionnaire, Modified Dental
Environment
Findings:
 Crying, praying, watching movies, and listening to music were the top four
strategies to cope with the stress.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Local Studies)
• 2004 Damalerio et. al
Problem: investigate the levels of stress and the stressors experienced by both male
and female students of the De La Salle University College of Business Economics.
Findings: ( involve academics and interpersonal problems)
Top five stressors were:  
• Having trouble with a classmate
• Serious illness or injury of family a member
• Failing a course or having a failing grade
• Having trouble with a brother or sister
• Losing a close friend
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Local Studies)
• 2004 Damalerio et. al
Problem: investigate the levels of stress and the stressors experienced by both
male and female students of the De La Salle University College of Business
Economics.
Findings:
 Involve academics and students social life.
 Significant difference were found between levels of stress between males and
females.
 To cope, students use verbal and motor manifestations this include:
praying, going to a quiet place, releasing tension through joking and laughing,
reevaluating goals, and obtaining the support of family and friends.
 CHAPTER II
RELATED STUDIES (Local Studies)
• Stephen Tayo (1999)
Problem: the correlation of stress and coping of four protestant theological
schools in Region IV in the Philippines.
Findings:
 Stressors and levels of stress correlated
 Males showed higher level of stress than females
 Students tend to use Cognitive coping ( from the categories of cognitive,
behavioral and physical) was the top category used, followed by behavioral
then physical)
 Main categories of students stressors were academic and social stressors.
 Correlation between stress and coping were not evident.
 CONTRIBUTIONt TO RESEARCH
 Results will give insight on in college students differ in their levels of stress
compared with other college students.

 Findings of this research will benefit other seminary institutions in helping

address the levels of stress encountered due to different environment,
academic programs and trainings that these institutions offer.

 Findings will add to the research on College stress studies, since there are
limited number or recent studies done particularly in Philippine setting.

 Findings will also validate the results of earlier studies on stress and coping
between males and females.
 CHAPTER
t III
• Research Design
Descriptive survey research design
The problem will try collect information from
the target population and describe their levels
of stress and coping strategies.
 CHAPTER
t III
Research Setting : FEBIAS COLLEGE OF BIBLE
FEBIAS is an acronym for Far Eastern Bible Institute and Seminary.

Founded in 1948 by American World War II soldiers for religious leadership

training purposes.
 Research Setting : FEBIAS COLLEGE OF
t
BIBLE
Location map
 t

Courses Offered:
•Basic Bible Course ( non-degree course)
•Bachelor of Arts in Theology (degree course)

Major in:
-Pastoral Studies (ABTh-PS)
-Missions (ABTh-M)
-Christian Education (ABTh-CE)
-Church Music Education (ABTh-CME)
-Church Music Conducting (ABTh-CMC)
-Christian Ministries
•Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Elementary
•Missionary Aviation
 t

Dorm Life Chapel Time

Discipline &
character
Development

Social Life
 t
• RESEARCH SUBJECTS: FEBIAS COLLEGE OF
BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN 2ND
SEMESTER S.Y.2009-10 TABLE 1
Classification Male Female Total
Basic Bible 70 35 105
Course
Freshmen 22 25 47
Sophomores 20 22 42
Juniors 19 15 34
Seniors 18 14 32
TOTAL 149 111 260
• RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: t
A) Perceived Levels of Stress 10 (PSSP10)
The Perceived Stress Scale is a psychological
instrument that measures the degree to
which a recent life situation is appraised as
stressful. It was developed and validated by
Cohen, Kamark and Mermeilstein (Cohen et
al. 1983).
• RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: t
A) Perceived Levels of Stress 10 (PSSP10)
 Empirically validated (Monroe and Kelley,
1995).
 Administration
The scale of PSS10 asks the respondents to rate their thoughts
and feelings about their life in the last month. Respondents
indicate their response by encircling the value that
corresponds to the frequency of the occurrence of a
particular thought or feeling. PSS10 consist of 10 questions.
• RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: t
A) Perceived Levels of Stress 10 (PSSP10)
 Scoring: can be obtained by reversing response (e.g. 0=4,
1=3, 2=2, 3=1 & 4=0) to the even positively stated sentences
(items 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 13) and then summing across all scale
items (Cohen 1988). Scores range from 10-40.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: t
A) Perceived Levels of Stress 10 (PSSP10)
 Interpretation
TABLE 2
SCORES INTERPRETATION

36-40 Extremely high perception of

stress
26-35 High perception of stress
16-25 Average perception of stress
6-15 Low perception of stress
5 Extremely low perception of
stress
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: t
A) Perceived Levels of Stress 10 (PSSP10)
Reliability Test (Cohen et.al.)
The internal consistency approach was first applied to three
groups of samples.
A test-retest correlation was also done.
Validity Test
Validity of the instrument was established from extensive
normative data on 2,387 respondents.
Other studies established validity by correlating perceived stress
as measured by PSS and a variety of relevant outcomes such
as stress measures, self-reported health, and help seeking-
behavior (Cohen et. al. 1988)
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: t
B) Recent Stressful Event Questionnaire
This is a subjective questionnaire patterned after the study
done by Carver with the COPE instrument (Carver et al. 1989)

The questionnaire asks the subject to describe a particular

situation that caused him stress in the past month. This is the
particular situation where the subject will refer in answering
the COPE questionnaire.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: t
B) COPE (state-like form) (Carver, Scheier & Weintraub
1989).
 Description- This questionnaire consists of 52 items,
covering 13 dimensions.
 Instructions:
Respondents indicate the extent which they did
whatever each the given statement says.
Response choices are:
• - I did not do it at all
• - I did this a little bit
• - I did this a medium amount
• - I did this a lot
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS: t
B) COPE (state-like form) (Carver, Scheier & Weintraub
1989).
 Scales ( please refer to table 3 p. 57)
 Scoring
The total score per category can be obtained by adding
the raw scores for each scale under it. For Problem-
focused and Emotion-focused categories, possible
scores range from 5 to 80. last category (referred as
others) the possible scores can ranges from 3 to 12.
 Interpretation
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS:
t Scheier & Weintraub
B) COPE (state-like form) (Carver,
1989).
 Interpretation
COPING
INTERPRETATION

STRATEGIES LOW AVERAGE HIGH

Problem-focused 5-26 27-54 55-80

Coping

Emotion-Focused 5-26 27-54 55-80

Coping

Other Coping 3-6 7-8 11-12

RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS:
D) Demographic Questionnaire t
(pls. refer to appendix D)
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS:
Content Validators: t
1. Cornelia Sotto, Ph.D., Faculty member, Education Department, Ateneo de Manila
University.
2. Consolacion J.Concepcion, MA, Director of the Ateneo Placement Office, Ateneo de
Manila University.
3. Ma. Encarnacion L. Tan, MA, Testing and Research Director, Ateneo de Manila High
School. .
4. Leila B. Vargas, MA, Test and Measurement College Professor, FEBIAS College of
Bible.
5. Margaret Oiga, English Professor, FEBIAS College of Bible.
6. Genesis del Barrio, MA, Counseling College Professor, FEBIAS College of Bible.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS:
Content Validators: t
7. Feliciano Espino Jr., Dean of Student Affairs, FEBIAS College
of Bible.
8. Rene Santillan, Director of Student Ministries, Febias
College of Bible
9.Constantino Togonon, Statistic College Instructor, FEBIAS
College of Bible
10. Erlina de Gula , MA. College Registrar, FEBIAS College of
Bible
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS:
• Pilot Testing t
All instruments will be pre-tested to 30 students of
Philippine Missionary Institute. The students here
and the context of this institution have the same
characteristics with the target population.
Data Gathering Procedure
t
 Secure proper permission to the college president of FEBIAS College
of Bible.
 Dates of Assessment will be determined. Assessment will be given
in one shot.
 On the day of the assessment instruments will be distributed in the
following order:
• Demographic Questionnaire
• PSS10
• Recent Stressful Event Questionnaire
• COPE Questionnaire
 Scores will be tallied according to gender
Data Gathering Procedure
 Scores will be subjected totstatistical treatment.
T-test for significant difference will be applied.

Statistical Treatment
For Mean and standard Deviation:

∑fx
X= ---------- σ =√∑X2
N n
T-test for independent means