Review of Related Literature

This chapter presents the related literature and studies after the

thorough and in-depth search done by the researchers. This will also

present the synthesis of the art, theoretical and conceptual framework to

fully understand the research to be done and lastly the definition of terms

for better comprehension of the study.

Stress can be regarded as any internal or external factors, which

makes adaptation to environment difficult (Pourrajab & Rabbani, 2014)

affecting any individual regardless of their developmental stage (Banerjee &

Chatterjee, 2016). The only task students were expected to undertake was to

study and studying was never perceived as stressful. What proved to be

stressful was the expectations parents had for their children, which in turn

grew into larger burdens that these children could not carry anymore.

According to Wheeler (2007) stress is physics word which refers to the

amount of force used on an object and it relates in real life as to how certain

issues that carry force applied to human life. Examples financial difficulties,

health challenge issues, conflicts with friends, all carry force or pressure on

person's body -mind and spirit. Some of the pressure or force originate from

the environment but most often comes from within a person's head in the

form of worry, anxiousness, regret, discouragement and low confidence.

Therefore, stress is basically force applied to a person and may result

in a strain which is as a result of an unmanaged stress that is when a

person is not able to handle a challenge or problem encountered strain

result. To some people, the effect is minimal which means they are able to

endure pressure whiles in others the effect is enormous and have an adverse

effect.

Stress is explained by (Pargman 2006) as “An uncertain reaction to

external and Internal factors” that means a negative or positive reaction to

environmental stimuli. In this regard, it is how the totality of your body

relates to changes and unfamiliar situations that present it in the course of

time. During such a period, vital organs such as sexual organs, heart rate,

blood pressure, stroke volume, respiratory rate in the body react speedily.

Many hormonal responses are at peak.

It was demonstrated by Tangade (2011), studies that parental

pressures and teachers’ expectations were associated with stress around the

time of examinations or about choosing particular academic study or a

future career. For example, students who joined dentistry due to parental

pressure, with associated fear of facing parents after failure, described

greater stress than those who joined of their accord. Putwain (2010)

suggested that parental pressure predicted a higher degree of test anxiety,

as the threat of negative evaluation from others is increased. Conversely, it

was theorized that parental support would predict a lower degree of stress

and test anxiety, as the threat of negative evaluation is reduced. Also, a

higher than expected levels of emotional exhaustion were found in a large

sample of first-year undergraduate students, and among entry-level

students dental students in seven European dental schools

(Polychronopoulou and Divaris, 2005). Adel and Bedewy (2015) examined

the perceptions and sources of entrance exam stress among third-year

nursing students and its effect on coping behavior. Authors concluded that

the five main stressors of entrance exam stress, in descending order,

included taking tests, the student’s own aspirations, learning tasks,

teacher’s aspirations, and parent’s aspirations (Adel and Bedewy, 2015).

It is the desire of every student to excel in their field studies as such

high grades mean a lot to students. In situations where students believe

they expect a higher grade but at the end get a lower grade than they

expected it weighs them down and kills the motivation they have. Once this

happens students start to think a lot about what they didn't do, where they

went and most times are not able to find answers to those questions. At the

long run, they become stressed up with that and are not able to do

everything right again.

Hancock (2010) reported that negative cognitions related to

examinations, when such students underestimate their own abilities, or

overestimation of the consequences related to their failure, are often

accompanied by higher anxiety levels and poor performance. The

relationship between personality traits and stress and anxiety related to

taking examinations was also examined in a number of studies. Stress

affects some areas like students’ performance, gender, age and educational

level. Khan (2015) stated that student performance shows that the less the

students have their course period but are required to accomplish many
modules, leads them to stress. High and low academic performance differed

significantly on educational, miscellaneous and overall sources of stress.

Carlson (2016) demonstrated when a student is stressed and preoccupied, it

takes over their ability to focus during lectures or studying. Stress may even

cause students to drop out of school or drop classes.

It’s well-known in the therapeutic community that negative

statements from others can erode our sense of self-worth. Children tend to

believe negative assessments of them from teachers and parents and develop

a compromised self-concept when criticized on a regular basis (Scott, 2019).

Essel & Owusu (2017) said that burnout refer to as soulless situation is

where a person loses the eagerness and motivation in continuing to a

particular kind of studies or activity as a result of both external and internal

factors.
LOCAL

Stress is inevitable in any condition and situation, even a person who

is happy wealthy, powerful, or attractive experience stress (Santos, 2018).

Salvacion (2004) studied the stress profile of students in the College of

Dentistry of the University of the Philippines, Manila. The study involved

149 dentistry student-respondents. Academic stressors like examinations

and grades, fully loaded days, difficulty in completing clinical requirements,

and fear of getting delayed topped the identified stressors. Academic factors

were stressful in the first 3 year levels. Academic stress peaked during the

sophomore year. No significant differences in rankings were observed

between genders. There was undeniable similarity in the general stress

profile of the different year levels. Common methods of coping employed by

students include crying, praying, talking, watching movies, and listening to

music. Stress makes or breaks a person. It is like a two-edged sword which

can either motivate and stimulate a student to peak performance or reduce

the student to ineffectiveness.

High School students in the Philippines are very often in the late

adolescent years. As a student, they are said to experience a unique cluster

of stressors which may have a significant impact on their ability to cope with

high school life (Ferido, 2015). Some of this may be internal while some may

be external to the individual. There are interpersonal, intrapersonal,

academic and environmental stressors (Ross, Neibling & Heckert, 1999).

 According to (Santos, 2018) academic performance also reflects the

quality graduates who will become great leaders and manpower for the

country’s economic and social development. Hence, having good academic

standing is essential. School equips them with the necessary knowledge,

abilities, and values to deal with specific challenges they will be facing

throughout their lives.

Foreign

Stress has also been found to be a major contributing factor to

academic performance. Kaplan & Sadock,(2000), stated that, although an

optimal level of stress can enhance learning ability. Academic stress is the

product of a combination of academic related demands that exceed the

adaptive resources available to an individual. If a student is unable to cope

effectively with academic stress, then serious psycho-social-emotional health

consequences may result.

College is a stressful time for many students as they go through the

process of adapting to new educational and social environments. College

may be even more stressful for international students who have the added

strain of learning different cultural values and language in addition to

academic preparation (Utsey, 2005). Academic stressors include the

student’s perception of the extensive knowledge base required and the

perception of inadequate time to develop it. Students report experiencing

academic stress predictably, with the greatest sources of academic stress

being found in taking and studying for exams and with respect to grade

competition and the large amount of content to master in a small amount of

time (Misra & Castillo, 2004). Peer among youth plays a vital role during the

adolescence of a teenager. This is the time when teenagers develop deep

friendship among their peers and become permanent during their

adolescence (Guzman, 2017). Peer pressure towards persons behavior is

said to be a social phenomenon where the members of a particular society or

may not be influence negatively but majority are affected by the undesirable

behavior of those people who resist what others do (Gulati, 2017). Looking to

the different group of factors that influence adolescence in their completion

of their academic excellence it is further hindered by developmental

challenges (Chen, 2008). An individual seek emotional support towards

communicating publicly and showing his private objectives or goals. Indeed

through showing your emotions to others individual can get emotional

benefits from it because it could help them to overcome temptation and

could give them emotional benefits. (Borein & Boemont, 2013). Also, peer

groups answer questions from teenager different concern from adolescence

stage including physical appearance or changing bodies (Ademiyi &

Kolawole, 2015).

Lazarus (2000) argued that the role of stress differed significantly

across individuals, depending on how they interpreted the event and

outcome of a specific sequence of thinking patterns called appraisals. He

suggested two major types of appraisals when one face any potentially

stressful event. During primary appraisal, one ascertain whether the event
is positive, negative, or neutral, and if negative, if it is harmful, threatening,

or challenging. A harm (or harm-loss) appraisal is made when one expect to

lose or actually lose something of great personal significance. For example,

when one break up a close relationship one, lose confidence. After one make

primary appraisal, one assesses whether or not one has the necessary

resources to cope with the event. During secondary appraisal one essentially

determines whether one can deal with the event and how one can cope.