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Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Romantic love is psychological state that encompasses extreme euphoria and

feelings of passion and intimacy for another individual. It is born from a defined

evolutionary basis that is not unique to human beings and may have been among

the emotion-motivated systems that evolved in order to facilitate this process

(Gibson, 2015).

Listed below are some of the reasons on why students enter into relationship.

Emotional Reason. This seems to be the primary cause for many relationships,

human in nature, needs someone to express themselves to someone who will

understand and someone to relieve them whatever they may be passing through

emotionally. This relationship is simply an emotional attachment of one partner to

another, thus both partners venture into relationship to gain emotional stability

and unionism.

Financial Reason. Some people enter into relationship, often to satisfy their

money issues. This reason sadly featured as the backbones for most

relationship. Relationships usually last a while with only one partner benefiting at

its breakdown. However, this can also be justified only when this is not the sole

reason but only an offshoot of the relationships.

Sexual Reason. Most youth are sexually active. Some therefore engage in a
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relationship is built solely on this reason, mostly are attached to such addiction,

abortion, unexpected pregnancy and worse is when either of the partner is not

sincere.

Pressure Group. As youths are socially involved in a group, usually they are

often under the influence of this group, they intend to commit to do what other

are doing, to fulfill external pressure rather than internal. Individuals who have

this reason may not be really ready for relationships, thus the kind of

relationships are equivalent to time wasting.

Academic Reason. Relationships like this one often found in schools, this

kind of reason regularly moves from surface academic relationship to a fully

fledge relationship. Some of which, both partners involved maybe a beneficiary,

but then an individual chooses a partner based primarily on this others academic

potential so as to cover for his\her academic defects.

Fame. Relationships of this type happen due to the fact that the other one is

famous, which may be the primary reason the other partner with for a sort of

attachment to the other partners fame.

Replacement Reason. This type of relationship only occurs just for the

purpose of replacing the former partner who’s left. Most people find it difficult to

be alone especially when they have to battle the emotional trauma of losing a

partner. Both sexes are guilty for this reason only with different perception. Some

females who are somehow unease to be single, males on the other hand,
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replacement happens when they are someone who is better than their former

partner.

Tasting Reason. Relationships like this plainly all about fun, purposely to taste

or experience it. This may either result to a positive or a negative effect

depending on the involvement of partners (Osundare, 2011).

THEORITICAL BACKGROUND

Self-determination theory is viewed as a theory of optimal relationships

development and functioning. A self-determined perspective on romantic

relationships integrates several theories on romantic relationships development,

but also goes beyond them by explicitly articulating the personally,

developmental, and situational factors that facilitate optimal self-investment and

relational functioning (Knee cr, et al, 2013).

Triangular theory of love states that love can be understood in terms of three

components; Intimacy, Passion, and Decision/commitment.

Intimacy refers to feelings of closeness, connectedness, and bondedness.

Passion refers to the drive that lead to romance, physical attraction, sexual

consummation, and related phenomena in loving relationships.

Decision/commitment refers to the decision that one loves a certain other and

in the long term to one’s commitment to maintain that love ( Rishiquem, 2014).
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PROBLEM STATEMENT

This study aims to determine why students engaged in romantic relationships

considering the following questions below.

1. What is the profile of the students in terms of

1.1 Age

1.2 Social Status

1.3 Family Background

2. What is the possible reason why students engaged in romantic

relationships?

3. What is the mindset of the students when he/she decides to commit to

another individual?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

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This study will be valuable and significant to the following

Students. Will be aware of what are the possible reasons as to why students

engage in romantic relationship, and they would be oriented on some of the

consequence, may it be an advantage or a dis-advantage.

Parents. Can also benefit from this study to further understand and to

comprehend about the teenagers experience and issues. This can also prevent

misunderstanding and can promote a strong relationship between their sons and

daughters.

School. The school can promote awareness to the students about the effects

that may result once they engage in romantic relationships, or become to

dependent on it.

Researchers. The researches can highly benefit from this study sincethey aim

to discover the underlying reasons as to why students decides to commit. In

general, this can prevent wrong assumptions and prejudices.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

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The study will only cover the grade 11 ABM students of the University of Cebu

Main Campus in the new building located at Urgello J.Alcantara St. Cebu City.

Questions will only be exclusive to those students who actually experienced or is

currently in a relationship. The interview will only happen once the researcher

have a free time also if the responded are accesible within the time every break

interval of each subject.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
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The following terms are conceptually used in the research study.

Beneficiary - A person or thing that receives help or an advantage from

something.

Breakdown- The action or result.

Commonplace- commonly found or seen.

Dimension- The range over which or the degree to which something extends.

External- Connected with the outside or an outer part.

Fledge- To rear until ready for flight or independent activity.

Internal- Existing or situated within the limits or surface of something.

Intimacy- Something of a person or private nature.

Offshoot- collateral or derived branch.

Perception - mental image.

Self-reliance - reliance on one's own efforts and abilities.

Trauma- a discovered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental

or emotional stress.

Urge- a strong need or desire to have or do something.

Chapter 2

THE REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

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This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies with a thorough

evaluation of the topic, “Reasons of Romantic Relationship Engagement of

the Senior High School Students in University of Cebu”. In this chapter the

psychological, social and emotional aspect of a students condition will be

investigated which regards to their engagement in romantic relationship.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Love, the most common emotion to us human beings, but there are many

kinds of love, most people seek its expression in a romantic relationship with a

compatible partner, particularly in the stage in early adolescents, humans get to

involve in romantic relationships with variety if reasons. According to Aristotle,

humans are “social animals” which made them long to form an intimate

relationship which love can be given and received freely which the psychologist

called “ the need to belong” (Myers,2010).

There are also aspects that needs to be considered as to why teenagers

commit to a relationship, as stated by Raman (2010) that being in romantic

relationship also involve physical contact which causes chemical arousal to the

involved and at the same time gain love and confidence in which they are longing

for. On the other hand, according to Arnet (ascited in fincham&Cui,2011) “late

adolescents” is the stage where teenagers experienced how to be totally and

socially independent. With the development of new media young people are at
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the forefront of using this practices in ways that might be known unfamiliar and

sometimes even scary to adults (Pascoe,2011).

This is the time for curiosity & exploration in choosing and having a partner,

exploring this kind of curiosity can somehow lead to unpleasant intense love

affair. This may just be a result of their inquisitive mind and as sort of finding on

how to fit in into the world. As teens grow and develop, the creation of peer

relationships, both for friendship and romance is a major focus of their social and

personal lives (Lenhart,Anderson&Smith,2015).

Teenagers find a sense of comfort to peers that they can relate to their

personalities are very much alike, conformity could play a great role to the

decisions a teenagers would commit, opinions of your peers can change your

perception especially when you chose to please them , ”People can be goaded

by social influences by doing things that are not necessarily consistent with their

personalities” (Rathus,2013).

We can be influenced, but would never be contented with the decisions that we

make because in the first place its not your personal choice or simply its not

really what you want. Why do you commit? Reasons may flow once that question

is asked but whatever reason you have or whatever defense you have for your

self, if its unjust then that’s not a relationship that should last, as what Rad(2011)

stated “While in the beginning of the process of evolution having a partner just for

the sake of satisfying physical needs (sex for child birth, shelter, food, etc) was
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enough, but hardly does it for many of us anymore.

REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES

The study entitled “Personality Effect on Romantic Relationship Quality

through Friendship Quality” examines whether individuals with different

personality types (i.e resilients, over controllers,undercotrollers) had different

friendship quality throughout adolescence. The study also investigated whether

personality types we’re indirectly related to romantic relationship quality

development in adolescence. Findings showed that resilients reported higher

mean levels of friendship quality during adolescents than both over controllers

and under controllers. Thus, results provide support for a developmental model

which adolescent friendship quality is a mechanism linking personality (Yu,

Branje,Keijers et. al, 2014).

The study entitled “ The Changing Importance of Romantic Relationship

Involvement to Competence” states that formation of romantic relationships in

adolescent may be important developmental task, researchers also documented

that early sexual intercourse is related to problems with conduct, academics, and

chemical use. Results however showed that although even success in romantic

relationships, there may be deviant and prosocial pathways of initial romantic

involvement. Results highlight the need for developmental research on the

origins and meaning of romantic relationships, one of the most neglected aspects
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of peer relationships ( Neemann, Hubbard, and Masten,2010).

The study “ Romantic Relationships from Adolescence to Young Adulthood”

tests the propositions by considering relationship type and patterns of

relationships over the course of adolescence and their influence on relationship

formation in young adulthood. Findings indicate that relationships become more

exclusive, dyadic, of longer duration, and more emotionally and sexually intimate

over the causes of adolescence (Meier,2010).

“Relationships, Love and Sexuality” aims to consider the Filipinos opinions

concerning relationships, love, and sexuality. Results showed that students

reported have obtained information about love and sexuality mainly from friends.

Majority of the respondents would like to acquire more knowledge, mainly about

emotion-related topics ( Irala, Osorio and Torralba, 2010).

The study entitled “Compassionate Love for Close Others and Humanity”

states that compassionate love was found to be associated positively with

prosocial behavior, evidence was also found that compassionate love is distinct

from empathy, compassionate love for a specific close other was associated with

the provision of social support for that person (Spencer and Fehr,2015)

“Love: A Biological, Phsychological and Philosophical” a study that aims to

explores the role of neurobiology in the process of falling in love. The research

has concluded that the disciplines of biology, psychology, and philosophy are all

important in analyzing love while no final definition of love has been concluded a
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quote from Pascal comes from the closest to gleaming a clue : “The heart has

reasons that reason cannot know” (Chapman,2011).

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The type of research is of descriptive type, since the researcher will rely more on
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the insights or the opinions of our respondents in providing a conclusion in this

research. In conducting the research there are a lot of things that needs to be

considered like how the researchers will gather data, the presentation of the data

gathered etc., which will depend on the research to be conducted.

RESEARCH DESIGN

The researchers will use a qualitative research design and descriptive method in

pertinent to the study in gathering data information. In the qualitative research

design the researchers will randomly interview the ABM Senior High School

students in University of Cebu- Main Campus in the new building. In the

descriptive method the researchers will be collecting facts and informations from

reading materials like textbooks, reference books, and also articles from the

internet.

RESEARCH LOCALE

The study is conducted at University of Cebu-Main Campus in the new Senior

High School building, located at J. Alcantara St. Cebu city, Cebu.

RESEARCH RESPONDENTS

The research respondents of this study are atleast 5 to 10 mostly girls and

atleast a boy or two senior high school ABM students, morning session schedule
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with the age bracket of (16-18 years old).

RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS

The researchers will prepare an interview-questionnaire and research works from

trusted and reliable sources to determine the reasons as to why students engage

in romantic relationship. The interview questionnaire contains open ended

questions and their answers will be based on their personal feelings, experience

and perception. Not necessarily that the questions to be asked are fixed, we will

only prepare at least 3 questions, but expected that there will be follow up

questions. The researchers will only interview at least 5 with a maximum of 10

respondents.

DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE.

Before the interview begins, the researchers will ask for an approval letter or

permit from the Senior High School department Principal ,Mr. Abelardo Tejo.

After the letter is approved the researchers will immediately conduct the

researcher in its conducted location.The evaluation of the gathered data will e

interpreted for the remaining days.

DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURE

The researchers will read and analyze the data gathered, significant statements

will be extracted .The researchers will use the pattern compare and contrast in
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analyzing the data. After comparing and contrasting , the researchers will finally

interpret the data gathered as to what really is/are the reasons students engage

in romantic relationship.

University of Cebu

Main Campus Senior High School Department

New Building
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Title of the research

“Reasons of Romantic Relationship Engagement of the Senior High Students in

University of Cebu Main Campus”

The researchers:

Edenn Menoza

Ma. Fatima Canadallia

Stephanie Castro

Hana Polo

Krishalyn Inocando

Joana May Maurillo

Nikki Porquido
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