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CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Classroom environment embodied a wide reach of educational conceptions,

including the physical setting, the psychological environment created through social

contexts, and numerous instructional components related to teacher characteristics

and behaviors (Miller & Cunningham, 2013). Students’ academic success has

prominently shaped by the type of school or university they attend. School aspects

comprise school structure, school composition, and school climate. The school that

one attends is the institutional environment that sets the parameters of a students’

learning experience. (Korir & Kipkemboi, 2014). The school sector whether its

private or public sector and class size are two important structures that made the

components of a school or a university. (Crosnoe et., al. 2004).

Educational environment or school climate is thoroughly interrelated to the

interpersonal relations amongst students and teachers. According to Crosnoe et., al.

(2004), the educational environment is the conventional ambiance of school. Stress

in the classroom environment modifies student’s possibility of unveiling studying

problems (struggles with concentration, task determination, and flexibility),

externalizing difficulties (frequency with which the child argues, fights, disturbs

ongoing activities, and acts impulsively), problems interacting with peers

(complications in establishing friendships, dealing with other students, expressing

feelings, and showing sensitivity, or internalizing dilemmas (manifestation of anxiety,

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loneliness, low self-esteem, and sadness in the child). These conclusions proposed

that stress — in the form of negative classroom conditions — negatively affects the

way students pay attention in class, stay on task, and able to move from one activity

to another. (Warner, 2011)

Stress is a common condition of life and is significantly involved in the

maintenance of health or the development of disease (Chorusos, 1996). Stress is

not a new phenomenon but has been around (Niel, 1994) and debated for ages in

the fields of medicine, psychology, and sociology (Wheeler, 2007). Factor that may

adapt to an environment complex for the individual to maintain a balance between

himself and his external environment is considered stress (Humprey et., al. 2000). It

may involve a physical or psychological reaction to endure the demands of the

stressful event (Richlin-Klonsky et., al. 2003). Stress had associated as the insight of

Cincongruity between environmental burden which is the stressor and the

individual’s ability to accomplish these demands (Steensman & Vermunt, 2005;

Topper 2007). The stressors are conditions or events that may put a strain on the

individual (Santrock, 2003). It shows that stress may occur in different situations

and different people.

Stress had acknowledged by studies as the product of undesirable response

to people that experiencing extreme strain or burden placed on them (Khan, 2013).

This paper intends to study the relationship of academic stress and academic

performance of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Sta. Mesa Senior High

School Students. This research focuses on the correlation of academic stress that
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senior high school’s have experienced associating their performance academically.

Mostly among to college/university students where the intense relationship has

found concerning stressful life events and decreasing academic performances as

well as a link between stress and health-related quality of life (Dusselier, Dun,

Wang et., al, 2005; Misra & Mckean 2000). Undergraduate students are much more

prone to experiencing higher stress at times because of academic commitments,

financial pressures and lack of time management skills (McKean et., al. 2000).

Studies display that entering university may bring strain or stress (Gall, Evans, &

Bellerose, 2000).

However, in the Philippines where the K-12 program has just implemented

not too long ago, Senior High School acts as a preparatory stage for college

students where they choose their strands to which they think will fit the college

degrees that they want. Researchers would like to use the senior high school

students as the respondents of the study to help the government and the education

sector to prevent academic stress that students experience from their senior high

school years into becoming heavier burdens when they start their undergraduate

studies. It is because students face an altering education system, lifestyle and

social atmosphere especially that senior high school serves as the transitioning

phase of incoming undergraduate students (Habibah, Elias et., al. 2011). Students

need to reach certain levels of academic achievement to progress. Academic

achievement has determined by their performance during classroom activities,

assignments, presentations, and examinations (Ong, Bessie, & Cheong, 2009).

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Stress was the most common factor among all health factors which impact their

academic performance, as stress harmfully affects physical and psychological

health (Dwyer & Cummings, 2001). Where after stress had become perceived

negatively or had become excessive in the measure of the academic semester it

can affect academic performance thus may result in aggression, depression in

relative to academic stress.

Stress in the academic field is a prevalent dilemma among countries,

cultures, ethnic groups and must have viewed in its context (Wong & Scott, 2006).

Academic work has always accomplished by stressful activities (Agolla & Ongori,

2009). That is why stress has regarded as part of students’ life which may influence

their coping mechanisms to the requirements of the academic life. The stressors

may be coming from an internal or external environment that upset balance also it

may be interpersonal, intrapersonal, academic or environmental stressor (Ross,

Niebling & Heckert, 1999). Academic stress is a significant source of stress for many

students (Hashim, 2003). Academically related stressors such as examinations, fear

of logging overdue home works, writing assignments and papers, working on

individual and group projects, time pressure, lack of financial support, lack of

motivation and concern about academic ability (Tyrrel,1992). According to student

workload task force report of 2012, academics and workload turned out as the top

stressors of students. Fear of failing, the pressure to succeed in one’s field and

expectations after graduations are moreover related to academic stress (Busari,

2012).
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Failing to cope with the stressors in school works may cause failure of

academic performance and increase of psychological distress (Dwyer & Cummings,

2001). This research aims to study academic stress on the aspect of academic

performance. Researchers established stressors which include excessive

assignments, unhealthy competition among class students, fear of failure in

educational achievement and lack of pocket money (Fairbrother & Warn, 2003).

Aside from this, researchers have also identified that poor interpersonal relationships

in class or with lecturers, and family problems play a vital role in how the stress level

of students rise. Stress is due to different factors that include personal subjective

goals, social behavior, issues of time management, financial matters, adjustment in

the academic culture lack of support system, interaction with lecturer., (Wilks, 2008).

Stressors related to the school system itself includes overcrowded lecture halls,

(Ongori, 2007; Awino & Agolla, 2008), the semester system, and insufficient

resources to perform academic work. Researchers have then concluded that

academic factors are responsible for a higher level of stress among undergraduate

students (Jejukar and Kumar,2005).

Academic performance is one of the most vital considerations among

students in higher educational level and Stress is one of the factors that have a

negative effect on the mastery of the academic curriculum (Siraj et., al. 2014). Stress

the in academic field can have both positive and negative consequences. Stress can

inhibit and suppress learning, which is called ‘unfavorable stress’ and has

associated with inhibition of students’ academic performance.

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Combination of academic-related demands that exceed the adaptive

resources available to an individual has considered as academic stress

(Khanehkeshi & Basavarajappa, 2011). Conduct problems resulting from stress

such as aggression and hostility shows that it may affect academic achievement

(Hinshow, 1992). According to American Psychological Association, Behavioral

Neuroscientists directed by Menno Kruk Ph.D. of Leiden Amsterdam Center for

Drug Research, the stress (adrenocortical) and aggression (hypothalamic)

responses are ancient, inbred and found across mammalian species, therefore

stress then aggression loop could transpire in humans. Severe psycho-social-

emotional health consequences may follow if a student is unable to manage

efficiently with academic stress (Scot, 2008). Too much stress in academics may

contribute to depression, anxiety, and physical illness which can in turn negatively

affect academic performance (Dedeyn, 2008). The study of McGeorge et., al (2009)

also showed that academic stress had associated with a variety of negative health

outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and physical illness. According to Ove

Wiborg Ph.D. of Aarhus University Hospital Department of Clinical Medicine, Centre

for Psychiatric Research, Chronic Stress may result in the shrinking of the

Hippocampus that may lead to the development of depression.

Based on the literature gathered, the researchers decided to conduct research

involving the relationship of the academic stress and academic performance of the senior

high school students from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Aside from this, the

researchers would also like to establish the level of academic stress and academic

performance of the students.

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Study Framework

This study will be using the study framework involving the use of the Independent

Variable (IV), Dependent Variable (DV) and Intervening Variable (iv). The independent

variable will be the variable that brings the change towards the dependent variable. The

dependent variable will then be the variable in the study that will do observed because of

changes in the independent variable. The independent variable can stand alone and is not

changed by the other variables that are being tested by the researchers in the study. It is the

variable in the study that the researcher usually have control over. The dependent variable

is the variable in the study that is measured and what is affected by the changes in the

independent variable. Lastly, the intervening variable will be those conditions that may come

in between the process of how the independent variable affects the dependent variable. It

may also be what mediates the dependent and independent variables in the study.

In the study, the researchers identified academic stress as the independent variable

of the study, academic stress as defined by the researchers is the academic-related

demands that exceed the adaptive resources available to an individual which makes people

feel depressed and display aggressive attitude. The researchers then identified academic

performance as the dependent variable in the study, academic performance is then defined

in the study as the ability of study and lessons, being able to study effectively, put

knowledge together to form new leanings, and being able to write down or verbally present,

the knowledge that they have learned. Lastly, the intervening variables of the study are

those things that may affect the process of how the academic stress and academic

performance like cognitive and noncognitive factors how someone understand lessons.

With the utilization of the study framework, the researchers will be able to establish

the relationship between academic stress and academic performance. Below is the model
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that the researchers will use in a study to clearly show how the interrelationship of the

variables works.

Conceptual Framework

The researchers situate model of the relationship between academic stress and academic

performance of a student. Academic stress as per defined is the academic-related demands

that exceed the adaptive resources available to an individual (Khanehkeshi &

Basavarajappa, 2011). Academic performance refers to the ability of study and lessons,

being able to study effectively, put knowledge together to form new learnings, and being

able to write down or verbally present the knowledge that they have learned (Nyagosia,

2011). With the intervention of stressors from a person’s environment, the student may

experience academic stress. With the use of the study framework that introduced earlier, the

researchers came up with the idea that because of the academic stress that one

experiences, their academic performance might be affected.

Independent Dependent
Variable Variable

Intervening
Variable
Figure 1.0 shows the model of the study framework
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Academic Academic
Stress Performance

Poor attention span,

personal problems,
other types of stress
and etc.

Figure 1.1 is the integrated model of the study framework that the researchers will use

As defined in the study, academic stress involves the mental strain that students

experience that a student portrays and reflects. The academic stress has put in place of the

independent variable. The academic performance is then placed in the dependent variable

box as it is the dependent variable of the study. The intervening variables are then written in

general form as there are more than two factors that had identified like environmental

factors, poor attention span, personal problems and etc.

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Statement of the Problem

This study sought to establish the relationship between academic stress and

academic performance, for this to answer, the researchers sought to know what is

he relationship between academic stress and academic performance of selected

Senior High School students of Polytechnic University of the Philippines?

Sub problems:

1. What is the socio-demographic profile of the students?

a. Gender

b. Strand

2. What is the level of academic stress of the selected senior high school students of

Polytechnic University of the Philippines?

3. What is the level of academic performance of the selected senior high school

students of Polytechnic University of the Philippines?

4. Is there a significant difference in academic stress between the student’s gender and

strand?

5. Is there a significant difference in academic performance between the student’s

gender and strand?

6. What is the relationship of academic stress to academic performance?

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Hypothesis:

In this study, the researchers presuppose that:

H0The lower the level of academic stress the higher the academic performance of the

student.

Scopes and Limitations

The researchers focused on the statement of the problem, which is to determine the

relationship of academic stress and academic performance of the selected student of

Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Sta. Mesa Campus. The researchers aligned the

study based upon the written objectives only and did not go beyond or add another variable

aside from what have stated. The study had focused on determining the significant

difference of academic stress and academic performance.

The respondents of this study would be the students from Polytechnic University of

the Philippines – Sta. Mesa Campus which had currently enrolled in the university as Senior

High School students. The researchers used a systematic random sampling technique to

give an equal chance to all senior high school students to participate in the study, to achieve

said equal picking, the researchers used a proportionately stratified sampling technique. The

instruments the researchers used were adapted survey questionnaires from two credible

sources (1) the Academic Stress Scale which was developed by a group of researchers

from Iran, Ali Khanehkeshi and Basavarajappa (2011) which was also an adaptation from

Kim’s (1970). Students’ Academic Stress Scale, the questionnaire has 45 items, and (2)

Academic Performance Scale which was developed by Sui Huang for her graduate program

in The Ohio State University in 2011, the instrument contained 20 items and with the help of
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gathered related relevant literature helped the researchers to easily establish a systematic,

reliable and not prolonged questionnaires (Huang, 2011).

Significance of the study

This study aimed to determine the relationship of academic stress to the academic

performance of students at Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Sta. Mesa. With this,

the researcher would like to state the importance of this study in the following:

To the school and the faculty

The findings of this study would be a basis for universities and schools for the

implementation of school regulations, validation of the current school rules and for the

improvement of the schools’ status. Regulations that could help in improving the stress

management of students especially academically and those that could help the students

increase their academic performance in school. Also, this study could help the school and

the university further understand the students from all levels and learn the gaps that are

needed to be filled that invisible on their eyes. Javadi, Adhami, Haghdoost (2002) mentioned

on their study that it is also important to interact and have a good relationship between the

school and the students and how important the role the school play on the academic

performance of the student.

To the students and readers

The findings of this study would open the eyes of the students that are unaware of

the state that they are in now and the possible stress that they may be dealing with in a

sense that they would better understand the impact of academic stress and better manage

their studies. It could also be a reminder to the current academic performance status they
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manifest in the class. Since, students from tertiary level experience the highest academic

stress (Hanson, 2000) it is necessary to know the coping strategies and the contributing

factors for having academic stress and in maintaining good academic performance.

Neglecting these pivotal problems could lead to more dangerous health problems and could

affect their academic performance status.

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Definition of Terms

Stress- the product of undesirable response to people that experiencing extreme

strain or another sort of burden placed on them

Academic Stress- is the academic-related demands that exceed the adaptive

resources available to an individual which makes people feel depressed and display

an aggressive attitude

Academic Performance- performance refers to the ability of study and lessons,

being able to study effectively, put knowledge together to form new learnings, and

being able to write down or verbally present the knowledge that they have learned

Attention-refers to how people selectively absorb information based on the learning

they receive.

Retention- people select the information they have, and they store that information

as a new learning

Reproduction- people perform or act the learnings that they have acquired

Motivation- helps the learner to continue exercising their acquired knowledge

Human Agency- refers to how people decide to invest whether or not to learn

something or to adapt behavioral and cognition change

Self-regulation- refers to self-generated thoughts, feelings, and actions that people

adopt in order for people to attain learning

Self-efficacy- concerned with how an individual believes how they are able to act

the learning that they have acquired

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Chapter 2

Review of Literature and Studies

Factors that Affects Students Academic Performance

Students’ academic performance became famous to the researchers before,

correlating numerous variables that might affect one’s academic performance. Hanson

(2000) has reported student academic performance may have caused by different factors

such as learning abilities, gender, and race. Simmons et., al. (2005) concluded that family

income level, attending full time, receiving grant aid and completing advanced level classes

in high school affects student’s academic performance. Mckenzie and Schweitzer’s (2010)

study resulted that academic performance has identified the most significant predictors of

university performance.

Students are vital to any learning institution a school cannot be called a ‘sanctuary of

learning’ if there is no presence of students. In other words, universities and colleges have

no value without its students. Current students are our future, they will become leaders and

the manpower of a particular country, and they will be responsible for the country’s social

and economic development (Ali et., al, 2009). The student’s academic performance also

plays a vital role in creating the finest quality alumnae.

In a study conducted last 2014, it was found out by the researchers that certain

countries, like the Philippines, give too much attention to its education. In truth, the

Philippines’ 2017 budget for education was Php 543.2 billion, making the Department of

Education the top gainer of increase in funds. Some of it will go to the Voucher Program that

will support students who will enter the K-12 program.

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Activeness in the Classroom

Activeness in the classroom is known as active class participation. To fully

understand how this affects classroom performance of a student let us first operationalize

the meaning of this. According to Petress, active class participation is the active

engagement of students in the classroom, and the civil exchange of ideas the students and

the professor or the students towards their classmates have (Petress, 2006). According to

the research entitled “How does student participation influence student achievement,?”

students who actively participated in the classroom are more likely to have better academic

performance. For this study, the researchers have conducted their research on a middle

school in a certain school in New York City. They focused on knowing the relationship of

active class participation and academic performance of students in their math class. In the

study, they found out that initially, it was not the high academic performance that the

students aimed for but the reward system that has offered to active students. Rather than

focusing on giving the right answers to the questions, they were more engaged because

they wanted to receive a gift, however, they also found out that the active class participation

of student-made them have better academic performance (Cañada and Reddington, 2006).
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Another study in relation to this has also proven that active class participation affects

academic performance. The research paper entitled “Participation strategies and student

performance: An undergraduate health science retrospective study” found the same result

as the first study. In the study, the researchers conducted their research instrument at a

local college in Canada wherein they wanted to know if evidence-based teaching would be

effective teaching practice for a health science course. At the end of the research, the

researchers found out that active student participation relates to achieving higher test scores

and having a better overall academic performance (Duquette, Howard and Starmer, 2015).

A similar study has conducted entitled “Classroom Participation Strategy In Principles Of

Finance Courses” to identify whether there was a relationship between academic

performance and the active class participation of the students. The objective of this study

was to see whether graded classroom participation would be effective for the students’

learning and whether it would be beneficial for the students to do so. The result of the study

was nonetheless almost the same as the other two studies. At the end of the research, the

researchers found out that there was a highly positive correlation between the two variables,

namely the active class participation and academic performance. There were also two

benefits that have identified in the study. First, was that active class participation reduced

the stress levels of students in the finance field. Second, was that they found out that

students were able to focus more on their studies with the help of active class participation

(Fewings and Wondes, 2009).

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Although there was a difference in the academic level and the course that the

sample of the three studies had, the outcome of all researches pointed to the highly positive

significant relationship of academic performance and active class participation. All of the

studies have identified that active class participation aids how a student performs inside the

classroom regardless of their academic level. Not only is active class participation a factor in

achieving high academic performance but it also aids students to lessen the stress level that

they feel inside the classroom.

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Presence in the Classroom

Such underrated things that we do on any occasion, may it be in formal or informal,

scholarly or non-scholarly, grand or casual and etc., is our attendance. Attendance is the

state or being present at a given event or place for a certain period of time. Attendance, in

most classroom settings, is the act whenever students are present for classroom

discussions, lectures or etc., which is related to their subjects. According to the study

“Relationship Between Students’ Performance and Class Attendance in a Programming

Language Subject in a Computer Course,” the researchers have found that there was a

strong positive relationship between the class attendance and the overall high academic

performance of a student. The researchers conducted their study in an Indian University and

used the students who are taking up computer-related courses as the sample for their study.

Their study was to establish the extent of the relationship between class attendance and

academic performance. At the end of the study, the researchers found out that there was a

highly positive relationship between academic performance and class attendance. Those

who attended the class more often had significantly higher grades than those students who

did not attend class regularly (Narula and Nagar, 2013)

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According to another study that conducted in the same year entitled “Student

Attendance and Academic Performance in Undergraduate Obstetrics/Gynecology Clinical

Rotations,” class attendance increase the chance of students to have higher test scores. As

we all know class attendance is a must as it comprises a percentage of our final grades in

college but aside from this the reason why class attendance is important, is that you get to

listen to the discussions made by the professor and you get to clarify things that you didn’t

understand in the lesson from the professor or the lecturer. The sample of this study was

mainly students who were taking up medical courses specifically those who are involved in

obstetrics and gynecology. The researchers found at the end of the study that there was a

positive correlation between attendance and academic performance of students. The

researchers found out that the students who attend clinical lectures and tutorial sessions

have significantly higher test scores. As the attendance of a student increases the test

scores also increases and as the attendance of a student decreases the test scores of

students also decreases (Deane and Murphy, 2013).

From a study conducted in a University in Nigeria, they also sought whether the

attendance of students in their organic chemistry class affected their final test score. The

researchers found out at the end of the study that there was indeed a higher test score for

the students who attended the lectures more often than those who didn’t. The students who

didn’t attend the class on the days of the lecture did poorly on the exam while the students

who had consistent attendance for the lecture days have significantly higher grades

(Olufunmilayo, 2017). Now based on the references above it can be seen that there despite

the different courses that university students take, their class attendance still plays a big role

in their academic performance.

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Extra-Curricular Accomplishment

Student participation in extracurricular activities strengthens the bonds of students to

the school they are enrolled in (Correaet., al. 2015). Thus, it is vital for academic institutions

to enhance such activities for the students to be engaged and feel some kind of association

with the school with that they are more probable to stay in the same institution (Baker,

2008). For the purpose of this study, extracurricular activities have defined as school-

sponsored and those which are related to activities that are “external to the core curriculum”

(Shulruf, 2010). Extracurricular activities are academic or non-academic activities that have

conducted under the support of the school but occur outside of normal classroom time and

are not component of the curriculum (Bartkus et., al. 2012). According to a study entitled

"Factors affecting university entrants’ performance in high-stakes tests: a multiple regression

analysis” which conducted in the Mindanao State University, students and teachers should

encourage students to get involved in extra-curricular activities. As these can be a venue for

students to develop skills that are useful in the real world aside from the skills, that they are

already learning inside the classroom(Cabauatan et., al, 2014).

Not all activities result in the same type of support for better student integration;

some extracurricular activities may enhance academic achievement and others may hinder

it (Broh, 2002). To find the effect of extracurricular activities accomplishment (Broh, 2002)

accomplished a secondary analysis of data from National Longitudinal Study of 1988; which

outcomes proposed that sports as an extracurricular activity are good for student

development and socialization within students, parents and schools bond. Playing sports as

an extracurricular is not substantial in influencing student grades however it increases self-

esteem (Broh, 2002). Sports participation as extracurricular has linked to improved school

attendance, social relationships, and self-esteem (Marsh & Kleitman, 2002). However
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(Mehus, 1934) proposed that students with extracurricular engaging in debate, oratory

activities, departmental clubs, and publication tend to perform better academically than

those involved in athletics, music, and drama.

Cognitive Factors of School Performance

For the objective of these study cognitive factors are defined as academic

standardized tests scores, examination, class rank or standing and general weighted

average. Other cognitive factors related to including high school GPAs and high school

ranks (Smith & Schumacher, 2005). Research studies found cognitive factors, such as

academic background and standardized test scores, to be significant predictors of academic

performance (Bell et., al., 2008). There are also certain differences in styles of remembering

a lesson, thinking of a student on a certain topic and judging and with these individual

variations and diversity, if not directly part of their personality are associated with various

non-cognitive dimensions of one’s personality (Kogan, 1976) cited in (Danili & Reid, 2005).

Differences in the factors already stated are brought together to conclude that individuals

have different thinking styles and dealing with a certain topic and are different in intelligence,

ability, personality, and achievement. It now can be concluded that our thinking style

influences our: intellectual abilities; skills; personalities; teaching and learning; and

performance. According to Messick's (1993) cited in (Danili & Reid, 2005) definition

“cognitive styles are characteristic modes of thinking, problem-solving remembering,

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decision making, and perceiving, that are reflective of information processing regularities

that develop in congenial ways.”

Arguments that are to the overlap between style and ability have been present.

Researchers come up to an idea and support the idea of ‘ability’ as it describes the

performance of a student in a certain task whilst ‘style’ describes the way the task

approached by the student (Messick, 1994) cited in (Danili & Reid, 2005). While intellectual

abilities are primarily connected and relate with the ability to learn of a student, cognitive

styles are primarily concerned with differences in the ways of learning. Riding and Cheema

(1991) cited in (Danili & Reid, 2005). Considered cognitive style to be a fixed characteristic

of an individual or a student while cognitive strategies are the ways that may be used to

cope with particular situations and tasks of the student. Strategies may be learned and

developed along the way. Styles, by contrast, are static and are relatively in-built features of

the individual (Danili & Reid, 2005).

Non-Cognitive Factors of School Performance

For the objective of this study non-cognitive factors are identified as annual family

income, educational attainment, type of family structure, study habits, extracurricular

activities. The term non-cognitive has existed employed in the domains of economics and

sociology more expansively than in the domains of psychology and education, and it is used

quite broadly, “as a catch-all … to focus on variables other than those measured by test

scores” (Farkas, 2003). It has considered non-cognitive if icharacterized as personality

traits, thought pattern, behavior and feelings and behavior. (Borghans et., al., 2008). Thus

the definite skill sets are to be determined upon one’s field of study. Such as, the

classification of a psychologist to the non-cognitive skills in terms of the categories of the

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“Big Five”: being open to experience, thoroughness, extraversion, neuroticism, and

obligingness (Bernstein et al., 2007) cited in (Bjorklund-Young, 2016). Skills that are non-

cognitive furthermost intensely linked with performance in the academic field are the

following: academic behaviors such as participating and going to class, perseverance in the

academic such as discipline within self and bravery, mindset academically for instance. The

sense of feeling belong in a academic community and being certain of ability and

competence that can nurture with effort, strategies in learning similarly as setting one’s goal

and strategies under metacognitive, lastly skills in socializing thus collaboration and

interactive skills. Furthermore, different skills that also under the broad category recognized

as non-cognitive skills are both behavioral or regular attendance in school and the affective

or known as the growth mindset. (Farrington et., al., 2012) cited in (Bjorklund-Young, 2016).

Non-cognitive skills strengthen cognitive skills, they are interdependent but they can

be measured independently, (Bjorklund-Young, 2016). Throughout the school process,

students with higher academic achievement have stronger non-cognitive skills (Gabrieli,

Ansel, & Krachman, 2015). For instance, an individual’s inborn intellect are pre-determined

through his or her IQ test scores and also by his or her capability to focus and motivate him

or her selves (Borghans et., al., 2008). The academic behaviors of the students comprising

participation in class, homework completion and regular attendance to school are in relation

to the measurement of achievement in academic or such as grades. (Farrington et al.,

2012). Hence, skills in non-cognitive that are well-developed stimulate the improvement of

cognitive skills. Performance in school has highly impacted by non-cognitive skills and can

be an influence in adulthood (Bjorklund-Young, 2016). Studies through the fields of

economics, psychology, and education show that skills in terms of non-cognitive are a

prediction of a variety of adult outcomes, involving occupation, well-being, criminal behavior,

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financial stability and achievement in academics (Gabrieli, Ansel & Krachman, 2015).

Scholars also retrieved that skills in non-cognitive are more prognostic conclusion than test

scores (Chetty et al. 2011; Heckman & Rubinstein 2001; Lindquist & Vestman 2011; Mueller

& Plug, 2006) cited in (Bjorklund-Young, 2016).The study "The Role Of Socioeconomic

Status, Out-Of-School Time, And Schools: Multilevel Assessments Of Factors Associated

With Academic Achievement" found out that socio-economic status has correlated to

student's academic performance. Reading, compared to mathematical skills, was more

affected by the social economic standing of a student (Huang, 2009). In the same study, it

also found out that out-of-school time contributes to the academic achievement of students.

Watching TV, playing, sleeping performing chores and making their homework are some of

the factors that were analyzed. Playing hours showed a negative impact on the student's

academic performance while more time for homework found out to have positive effects.

Travel time to school was another factor that tested, and it was found out that longer travel

times affect the performance of students in school. (Huang, 2009)

Psychological Behaviors that Affect Students’ Academic Performance

Among undergraduate students factors in the academic field were primarily

accountable for a high-level of stress (Kumar & Jejurkar, 2005). According to Bernstein et.,

al. (2008), explaining the bases of stress as every single occurrence or incident that

compromises to unsettle the daily functioning of people and causing them to create

adjustments. Students supposed that their academic courses and tasks were large and

difficult, they experienced more stress (Everson, Tobias, Hartman, & Gourgey, 1993).

Whereof corresponding to students has a distinctive collection of experiences towards

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stress (Essel & Owusu, 2017). Academic performances of the students can be influenced by

countless aspects which would be explained later as those which causes strain as a unique

set of stressful encounters that consist of challenges in financial difficulty, responsibilities

domestically, responsibilities to having a job whilst school and hectic educational load

(Phinney & Haas, 2003). If it is stern and persistent, it might distress the academic

performance of the student and their life in the institution alongside with an upsurge in

probable actions for substance abuse and further similar conducts (Richlin-Klonsky & Hoe in

Busari 2012). From the study "High self-control predicts more positive emotions, better

engagement, and higher achievement in school" which was conducted last 2012 in a private

research institute in Metro Manila, it was found out that aside from academic and university-

related activities, self-control also plays a specific part in a person's increased academic

performance. The differences in self-control should have taken into consideration which

takes an uncommon path to most of the academic indicators that are used to examine

performance in school (King and Gaerlan, 2014). In the study from the De La Salle

University entitled "Psychological Capital Predicts Academic Engagement and Well-Being in

Filipino High School Students", it was found out that high school students who show hope,

optimism, resilience, and self-efficacy participates more actively in classroom activities and

show that they felt good in doing those activities (Datu and Valdez, 2015).

Presence of Academic Stress in School Environment

Physics identify stress as a word which denotes to the extent of weight consumed on a body

and to real life as to in what way definite matters that transmit force harnessed to a person’s

life (Wheeler, 2007). It may come from difficulties in financial aspects, issues on health, and
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conflict between friends that can bring pressure or force on a being's body -mind and spirit.

More or less of the stress could be conceived from the surroundings but utmost habitually

originated from inside a person's head in the form of anxiety, restlessness, remorse,

discouragement and having low confidence. Therefore, according to (Essel & Owusu, 2017)

basically, stress is a weight applied to an individual and can cause a strain which is as a

consequence of unmanaged stress and being not able in handling problems and challenge.

To other people, the minimal effect has seen which concludes that they are able to endure

the pressure while in others enormous and adverse effect are seen (Essel & Owusu, 2017).

According to the study Stressors and Stress Responses of Filipino College Students (Dy,

Espiritu-Santo, et., al. 2015), most stresses of the students came from having academic

difficulty with their subjects, student responsibility, workload from the subjects and time

management concerns. Also, within this study, the researcher found out that most students

when under circumstances that triggers stress mostly experience cognitive stress.

Stress has defined as “an uncertain reaction to external and internal factors” which

aims to indicate an undesirable or optimistic response to environmental stimuli (Pargman,

2006). Situations that may generate stress are known as stressors. Stress is not merely

negative occurrences that happen, positive incidents also cause stress (Centre 2010, 4–6;

Davidson 2001). Positive stressors are known as eustress and negative stressors are called

distress. Positive stressors may according to (Essel & Owusu, 2017) are typically not

observed because of its characteristics which can be a short term event that may feel very

exciting, it may develop one’s attitude, and performance and also it can motivate people.

Moreover, stressors with negative impacts are characterized such as can cause anxiety and

feeling troubled, it can also be rapid term but can have extensive term repercussions, it may

feel disturbing and unpleasant at the same time, and it also may decrease person’s morale
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and productivity. The person's view of the stressor and capacity to adjust to the stressor are

substantial in the perception of whether the stressor is equivalent to or beyond his emotive

and behavior resources to cope (Hardesty 2006; Amponsah & Owolabi 2011). "Stress,

Stressors, and Stress Responses of Student Nurses in a Government Nursing School " also

proves that stress is a prevalent case in the academe. The study was conducted at the

Samar State University and aims to find out more about the stressors that nursing students

are facing. In the study, they found out that most of the students are experiencing a lot of

academic stress. They feel that they still lack the skill and knowledge needed to complete

their degree which leads to their stress. It was found out to affect their physio-psycho-social

health. However, a good finding in the study was that, as the students progress in their

studies, their academic stress decreases. (Labrague, 2013).

Particular factors occur to certainly trigger so ample stress than a person be able to

visualize, and they also take part a vital role in the several aspects of the life of a student.

Students experience stress due to different factors including issues of time management,

financial matters, interaction with lecturers, personal subjective goals, social behavior,

adjustment in the academic culture lack of support system (Wilks, 2008). These influences

differ from person to person that results in a different set of attitudes, perception, and

behaviors. (Essel & Owusu, 2017). In connection to that, peculiar elements, are formed in

so many ways either one way or the other, have an emotional impact on student

performance and induce stress. The factors that (Essel & Owusu, 2017) stated are 1.

Changing of the living environment which describes that stress can occur once a stimulus or

event entails us to adjustment in some way makes the change a stressful experience in the

living environment, 2. Changes in habits while sleeping where somewhat difficult nature of

student-life causes a drastic alteration in sleep pattern of unsteady and habitually tied to
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academic loads and/or tasks at hand; 3. New responsibilities, such as conveying to embrace

a job while in school will certainly composite to a heavy academic load, which is guaranteed

to cause in stress; 4. Financial difficulties are unquestionably not a beneficial experience

while a student has to grip dual challengesof financial constraints,and academics it is

enough to get a student tensed and depressed, 5. A job with studies combined like with the

third characteristics also are the bases of a lot of stress to students which might be

demanding for them to handle especially time constricted between job and school

responsibility. 6. Poor eating habits can also induce stress to students, according to

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine those that are with sugar, caffeine, refined

starch, fatty food, and stress-inducing foods are processed foods, processed snacks,

carbonated drinks, candies, white bread, and fried foods are most food students eat that

mainly causes build-up of stress. Among college students, a strong relationship is found

between stressful life events and reduced academic performance as well as there is a link

between health-related quality of life and stress (Dusselier, Dunn, Wang, Shelley & Whalen,

2005; Misra & McKean, 2000)

Researchers had also explored studies in associations to academic stressors in

connection to contextual factors, such as gender or school status. Moreover, significant

differences in parental expectations between female students and male students, are with

higher expectations for male students (Chen, 2014).

New Phase and the New Environment

Senior High School: A New Phase

From a study called “Self-reported sources of Stress Among Senior High School

Students,” around 400 students that on their final year in Senior High School had given a
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questionnaire that asks them to report the different stresses that they experience (Kennedy

and Kouzma, 2016). The idea of conducting this research was from the past literature that

proponent has read which points out that adolescents have high academic stress

experience. The results of the study showed that the main cause of their stress were

academic reasons which were examinations and outcomes. There were also a lot of notable

reasons as to why they experience stress such as too much workload, worry for the future,

worry if they are choosing the right track and amount to learn. It has also found out that most

of these stress is imposed on them by other people such as their peers and their

community. (Kennedy and Kouzma, 2016).

Another study called “The Effects of Stress on Academic Performance of Senior

High School Students in Ghana” which was also about stress management suggested

that senior high school students experience stress that is mostly related to being an

incoming college student (Bekoe et., al, 2015). The researcher studied students from

New Juaben SHS. The stress that the students experienced were also considered as to

being academically related and thus affecting their performance in school with course

load and examinations being one of the top academic stresses. However, there were also

other factors that were identified such as family problems and financial problems that the

students face. It had later recommended in the study for parent intervention and

counseling to help students cope with the stress they experience (Bekoe et., al, 2015).

The Idea of Transition to College: A New Environment

According to a study, college brings a lot of significant changes to students.

College students usually adjust the way they live to balance their university life with

their personal life including their sleeping habits, time management, and daily
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routines. The changeover of going to college and separation from home can be an

added stressor for a student. Some students may be able to see these transitions as

a positive experience that can be exciting, but some students may seem to be

threatened by this change (Pfeiffer, 2001). There are students who experience being

homesick, whether it is slight and self-limiting or deep grief and anxiety. Students

tend to have a feeling of losing control in the new environment of college and having

to adapt to a different climate, social customs, behavior, and new language. The

transition and changes occurring can be stressful for students because of these new

conditions (Pfeiffer, 2001). According to the New York University School of Medicine,

Jess P. Shatkin, MD, MPH. There are several challenges a student may face into his

or her transition to college life, such as fitting in and trying to find a new peer and

corresponding into new social norms, being detached from his familiar environment

and learning new sets of behaviors, and adapting to new group affiliation. Also

balancing social life and working, the college may present a vast opportunity to meet

new people and at the same time a working environment where specialization is

required.

Because of these changes, it brings students a lot of stress (Heim et., al,

2009). According to a study by Ryan et., al in 2010, 30% percent of students who

enter college get overwhelmed with the new environment they are encountering.

This study was further proven when the American Psychological Association

conducted a study last 2013, and they found out that college students’ mental health

is beginning to be a growing concern. In this study, they found out that anxiety was
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the biggest mental health problem of students at that time at 41.6%, whereas

depression only comes second with 36.4%. However, this number soared up even

higher the following year when the American Psychological Association conducted a

follow-up study where they found out that 46% of students in 2014 was experiencing

some kind of mental health problem.

Defined by the Cambridge dictionary, tertiary level or college is a place for

specialized education after high school where students are taught skills and had

trained for chosen fields. College is where adolescence meets adulthood, where

teens have turned into adults. There is this long preparation for college that starts off

even in childhood with parents asking their children what they would want when they

grow up, to saving up funds for their children’s future. Aside from the academic

workload that students face in high school, students also start to enroll to review

centers to get better chances of passing the college entrance exam of their desired

universities. According to Entrepreneur Philippines, review centers make as much as

Php 5,000 to Php 10, 000 per student depending on the hours that they spend

reviewing. College also breaks the usual high school norm where students in the

same year level are have taught the same lessons. College students get specialized

subjects for their chosen fields.

The Role of Gender in Higher Education

Over the past few years, women outnumbered men in terms of producing graduates in

higher education (Jorgensen et al. 2009) and in terms of preparing for higher education

women seem to be at an increasing advantage. Not only do women enter college at a higher
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rate than men, but they are also less likely to drop out of college (Fisher, 2013). A lot of

researches claims like Sommers (2001) that boys are more often have discipline problems

than girls who are more likely to pay attention to class discussions, participate on group

works and keep on track on homework. The study Stressors and Stress Responses of

Filipino College Students (Dy, Espiritu-Santo, et., al, 2015l) concluded that male and female

have similar reactions to their stress but differ on how they perceive it. With male students,

they were prone to manifest affective stress while females were prone to both cognitive and

effective stress reaction. While in the study……. says that male students-respondents

imparts that thesis writing and research were the most common stress-inducing workload for

them. Whereas with the female students the most common stressors were school

requirements.

From the book The Rise of Women: The Growing Gender Gap in Education and

What It Means for American Schools it concludes that girls get higher grades than boys, but

that does not mean that boys in America are incompetent but because they consider that

American Schools are not ‘boy-friendly’ enough. It found out that the boys’

underperformance in school, has something to do with society’s norms about masculinity,

students tend to see these extra-curricular activities as un-masculine (DiPrete & Buchmann,

2013). According to the study "The Role Of Socioeconomic Status, Out-Of-School Time,

and Schools: Multilevel Assessments Of Factors Associated With Academic Achievement"

which was conducted in the Philippines, it was found out that girls had more advanced

knowledge than boys in reading and mathematics which indicated that they had more

academic growth than boys of the same age (Huang, 2009).

Researchers had also explored studies in associations to academic stressors in

connection to contextual factors, such as gender or school status. Moreover, significant

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differences in parental expectations between female students and male students, are with

higher expectations for male students (Chen, 2014). However, with Sulaiman et. Al (2009)

females are more probable to be emotional than males in response to their surroundings

which make them more prone to stress. Females further often thought of their worries and

provided an additional period in dwelling on their apprehensions (Garret, 2001), making

them more prone to depression (Kudielka and Kirschbaum, 2004). It is important to note that

cognitive stress responses is the leading cause for chronic depression and may contribute

to the emergence of affective disorders (Stroud, Salovey, and Epel, 2002), something for

females to be wary of reaction and perception to stress is unlike in both genders (male and

female) (Mirsa & Castillo, 2004). There is a significant difference between male and female

students on the time pressure factor of stress (Jogaratnam & Buchanan, 2004). The state of

individuals and actions due to the perceived presence of those stressors has termed as a

stress response (Larkin 2005). The stress response is the "fight or flight" reaction to a

stressor where adrenaline is released to the body (Larkin 2005) while coping is the

psychological procedure where a specific person attempts to contest and cope to the

psychological stress (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) Quoted from by Dy et., al. “Stressors and

Stress Responses of Filipino College Students.”

The Battle of Majors

The new k-12 program which produced its first batch of graduates just last school

year aims to aid students in high school for their chosen career paths in college. With this,

the Department of Education has made several steps in ensuring that students will get to

focus on their future degree prospects in college. Unlike in other countries, the Philippines

has much more variations in its tracks called strands which is similar to the majors that are
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being taken up in college. In Japan, the senior high school students only have two strands to

choose from which are the academic and the technical vocation strand while in the United

States, the senior high school system varies from state to state as well as whether or not

there is division in the tracks for college (Orales and Sarmiento, 2016). According to CIIT,

academic strands like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics),

HUMSS (Humanities and Social Sciences), ABM (Accountancy and Business Management)

and GAS (General Academic Strand) tend to have more appeal to those who are willing to

enter college. On the other hand, the technical vocational strands like ICT (Information and

Communications Technology) appeal to those who are more inclined to have technical skills

or job-ready skills. Sports track, on the other hand, is picked by students who want to have a

professional career in playing different sports. The ADT (Arts, Design, and Technology)

track, on the other hand, focuses more on liberal arts such as visual arts or performing arts.

In countries that have been having the senior high school system for a while now like the

United States, they are pushing onto having more students get involved in STEM programs,

which in turn have caused a hefty amount of students to somehow change their minds of

taking degrees that major in arts. However, this push for STEM programs does not

significantly make enrollment in degrees like journalism and pre-law drop and remain as a

popular choice among students (Richards, n/d). From the same article, it has stated that the

students are gravitating towards the STEM-related courses as they feel that it’s the best

source for job creation and innovation. But the Americans for Arts Organization disapproves

of this as according to them, most students in the arts field tend to be recognized more for

their academic achievements (Richards, n/d).

In 3rd world countries like those in the continent of Africa, they have also been

pushing for students to take up courses that are involved in STEM as they believe that there
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will be a big help for the development of their country (Nakweya, 2017).However, because

of this consistent push for students to take STEM, there is an undeniable imbalance

between graduates of humanities-related courses and science-related courses. Higher

education institutions have always favored those who are in the STEM making those who

are taking business and humanities feel like they are the inferior graduates (Nakweya,

2017). However, this should not be the case as there should be a balance and a

collaboration between the tracks as one cannot function with solely hard science skills, one

needs to know and appreciate the soft sciences as well such as sociology and journalism.

According to a study which is entitled Stress Anxiety and Depression Among Arts

and Science Students which was conducted last 2016 with 260 participants composed of

130 males and 130 females, that science students experience more stress than arts

students in which 74% of the science major participants experienced extreme stress while

only 28% of the arts students experienced this kind of stress. From another study conducted

in Brazil, most students were found out to be taking STEM as an easier way for them to get

to their chosen universities and to help them with the entrance exams, but mostly, parents of

these students fear for their child taking up STEM because it may be too difficult for them to

handle (Stromquist, 2015). In the same study, it has found out that these same students

were academically excellent in college, especially females. A study conducted in Uganda

which aims to find out if Arts or Science students performed better, the researchers of this

study took a sample of 202 students where, 130 of them were art students and 72 were

science students. At the end of the study, it has found out that science students had higher

academic performance and outperformed the art students. However, the researchers also

took note the linear increase in the academic performance of art students one after the other

semester. As a conclusion to the result, the researchers concluded that science students
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have better academic performance than art students, but the art students on the other hand

still have room for more improvement (Haolader, 2016)

SYNTHESIS

The researchers were able to gather ninety-three literature wherein twenty of them

(are credible articles from various sources while seventy-three are the combination of local

and foreign-related studies and literature. Moreover, with the help of this relevant literature,

the researchers were able to come up with three themes which are: (1) Factors that Affects

Students’ Academic Performance, (2) Psychological Behaviors that Affects Students’

Academic Performance; and (3) New Phase and New Environment.

The first theme entitled Factors that Affects Students’ Academic Performance helped

the researchers to elaborate on the factors that affect students’ academic performance in

which the researchers tackled six factors. It also helped the researchers to come upon a

more systematic, reliable and not prolonged questionnaire.

The second theme entitled Psychological Behaviors that Affects Students’ Academic

Performance this particular theme helped the researchers to expound the terms Academic

Stress to understand and illustrate the main key points of the study. It unraveled important

information that could better the entirety of the study.

The third theme entitled New Phase and New Environment helped the researchers to

point out the need to study students in Senior High School as they transition from high

school students to college students. This particular theme helped the researcher to reveal
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the role of gender and track taken as well as and its significant role in the academic

performance of the students.

Overall, the literature that the researchers have gathered will be used to further

support the researchers as to why they chose to study the relationship between academic

stress and the academic performance of students. Furthermore, the literature that has been

reviewed by the researchers will mean used in giving the research direction and focus to

further frame the study.

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Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

Method of Research

This study focuses on the relationship of academic stress to the students’ academic

performance, therefore, the researchers choose the quantitative research as the design of

inquiry to fulfill the objectives of this study since the study is about the relationship, this

approach will help examine the degree of relationship in a statistical manner. The closed-

ended questions that had used would be easier to quantify and analyze statistically

(Creswell, 2013). Also, to meet the research objectives, the researchers used and utilized

the survey questionnaire as the primary method in collecting data from the respondents.

Survey method is one of the best ways to save time during the research and the cheapest

when gathering data from individuals about a certain topic. It is because surveys would be

able to provide a standardized quantifiable data that has needed in the study and the short

and concise questions would make it easier for the respondent to answer the questions and

easier for the researchers to administer the questions. (Aday et., al. 2011)

Population Sampling, Sample Size, and Sampling Technique

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In finding the respondents of this study, the researchers used a Stratified sampling

technique under Probability Sampling to provide a better representation of the target

population of the study. Stratified Random Sampling involves dividing the population

(Polytechnic University of the Philippines) into homogeneous subgroups (tracks and strands

of SHS) and then taking a simple random sample in each subgroup. To identify the sample

size the researchers will use the Sloven’s Formula then the researchers attempted to obtain

a sample of convenient elements, the researchers selected respondents and collect data

from them because they happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Using the sampling technique the researchers, were able to establish the sample

size from the population. The total population of Polytechnic University of the Philippines

SHS is 7,113 and, the sample size is 365. The population of the senior high school students

has acquired through the principal after sending a request letter stating the intended for

requesting the population. The eight strands of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines

served as the strata where the subsamples have taken.

The researchers administered the data gathering for one (1) month in the

West building, the GSIS building, the Hasmin Building and the I-Tech building where

the Senior High School students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines

conduct their classes. The researchers would administer the said survey during

weekdays and would ask 5-10 students per section to participate in the study.
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Table A: Respondents per Strand

Strand Population Percentage Sample

STEM 2531 36% 131
ABM 2163 30% 110
HUMMS 1081 15% 55
GAS 360 5% 18
ICT 362 5% 18
HE 160 2% 7
ADT 259 4% 15
TOURISM 197 3% 11

TOTAL 7113 100% 365

Description of the Respondents

The target population of this study is the Senior High School students of Polytechnic

University of the Philippines – Sta. Mesa Campus which currently enrolled in the University

track or strand. The subgroups of this study would came from all the tracks and strands of

Senior High School in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines which are - Academic

Track: General Academic Strand (GAS), Science, Technology, Engineering and

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Mathematics Strand (STEM), Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) Strand,

Humanities and Social Studies (HumSS) Strand; Arts and Design Track; Technical,

Vocational, and Livelihood Track: Tourism, Home Economics, Industrial Arts (Automotive,

Electronics, Electrical), Information and Communications Technology. The researchers have

chosen students in tertiary level because undergraduate students often get involves to a

higher level of stress each semester because of academic commitments, financial pressures

and lack of time management skills (McKean et al. 2000).

Research Instrument

The researchers used survey questionnaires as a tool to collect data from the

respondents in determining the relationship of academic stress to the academic

performance of students in Senior High School in Polytechnic University of the

Philippines. The questionnaire is essentially a structured technique for collecting

primary data. It is generally a series of written questions for which the respondents

have to provide the answers (Bell 1999). The researchers used two credible adapted

survey questionnaire from scholar-researcher, the Academic Stress Scale, a 45 item

rating scale which was originally developed by Kim (1970) but has been used and

changed by various researchers and developed the questionnaire even more.

Researchers from Iran Ali Khanehkeshi and Basavarajappa (2011) used the

questionnaire to fulfill the objectives they tend to seek in the study entitled The

Relationship of Academic Stress with Aggression, Depression and Academic

Performance of College Students in Iran’ the Academic Stress Scale was an

adapted version of the Students’ Academic Stress Scale. The Academic Stress
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Scale comprises of 45 items, each item had five alternatives, varying from the

response ‘No Stress’ to “Extreme Stress.’ Each response carries a score of ‘0’, ‘1’,

‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’ respectively. And the researchers administered another questionnaire

for assessing students’ academic performance; it is also an adapted questionnaire

from Midss.org. The researchers will also be using the Academic Self-Efficacy

Achievement, Motivation and Engagement Survey items by Sui Huang from the Ohio

State University as a measurement for the academic performance. The AME survey

was modified from its original 45 items as advised by the six (6) professionals that

agree to participate in the development of the AME. The instrument was originally

used by Huang to predict the academic performance in the college of incoming

freshmen students. Parts of the questionnaire include identifying the respondents’

socio-demographic profile in terms of age and their gender.

The researchers will be using an adopted scale patterned with the survey guides that the

questionnaire had based. The researchers would like to establish more than just the highest

and the lowest results of the study but also the results that lie in between. The AME Survey

Guide developed by Sui Huang have inspired by other academic performance scales such

as the following:

1. College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale by Owen and Froman

2. Academic Self-Confidence Scale by Le et., al

Most of the following scales were in Likert Scale so to measure the results, the scores

have added from each of the student’s response with corresponding academic performance

measurement for each range of values. The College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale or

CASES by Owen and Froman was developed in 1988 as a self-administered test and was
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adopted many times to fit different studies all over the world. This measurement for

academic performance contained 33 items that measured in a Likert type scale where the

measurements ranged from 1 to 5 and equivalent values of very little to quite a lot. Higher

scores indicate higher academic performance in terms of academic self-efficacy. The pilot

study was tested on 215 undergraduate students.

On the other hand, the Academic Self-Confidence Scale by Le et., al. was developed in

2005. Just like the CASES, it is also measured through a Likert type Scale and is self-

administered. One of the differences of this scale from CASES is that it utilizes a

measurement of 1 to 6 where the values have interpreted as strongly disagree to a strongly

agree. The scores are also computed by adding the responses on each question and are

later on interpreted based on the value ranges from 12 to 72.

In this study, the researchers will also be using this type of interpretation for the answers

as well where they will be adding the corresponding value for each response ranging from 1

to 6 by getting the mean. The assigned value for low academic performance had scored

from 1 to 2, average academic performance will be assigned from 3 to 4, and high academic

performance will be from 5 to 6. It has derived from getting the lowest to the highest possible

value of corresponding answers, in which case the lowest possible value has rated at 1 with

the assigned verbal interpretation of strongly disagree and the highest possible value of 6

with the verbal interpretation of strongly agree. After getting the responses for each

question, the values have then divided by 20 which is a number of questions, hence getting

the mean. Just like with CASES and the ASCS, this instrument interprets the result as the

higher the scores obtained, the higher the academic performance, in which the lower range

of scores will be representing the low academic performance and the middle range of scores

will be representing moderate academic performance.

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POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Data-Gathering Procedure

The researchers will administer two questionnaires (1) the Academic Stress

Scale which was developed by a group of researchers from Iran, Ali Khanehkeshi

and Basavarajappa (2011) which was also an adaptation from Kim’s (1970)

Students’ Academic Stress Scale, the questionnaire has 45 items and (2) Academic

Performance Scale which was developed by Sui Huang for her graduate program in

the Ohio State University in 2011, the instrument contained 20 items. The two

survey instrument have answered by the selected senior high school students of

Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Sta. Mesa Campus. The researchers

made sure that the questionnaire is reliable and validate and not prolonged. After

identifying the sample using the stratified sampling technique, the researchers had

executed convenience sampling and picked the respondents because they were in

the right place at the right time.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The students will use the following statistical tools and techniques:

Frequencies and Percentage of Distribution

The researchers will use frequencies and percentage distribution to determine the

socio-demographic (gender and year-level) of the selected students in tertiary level of

Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Sta. Mesa.

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POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Formula:

Where:

f- Frequency

N- Number of cases

Pearson r Correlation

Pearson's correlation coefficient is the covariance of the two variables divided by the

product of their standard deviations. 

Formula:

One-sample T-test Formula

One-sample t-test formula will be used in this study to compare the mean of a

population to a specified theoretical mean.

Formula:
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POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

One-way ANOVA Analysis

One-way ANOVA analysis has used in this study for comparing means in a situation

where there are more than two groups.

Formula: