CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

School is the place where children spend the 14,000 hours

of their time over the course of thirteen years of their life

(Elmore, 2009). Researchers note that parents (Bassi, Steca,

Fave & Caprara, 2007), siblings (Brody, 1998), and peers

(Schwartz, Gorman, Dodge, Pettit & Bates., 2008) are the

social factors that influence a student’s motivation in

academics. Present researches are considering whether

student’s parents, teachers, and socioeconomic status affect

the adolescent’s academic achievement (Bassi et al., 2007; Way

& Greene, 2006). However, the knowledge about the effect of

social support from family and peers on a student’s academic

performance is limited. This study seeks to address the gap

found in research to better understand the effect of family

and peer support on a student’s academic performance.

It has been reported that high levels of social support

from peers and family members is significantly related to high

grade point average (GPA) during 1st year college (Dennis et.

al., 2005). Social support acts as a stress buffer and

contributes to psychological and physical health (Cohen et

al., 2000).
 Family support provides a sense of security and comfort

and helps to achieve their goals (Gonzales-De Has et al.,

2005). A supportive parent may help the children’s motivation

and attitudes towards school, which creates a positive impact

on children’s academic success (Marchant et al., 2001).

According to Stecker (2004), most of the students communicate

their family members during their early years in college and

when dealing with academic challenges, students refer to their

family as their top source of support

This study also included the relationship of a student to

his/her peers. Peers have been accounted to be one of the

responsible persons that have been contributing on

adolescent’s functioning and contributing to adolescent well-

being (Way & Greene, 2006). According to Bonner & Bailey

(2006), being socially involved is highly correlated with the

academic performance of college students.

Academic performance or academic achievement is known to

be the outcome of education and is considered as one important

criteria of educational quality (Hakimi et al., 2011). In the

tertiary level, undergraduate students’ academic performance

is commonly express in terms of grade point average (GPA).

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

To further understand how relationships with family and

peers influence a student’s academic achievement; the

researcher employed Bowlby’s Attachment Theory to support the

variables being studied.

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory. Attachment theory has been

suggested to serve as a model for all close relationships

(Nickerson & Nagle, 2004). According to Bowlby, attachment is

the emotional support that children gain from their own

awareness and understanding of the relationship that they have

with their primary caregivers (McElhaney, Allen, Stephenson, &

Hare, 2009). Supportive family is a major contributor to a

child’s well-being (Nickerson & Nagle, 2004; Paterson, Filed,

& Pryor, 1994; Pinquart & Silbereisen, 2005).

When an individual matures, relationships mature as well.

It is reported that children who had a secure attachment to

their caregivers have been functioning well throughout their

childhood and adolescence (Allen & Land, 1999) but when the

presence of the attachment figure departs, the child is

showing distress already (McElhaney et al., 2009). According

to Nickerson & Nagle, (2004) and Pinquart & Silbereisen,

(2005); confident, competent, and socially skilled students

received a secure attachment from their caregivers during

childhood.

Early adolescence is the critical time for change in

relationships. Adolescents perceive their parents as less

supportive; therefore, peers become a greater source of

support (Nickerson & Nagle, 2004; Yeh & Lempers, 2004). Peer

relationships have a very similar concept to attachment theory

(Brown & Larson, 2009 and East, 2009).

Given the success of attachment theory as a framework for

studies of close relationships from infancy through adulthood,

I have chosen to apply attachment theory in this study to

explain the role of family and peer support on an adolescent’s

academic achievement.

Family
Support

Academic
Performance

Peer
Support

Figure 1. This is the conceptual paradigm of the effect of family

support and peer support to academic performance.

 Figure 1 show how the researcher is relating the

independent variables family support and peer support to the

dependent variable, academic performance.

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of the study is to determine if social

support has a significant role in determining academic

performance of junior college students of San Beda College –

College of Arts and Sciences, Mendiola.

Specifically, this aims to answer the following

questions:

1. What is the role of social support to academic

performance?

2. Is there a significant relationship between family

support and academic performance?

3. Is there a significant relationship between peer support

and academic performance?

Hypothesis

The hypothesis will be tested at 0.05 alpha level of

significance.

Ho: There is no significant relationship between the

social support and academic performance of selected San Beda

College – College of Arts and Sciences, Mendiola students.

Significance of the Study

This research study helps to identify the role of family

support and peer support to academic performance. This study

will be beneficial to the following:

For the members of the family, this will help them to

become more aware on how they are going to provide support to

one of their members.

For the guidance counselors, this study will help them to

develop new programs about peer relationships.

For everyone, this study will help them to become more

responsible on treating their friends and family members.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined conceptually and

operationally:

Social Support It refers to the emotional

sustenance provided by

friends, family members,

and even health-care

members (Uchino, 2006). In

this study, it refers to

 the emotional support given

by family and peers.

Family Support It refers to how much a

student’s family cares

about him, their values,

and encourages his or her

efforts to succeed in

college (Demaray et al.,

2005). In this study, it

refers to the emotional

support given by family

members.

Peer Support It refers to the

belongingness of an

individual to the same

societal group especially

based on age, grade, or

status’(Merriam

Webster.com, 2011). In this

study, it refers to the

 emotional support given by

peers.

Academic Performance It is a way for the

students to keep in track

their academic progression

whether they are passing or

failing in any specific

areas (Harden & Shumway,

2003). In this study, it

refers to the general

weighted average of the

students.
 CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW

In this chapter the researcher will discuss the different

related literatures about social support and academic

performance, and the synthesis.

Social Support

Social support refers to the emotional sustenance

provided by friends, family members, and even health-care

members (Uchino, 2006). Social support deals with the function

and quality of social relations (Schwarzer et.al., 2004).

Social support acts as a stress buffer and contributes to

psychological and physical health (Cohen et al., 2000).

Decreased levels of distress and increased health condition

have been associated to having a perceived social support (Lam

et. al., 2007). It has been reported that social support can

promote physical effects on physical and mental health in

(Bovier et al. 2004, Corrigan & Phelan 2004).

According to Uchino (2006), there are two different

simple methods of social support;(1) structural which refers

to the existence and interconnections among different social

ties and roles; and (2) functional which refers to the

functions provided by relevant others.

 In this research, the researcher will discuss the

functional type of social support particularly the function of

family and peers.

Family Support. Family social support refers to how much

a student’s family cares about him, their values, and

encourages his or her efforts to succeed in college (Demaray

et al., 2005). Family support provides a sense of security and

comfort and helps to achieve their goals (Gonzales-De Has et

al., 2005). Koetsenruijter et.al., (2014) states that students

expect more support from their family member than their peers.

Family social support satisfies the fundamental needs for

acceptance, belonging and love (Lyubomirsky et al., 2005).

Evidences have been consistent that family social support can

help to lessen one’s depression and feeling of loneliness (Hyu

et al., 2011 and Sicelott et al., 2013).

Peer Support. Peer refers to the belongingness of an

individual to the same societal group especially based on age,

grade, or status’ (Merriam-Webster.com, 2011). Peer support

promotes feelings of empowerment to help individuals to be

motivated on their activities (Ketokivi, 2009). It is often

recommended to have peer support as a source of emotional,

instrumental, and informational social support for people with

chronic conditions (Dennis, 2003). Peers have been accounted

to be one of the responsible persons that have been

contributing on adolescent’s functioning and contributing to

adolescent well-being (Way & Greene, 2006). Peer support may

help to decrease the feelings of loneliness and difference in

a group, as well as it may enhance one’s social competence,

social acceptance, and increased acceptance of chronic

conditions (Kyngas, Kroll & Duffy, 2009).

Evidence has been consistent that peer support may help

to lessen the stressors of an individual (Beets et al., 2006

and Salvy et al., 2012) and provide the help that adolescents

need to succeed (Fletcher, 2001). Peer social support can

address emotional encouragement (e.g. praise), as defined by

the Health Promotion Model (Pender et al., 2011). It is also

found that there is a positive effect for both the person who

is receiving support and providing support (Morris & Morris,

2012).

Academic Performance

Academic Performance refers to the accomplishments or the

production of the pupils with schoolwork (Webster, 2006).

General weighted average (GWA) is commonly used to

express the academic performance of undergraduate students. It

is the mean of marks from weighted courses contributing to

assessment of the final degree (Strenze, 2007). It is also a

way for the students to keep track of their academic

progression whether they are passing or failing in any

specific areas (Harden and Shumway, 1999).

Academic performance has two different extremes. One is

academic success and the other is academic failure which is

considered one of the most crucial issues in higher education

centers in Iran (Faghihi, 2009). Students who have shown

interest and persistence during high school (Attewell, Heil, &

Reisel, 2011), who are physically active (Hull et al., 2008),

who are able to get enough sleep (Vallido et al., 2009 and

Fredriksen, 2004), are more likely to attain academic success.

Students who had academic failure were reported to have less

interest and persistence (Immerwahr & Farkas, 2006) and

negative perception of stress (Sinha & Sharma, 2009).

Social Support to Academic Performance

A study conducted by Dennis et al., (2005) has shown that

high levels of social support from peers and family members is

significantly related to high grade point average (GPA) during

1st year college. Social support programs in schools can help

to reduce students’ feelings of loneliness (Mattanah et al.,

2010; Pratt et al., 2000).

 Family Support. There is inconsistent data that states

that there is a significant relationship between family

support and academic performance. In the study of Carlstrom

(2005), Spain (2008) and Roman et al. (2008), they state that

there is no significant relationship between family support

and college students’ academic functioning.

However, family support can be significantly associated

with students’ self-esteem (Roman et al., 2008), confidence

(Klink et al., 2008) and it helps to lower levels of anxiety

and depression (Hovey & Seligman, 2007) in college students

which are positively correlated with academic achievement and

their capacity to deal with challenging academic experiences.

Family support plays a relevant (Babaoye, 2001) and

important (Williams et al., 2002) role for college students’

academic performance. Individuals seek more support from their

family, nuclear or extended than their network of friends

(Cutrona 2000; Pinkerton and Dolan 2007). Most students

communicate their family members during their early years in

college and when dealing with academic challenges, students

refer to their family as their top source of support (Stecker

2004).

Parent’s expectations have been found to be a significant

predictor of student’s academic achievement among Asian-

American and East-Asian students (Chao, 2000). Marchant,

Paulson, & Rothlisberg, (2001) and d’Ailly (2003), states that

parental involvement is seen as a source of encouragement for

students to feel that they are capable of learning. However,

they also state that parental involvement needs a mediator in

order to relate to academic performance, they identified it as

academic self-concept and academic control as the mediator.

According to Marchant et al. (2001), a supportive parent

may help the children’s motivation and attitudes towards

school, which creates a positive impact on children’s academic

success. Marchant et al. (2001) emphasized that a parent who

is involved in their children’s learning may increase

students’ perceived academic control and self-concept because

the parent’s involvement is seen as a source of support that

encourages their children to feel that they are capable of

learning and that school outcomes are controllable. Parents’

educational values influence students’ motivation and

attitudes towards school which creates a lasting positive

impact on children’s academic success (Marchant et al., 2001).

Peer Support. Being socially involved is highly

correlated with the academic performance of college students

(Bonner & Bailey 2006). In the study of Ryan & Deci (2000) it

states that academic engagement demands a state of emotional

well-being or secures relatedness which can be found in peer

relationships. Bassi et al. (2007) found that social skills can

later be used to predict academic achievement, but early

aggressive behaviors did not. Students' improvement in

academic achievement can be predicted by their social

adjustment (Zins, Bloodworth, & Walberg, 2004),

Students who are holding leadership positions in their

school’s clubs and organizations (Harper, 2006), members of

clubs and organizations and who are participating in

extracurricular activities(Pierson et. al, 2004) were reported

to obtain higher GPA and experienced stronger positive effects

on critical thinking, sense of control over their own academic

success respectively.

Moreover, students who are less involved on school

activities, lack of social support (Dennis et al., 2005;

Nicpon et al., 2006) and who are experiencing peer rejection

(Schwartz, Gorman, Nakamoto, & Toblin, 2005)were reported to

obtain lower GPA.

Peer victimization is also found as a factor that affects

student’s low academic performance (Schwartz, Gorman,

Nakamoto, & Toblin, 2005). It refers to the aggression given

to a child by other children who are not necessarily related

to the victim (Hawker & Boulton, 2000).

As the California Healthy Students Research Project

reported, schools with high Academic Performance Index (API)

scores are the schools that have been reported to have lower

rates of peer victimization even after controlling some

variables such as socioeconomic status and school

characteristics. Peer victimization can seriously affects

children’s school adjustment, particularly in academic

performance (Nakamoto & Schwartz, 2010) and psychosocial

functioning (Espelage, 2012; Espelage & Holt, 2007; Espelage,

Low, & De La Rue, 2012; and Hawker & Boulton, 2000). Peer

victimization was strongly associated with poor academic

performance (Schwartz, Farver, Chang, and Lee-Shin, 2002). In

the study of Ladd, Herald-Brown, & Reiser (2008), it states

that peer victimization and low academic performance go hand-

in-hand because of the negative psychological consequences

they are facing which inhibits their participation in the

classroom and undermine their achievement.

Synthesis

Social support refers to the emotional sustenance

provided by friends, family members, and even health-care

members (Uchino, 2006). Family social support refers to how

much a student’s family cares about him, their values, and

encourages his or her efforts to succeed in college (Demaray

et al., 2005).Peer refers to the belongingness of an

individual to the same societal group especially based on age,

grade, or status (Merriam-Webster.com, 2011). Peer support

promotes feelings of empowerment to help individuals to be

motivated on their activities (Ketokivi, 2009).

Academic Performance refers to the accomplishments or the

production of the pupils in the schoolwork (Webster, 2006).

General weighted average (GWA) is commonly used to express the

academic performance of undergraduate students. It is the mean

of marks from weighted courses contributing to assessment of

the final degree (Strenze, 2007).

High levels of social support from peers and family

members are significantly related to high grade point average

(GPA) during 1st year college (Dennis et al., 2005).

However, there are inconsistencies found in the study of

Carlstrom (2005), Spain (2008) and Roman et al. (2008) which

states that there is no significant relationship between

family support and academic achievement while both studies of

Babaoye (2001) and Williams et al. (2002) states that family

support plays a relevant and important role for college

students’ academic performance.

Students who are socially involved in school activities

by being a leader (Harper, 2006), a member and even being a

participant (Pierson et. al, 2004)in school clubs and

organizations are reported to obtain a higher GPA than those

who are not involved (Dennis et al., 2005; Nicpon et al.,

2006).

In order to address the gap on the relationship of family

support and academic performance, the researcher will

correlate both variables.

The researcher would like to know if family and peer

support has a significant role in determining the academic

performance of college students. The researcher will use the

Pearson Correlational Coefficient as the statistical method in

determining the relationship of the variables.