Module 3 - Managing and Caring for the Self

Module Overview:

Hello everyone! Welcome to this module: Managing and Caring for the Self.
This third and final module identifies three areas of your concern as students,
namely: learning, goal setting, and managing stress. It also provides for the more
practical application of the concepts discussed in this course and enables you the
hands-on experience of developing self-help plans for self-regulated learning, goal
setting, and self care. I hope that you will enjoy this module as you uncover your
journey towards becoming a better learner.

Module Objectives/Outcomes:

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

 Understand the theoretical underpinnings for how to manage and care for
different aspects of the self

 Acquire and hone new skills and learnings for better managing of one’s self and
behaviors

 Apply these new skills to one’s self and functioning for a better quality of life

Lessons in the Module:

Lesson 1: Learning to be a Better Student

Lesson 2: Setting Goals for Success

Lesson 3: Taking Charge of One’s Health

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 Module 3 - Managing and Caring for the Self

Lesson 1 - Learning To Be A Better Student

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

 Explain how learning occurs.
 Enumerate various metacognition and studying techniques.
 Examine the metacognitive techniques that are most appropriate for yourself.

Time Frame: Week 15

Introduction

Learning is a combination of knowledge and experience. It is not just all about

the information you know; what counts the most are the learning outcomes you
acquired after its application as they said experience is the best teacher.

Individual has unique approach to learning, therefore, gaining a deep

understanding about metacognition is necessary. By having this perspective, you will
recognize what aspect of your learning practice you need to enhance and what
effective studying technique you will employ. In this lesson, there will be
activities that can help you maintain motivation and develop strategies and tactics for
successful learning. Prepare yourselves for an exciting and informational journey in
“Learning to be a Better Student”.

Activity

Make a list of your “Top 5 tips/secrets for studying”

1. Describe your learning style
2. What are your learning challenges

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3. Identify the environments where learning comes easy and the environments where
learning is more difficult.

Analysis:

Guiding Questions:
1. Why is it necessary to identify what do you want/need to learn?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. What are your capabilities and limitations?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
3. How will you know that your learning was successful?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Abstraction

How Learning Changes Your Brain and Behaviour?

When a person is learning, important changes take place in the brain, including the
creation of new connections between neurons. This phenomenon is called
neuroplasticity. More practice makes these connections stronger. As these
connections strengthen, the messages (nerve impulses) are transmitted increasingly
faster, making them more efficient. This is how a person form a certain behaviour
then become better at it. Conversely, if one stops learning and practicing the
behaviour the connections of the brain neurons weaken and can ultimately be
dismantled or pruned.

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How Learning Occurs?

 A lot of our learning occurs randomly throughout life, from new

experiences, gaining information and from our perceptions, for example:
reading a newspaper or watching a news broadcast, talking with a friend or
colleague, chance meetings and unexpected experiences.
 Many experiences in life provide us with learning opportunities from which
we can choose whether or not to learn. This type of experiential learning is in
contrast to more formal approaches to learning such as
training, mentoring, coaching and teaching, all of which have some type of
structure in that they are planned learning involving a facilitator.
 Teaching, training and other structured learning opportunities are
activities that one person does to another, while learning is something we can
only do for ourselves.

Learning occurs when we are able to:

 Gain a mental or physical grasp of the subject.
 Make sense of a subject, event or feeling by interpreting it into our own
words or actions.
 Use our newly acquired ability or knowledge in conjunction with skills and
understanding we already possess.
 Do something with the new knowledge or skill and take ownership of it.

To summarize its cycle, here is an illustration:

https://sites.google.com/site/pgcemsl4203/modes-of-learning

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 The diagram above represents a generic learning cycle and uses the acronym
PACT. The cycle is relevant to all types of learning. The PACT learning cycle stages
are:
 Procure. New knowledge (theory) or ability (skill) is acquired.
 Apply. The new knowledge or skill is then practiced in some way.
 Consider. The results of the practice are evaluated and/or assessed.
 Transform. The original knowledge or ability is modified accordingly.

The video in this link demonstrates how learning occurs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpBYm81hKlk. You may watch this for
additional input on learning processes.

Since we are done knowing how learning occurs and how it changes our brain
and beavior, let us now dive in into new knowledge about metacognition which has a
great impact in our learning.

Metacognitive Skills

Metacognition pertains to the knowledge and skills for organizing, guiding, and
controlling one’s own thinking, actions, and learning processes. It concerns the skills
for task orientation (what am I to do?), goal setting (what am I to achieve?), planning
(how do I reach that goal?), a systematical approach (step-by-step), monitoring
oneself during task execution (am I not making mistakes, do I understand all of it?),
evaluating the outcome (is the answer correct?), and reflection (what can I learn from
this episode?).
Essentially, metacognition means being aware of what you are thinking about
and choosing effective strategies. If you’re still a bit confused, this blog “What is
Metacognition?” at https://blog.innerdrive.co.uk/what-is-metacognition may help.
Students with good metacognitive skills are at the helm of their own learning
process, through which they can execute a learning task more effectively.

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Metacognition and learning performance

Metacognition determines learning performances to a large extent (up to 40%).

As such, metacognition is more important to the learning process than intelligence,
social-economical background, and motivation (Veenman, 2015). Metacognitive
skills can be acquired and enhanced by instruction and training. Research has shown
that adequate metacognitive instruction and training lead to lasting improvements in
metacognitive skills and, consequently, to better learning performances (Veenman,
2013).

Two Processes of Metacognition

Many theorists organize the skills of metacognition into two complementary

processes that make it easier to understand and remember. According to theory,
metacognition consists of:

1) Knowledge of cognition;
Three components:
 Knowledge of the factors that influence one’s own performance;
 Knowing different types of strategies to use for learning; and
 Knowing what strategy to use for a specific learning situation.

2) Regulation of cognition.
Three components:
 Setting goals and planning;
 Monitoring and controlling learning; and
 Evaluating one’s own regulation (assessing results and strategies
used).

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Studying Techniques to Improve Metacognitive Skills

1. The SQ3R method is a reading comprehension technique that helps students

identify important facts and retain information within their textbook. SQ3R
(or SQRRR) is an acronym that stands for the five steps of the reading
comprehension process.

Try these steps for a more efficient and effective study session:

 Survey: Instead of reading the entire book, start by skimming the

first chapter and taking notes on any headings, subheadings, images,
or other standout features like charts.
 Question: Formulate questions around the content of the chapter,
such as, What is this chapter about? What do I already know about
this subject?
 Read: Begin reading the full chapter and look for answers to the
questions you formulated.
 Recite: After reading a section, summarize in your own words what
you just read. Try recalling and identifying major points and answer
any questions from the second step.
 Review: Once you have finished the chapter, it’s important to
review the material to fully understand it. Quiz yourself on the
questions you created and re-read any portions you need to.

2. Retrieval practice is based on the concept of remembering at a later time.

Recalling an answer to a question improves learning more than looking for
the answer in your textbook. And, remembering and writing down the answer
to a flashcard is a lot more effective than thinking you know the answer and
flipping the card over early.

3. Spaced practice (also known as “distributed practice”) encourages

students to study over a longer period of time instead of cramming the night
before. When our brains almost forget something, they work harder to recall

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 that information. Spacing out your studying allows your mind to make
connections between ideas and build upon the knowledge that can be easily
recalled later.

To try this technique, review your material in spaced intervals similar to the
schedule below:
Day 1: Learn the material in class.
Day 2: Revisit and review.
Day 3: Revisit and review.
After one week: Revisit and review.
After two weeks: Revisit and review.

4. This PQ4R method takes an active approach to learning that improves

memorization and understanding of the topic. The PQ4R is an acronym that
stands for the six steps in the process:
 Preview: Preview the information before you start reading to get an
idea of what the subject matter will be. Skim the material and read
only the headers, subheadings, and highlighted text.
 Question: Ask yourself questions related to the topic, such as, What
do I expect to learn? What do I already know about this topic?
 Read: Read the information one section at a time and try to identify
answers to your questions.
 Reflect: Did you answer all of your questions? If not, go back and
see if you can find the answer.
 Recite: In your own words, either speak or write down a summary
of the information you just read.
 Review: Look over the material one more time and answer any
questions that have not yet been answered.

5. The Feynman Technique is an efficient method of learning a concept

quickly by explaining it in plain and simple terms. It’s based on the idea, “If
you want to understand something well, try to explain it simply.” What that

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 means is, by attempting to explain a concept in our own words, we are likely
to understand it a lot faster.

How it works:
 Write the subject/concept you are studying at the top of a sheet of
paper.
 Then, explain it in your own words as if you were teaching someone
else.
 Review what you wrote and identify any areas where you were
wrong. Once you have identified them, go back to your notes or
reading material and figure out the correct answer.
 Lastly, if there are any areas in your writing where you used
technical terms or complex language, go back and rewrite these
sections in simpler terms for someone who doesn’t have the
educational background you have.

Application

Scenario:
You are about to study for your final examinations and it is as if the universe
conspired for a heavy final week, all your subjects provided at least three new
reading materials and topics one week (7 days) before the examination period. Create
a diagram or schedule using at least five of the metacognitive strategies, skills, and
studying techniques mentioned in this lesson on how you would prepare for the next
seven days before your final examinations.

Closure

Congratulations! You have entered another milestone in your learning journey.

Put your learning into practice, it what makes learning more fun and exciting. Keep
up the good work!

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 Module 3 - Managing and Caring For The Self

Lesson 2 – Setting Goals for Success

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

 use Bandura’s self-efficacy theory for self-assessment;
 differentiate growth and fixed mindset by Dweck; and
 design personal goals adapting Locke’s goal setting theory.

Time Frame: Week 16

Introduction

Creating a better you is a constant battle everyday without a proper knowledge

on self-management. Self- management cares on the total well being of a person from
physical to mental or psychological condition. In order to stimulate a great learning
in class, activities will be expedited which will explain the brilliant theory of Bandura
about Self-Efficacy, Dweck’s work explicating the comparison of growth and fixed
mindset, and lastly Locke’s Goal Setting Theory.

Knowing you is not just enough; you must also learn how to maintain positive
and resilient self-concept specially in today’s struggles. Brace yourselves my lovely
students for we will discover ways about self-management. Be prepared to become a
BETTER YOU! Enjoy learning with me.

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Activity

5-10-20 Selfie

On each designated box, draw your envisioned “Future Self”. Who would you
be?
1. Five years from now

2. Ten years from now

3. Twenty years from now

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Analysis

Answer the following questions:

 Who are you or what would you become:

a. In five years
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
b.In ten years
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

c. In twenty years
________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

 What motivates you to envision your “Future Self”?

_____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

 What strategies are you going to undertake in order to achieve your “Future
Self”?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
 What is your perception of goal setting?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

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Abstraction

Albert E. Bandura’s Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy refers to your belief in your capacity to perform necessary actions

to produce specific performance goals (Bandura, 1997). Self-efficacy is the reflection
of your confidence in the ability to exert control over your own motivation, behavior,
behavior, and social environment.
A strong sense of self-efficacy adds to your sense that helps you perform your
tasks well. Those with high sense of self-efficacy see a difficult task a challenge that
must be conquered rather than a problem that must be avoided. This outlook fosters
deep interest in performing any activity. It sustains them to continue with their efforts
in times of adversity.

The Role of Self-Efficacy

Virtually all people can identify goals they want to accomplish, things they
would like to change, and things they would like to achieve. However, most people
also realize that putting these plans into action is not quite so simple. Bandura and
others have found that an individual’s self-efficacy plays a major role in how goals,
tasks, and challenges are approached (Cherry, 2020).

People with a strong sense of self-efficacy:

 Develop deeper interest in the activities in which they participate

 Form a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activities
 Recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments
 View challenging problems as tasks to be mastered

People with a weak sense of self-efficacy:

 Avoid challenging tasks

 Believe that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilities
 Focus on personal failings and negative outcomes
 Quickly lose confidence in personal abilities

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How Does Self-Efficacy Develop?

We begin to form our sense of self-efficacy in early childhood through dealing

with a wide variety of experiences, tasks, and situations. However, the growth of self-
efficacy does not end during youth but continues to evolve throughout life as people
acquire new skills, experiences, and understanding.

Four major sources of self-efficacy According to Bandura

Mastery Experiences
"The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through
mastery experiences," Bandura explained. Performing a task successfully
strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately deal with a
task or challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy.

Social Modeling
Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important
source of self-efficacy. According to Bandura, "Seeing people similar to oneself
succeed by sustained effort raises observers' beliefs that they too possess the
capabilities to master comparable activities to succeed."

Social Persuasion
Bandura also asserted that people could be persuaded to believe that they
have the skills and capabilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said
something positive and encouraging that helped you achieve a goal. Getting
verbal encouragement from others helps people overcome self-doubt and instead
focus on giving their best effort to the task at hand.

Psychological Responses
Our own responses and emotional reactions to situations also play an
important role in self-efficacy. Moods, emotional states, physical reactions, and
stress levels can all impact how a person feels about their personal abilities in a
particular situation. A person who becomes extremely nervous before speaking
in public may develop a weak sense of self-efficacy in these situations.

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 However, Bandura also notes it is not the sheer intensity of emotional and
physical reactions that is important but rather how they are perceived and
interpreted.

Carol S. Dweck’s Fixed and Growth

Mindset Theory

Carol S. Dweck, the author of

Mindset: The New Psychology of
Success, introduces her Mindset
Theory which will help us realize how
our thinking has a great impact in our
http://nextlevelfitness.org/2019/04/15/fixed-vs-growth-mindset/
life.
This picture ascertains how each mindset has a different view on challenges,
obstacles, effort, criticism, and success of others. These mindsets describe the
underlying beliefs of human regarding learning and intelligence.

https://nothingventured.rocks/hire-people-with-a-growth-mindset-b6554c0abe3

Fixed Mindset

Fixed mindset is a mindset which is based on the innate abilities. One’s traits are
fixed — not something that can be practiced or developed. Individuals with a fixed
mindset believe that their qualities (such as intelligence and other personality traits)
are “set in stone”– how God made you is basically who you are. With a fixed
mindset, talent is enough to lead to success and effort to improve these talents isn’t

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 required: one is born with a certain amount of skill and intelligence that can’t be
improved upon.

Growth Mindset

Individuals with a growth

mindset believe that effort or training
can change one’s qualities and traits.
A growth mindset is an ideal thinking
pattern for human to possess since it
determines success in the future.
The growth mindset shows positive
https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/
traits and attitudes of an individual
which will help him in conquering life’s problems and attain his life’s goals (Dweck,
2012).

According to Dr. Dweck, individuals may not necessarily be aware of their own
mindset, but their mindset can still be discerned based on their behavior. It is
especially evident in their reaction to failure. Fixed-mindset individuals dread failure
because it is a negative statement on their basic abilities, while growth-mindset
individuals do not mind or fear failure as much because they realize their
performance can be improved and learning comes from failure. These two mindsets
play an important role in all aspects of a person’s life. Dr. Dweck argues that the
growth mindset will allow a person to live a less stressful and more successful life
(Upclosed, 2017).

Edwin A. Locke’s Goal Setting Theory

 This motivation theory was developed primarily

by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham (1990).
 A powerful way of motivating people.
 Essentially linked to task performance.
 Employees are motivated by clear goals and https://thehiddenedge.co.uk/portfolio/locke-lathams-goal-
setting-theory/

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 appropriate feedback.
 Specific and challenging goals along with appropriate feedback contribute better task
performance.

Some Key Concepts

1. Goal :
 “Something that the person wants to achieve,” (Locke & Lathan-1990)

2. Formation of Goals:
 Long term goals- A long-term goal is something you want to do further in the
future. Long-term goals require time and planning. Here are examples of goals that
can take several years to achieve:
 Graduate from college
 Save for retirement
 Have my own business

 Short term Goals- A short-term goal is something you want to do in the near
future. The near future can mean today, this week, this month, or even this year. A
short-term goal is something you want to accomplish soon. Examples include:
 Take a class
 Buy a new television
 Write my resume

3. Goal Setting:
 “A specific outcome that an individual is striving to achieve.” (Alderman-1999)

How does Goal Setting Motivate ?

Goal:
 Direct attention
 Regulate effort
 Increase persistence
 Encourage development of strategies and action plans

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In his 1968 article “Toward a theory of Task Motivation and Incentives”, Locke’s
research showed that:
 There is a relationship between difficult and specific goals with people’s
performance.
 Specific and difficult goals lead to better task performance than vague or easy
goals. E.g. telling someone to ‘Try hard’ or ’Do best’ is less effective than ‘Try to
get more than 80% correct.’

Goals should be SMART

Locke’s Goal Setting Theory

attributes on how individual must create
their goals that is achievable. Displayed
below is the summary of the Five
Principles in Locke’s Goal Setting
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0_i-
Theory. upQpfg8/XDRdN50z3TI/AAAAAAAAAC0/N7UoIVj9YVEcMP4EFmVPF_kT9Zt8_lVh
ACLcBGAs/s1600/16.PNG

Here are the five principles that you need to consider:

1. Clarity
Set clear goals. Be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant,
and Time-Bound)!

2. Challenges
Create goal that is also challenging, a goal that will challenge you to think
and do more. Most likely, a goal that is in your best interest or will give you a
sense of accomplishment (recognition or life stability). You want to do it
because you will have a great reward after doing it (e.g. work harder to build
your own house, give your family a comfortable life, and etc).

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3. Commitment
You must be committed to your goal. It requires perseverance and hardwork.
Be passionate to what you are doing. When there is love, you became
unstoppable.

4. Feedback
Ask for constant feedback about your progress in achieving your goal. It will
help you develop strategies to achieve your goal easily.

5. Complexity
A goal of having a better life or future is quite difficult. It doesn't mean that
it is hard, it is impossible already. This is what having goals all about, there must
be complexity. It will make your journey exciting and interesting. There is no
shortcut to success. You will experience hardships. Establish a goal that will
trigger your curiosity to keep you motivated and enhance your creativity.

Application

Perform the following:

1. Self-Efficacy Collage. Make a collage of your own perceived self-efficacy

using Dr. Albert Bandura’s four sources of influence for the development and
maintenance of self-efficacy.
2. Graphic Organizer. Make a graphic organizer to differentiate fixed and
mindset from growth mindset by Dweck.
3. Goal Setting Plan. Make a goal setting plan (short term for one semester
Design personal goals adapting Locke’s goal setting theory.

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Closure

Well done and keep up the good work! I hope you had fun in lesson. No one is
responsible of your life, it is only YOU. Love yourself and also do everything with
love. Self-compassion is self-care. Protect your own peace. You will be taught on
how to take care of yourself in the next lesson. See you soon and take care always :)

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 Module 3 - Managing and Caring for the Self

Lesson 3 - Taking Charge of One’s Health

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

 explain the effects of stress to one’s health;

 examine cultural dimension of stress and coping mechanisms; and
 design a Self-care plan.

Time Frame: Week 17

Introduction

College is an exciting time, full of new challenges that continually drive you to
expand your horizons. While some of these experiences can be thrilling, others may
simply leave you feeling stressed. Stress is just one of the many hurdles that you,
college students, experience. Short-term stress can help you raise a grade, polish and
essay, or peruse a coveted career opportunity. However, long-term stress, if not
addressed, can have detrimental side effects.
Since stress is inevitable to life, you have to learn how to handle and cope up
with it. More so, you have to be familiar with other approach to a healthy lifestyle,
which is self-care.

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Activity

Self-Stress Assessment

Instructions:

The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a classic stress assessment instrument. This
tool, while originally developed in 1983, remains a popular choice for helping us
understand how different situations affect our feelings and our perceived stress. The
questions in this scale ask about your feelings and thoughts during the last month. In
each cas, you will be asked to indicate how often you felt or thought a certain way.
Although some of the questions are similar, there are differences between them and
you should treat each one as a separate question. The best approach is to answer
fairly quickly. That is, don’t try to count up the number of times you felt a particular
way; rather indicate the alternative that seems like a reasonable estimate.

For each question, choose from the following alternatives:

0 - never 1 – almost never 2 - sometimes 3 - fairly often 4 - Very Often

____1. In the last month, how often have been upset because of something that
happened unexpectedly?
____2. In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable to control the
important things in your life?
____3. In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and stressed?
____4. In the last month, how often have you felt confident about your ability to
handle personal problems?
____5. In the last month, how often have you felt that things were going your way?
____6. In the last month, how often have you found that you could not cope with all
the things that you had to do?
____7. In the last month, how often have you been able to control irritations in your
life?
____8. In the last month, how often have you felt that you were on top of things?

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____9. In the last month, how often have you been angered because of things that
happened that were outside your control?
____10. In the last month, how often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high
that you could not overcome them?

Figuring your PSS Score:

You can determine your PSS Scores for questions 4, 5, 7, & 8. On these questions,
change the scores like this: 0=4, 1=3, 2=2, 3=1, 4=0.

Now add up your scores for each item to get a total. My total score is
_____________.

Individual scores on the PSS can range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating
higher perceived stress.

 Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low stress.

 Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate stress.
 Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived stress.

The Perceived Stress Scale is interesting and important because your perception of
what is happening in your life is most important. Consider the idea that 2 individuals
could have the exact same events and experiences in their lives for the past month.
Depending on their perception, total score could put one of those individuals in the
low stress category and the total score could put the second person in the high stress
category.

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Analysis

Answer the following questions:

1. How do you feel while you were doing the checklist?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. Is the result near to your present perceived stress level? How do you feel with
the result?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. What is your reflection after answering the checklist?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. What is your perception about stress and self-care?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Abstraction

Stress and Human Responses

In general, stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from

adverse or very demanding circumstances. It is a mental and physical response to the
demands of your environment (i.e. at home, school, work, etc.). It is normal to feel
stressed. It is a universal, human experience. What is more important is how you
respond to stress.
Not all stress is bad for you. In fact, stress is good for human beings (to some
degree) to maintain an overall good health. The human body may tend toward
relatively stable equilibrium, especially those maintained by physiological processes,

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yet it also requires stimulation to ensure optimal functioning of the organ and tissues,
such as the heart and muscles.
According to the American Psychological Association, stress is a normal
reaction to everyday pressures, but can become unhealthy when it upsets your day-to-
day functioning.
The American Institute of Stress (2017) has distinguished two types of stress,
namely:
1. Eustress – The type of stress which often connotes euphoria. This is a result
from a situation or activity that you find motivating or inspiring, enjoyable
and not threatening activity such as marriage, promotion, baby, winning
money, new friends, and graduation.
2. Distress – The unpleasant or harmful variety of stress which often connotes
disease. It is stress in daily life that has negative connotations such as divorce,
punishment, injury, negative feelings, financial problems, and work
difficulties.

During both eustress and distress, our body undergoes virtually the same
nonspecific responses to the various positive or negative stimuli acting upon it.
However, eustress causes much less damage than distress. This demonstrates
conclusively that it is how we, individuals, accept stress that determines ultimately
whether we can adapt successfully to change (AIS, 2017).

Selye (1983) hypothesized a general adaptation syndrome (GAS) with three

components:

a. The alarm stage – represents a mobilization of the body’s defensive

forces. The body is preparing for the “fight or flight” syndrome. This
involves a number f hormones and chemical excreted at high levels., as
well as increase in heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration, and respiration
rate, among others.
b. The stage of resistance – the body becomes adaptive to the challenge and
even begins to resist it. The length of this stage is dependent upon the
body’s innate and stored adaptation energy reserves and upon the intensity

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 of the stressor. Just as any machine wears out even if it has been properly
maintained, the same thing happens with living organisms – sooner or
later, they become the victim of this constant wear and tear process. The
acquired adaptation is lost if the individual is subject to still greater
exposure to the stressor. The organism then enters into the third and final
stage.
c. The exhaustion stage – the body dies because it has used up its resources
of adaptation energy. Thankfully, few people ever experience this last
stage.

https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2014/10/Figure-16-3.jpg

If the stress is prolonged or severe, it could result in diseases of adaptation of

even death.

The stress response begins in the brain. When someone experience a stressful
event such as approaching car or any other danger, the eyes or ears (or both) send the
information to the amygdala, an area of the brain that contributes to emotional
processing. The amygdala interprets the images and sounds. When it perceives
danger, it instantly sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. This area of the brain
is like a command center, communicating with the rest of the body through the
nervous system so that the person has the energy to fight or flee (Harvard Health,
2017).

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

Module 4 26
 All of these happen so quickly that people are not aware of them. In fact, the
wiring is so efficient that the amygdala and hypothalamus start this cascade even
before the brain’s visual centers have had a chance to fully process what is
happening. That is why people are able to jump out the path or an incoming car even
before they think about what they are doing.

What are Stressors?

Any situation, activity, or individual that gives you mental or emotional strains is
a Stressor. The effect of stressors varies from person to person. Good stressors make
you feel both nervous and excited at the same time (the so-called butterflies in yoru
stomach). It can make you worry about being liked or accepted. On the other hand,
bad stress can cause you to feel angry, petrified, or depressed. It can make you feel
constantly on the edge. Other than the mental and emotional strain, you also suffer
pain, such as headache or you actually get sick, such as going down with a fever.
High levels of stress when unattended will lead to chronic stress which can contribute
to physical or mental health problems.

Effects of Stress on Health

Your body reacts to stress by releasing hormones. These hormones make your
brain more alert, cause your muscles to tense, and increase your pulse. In the short
term, these reactions are good because they can help you handle the situation causing
stress. This is your body's way of protecting itself.
When you have chronic stress, your body stays alert, even though there is no
danger. Over time, this puts you at risk for health problems, including:
 High blood pressure
 Heart disease
 Diabetes
 Obesity
 Depression or anxiety
 Skin problems, such as acne or eczema
 Menstrual problems

Module 4 27
Signs and Symptoms of Stress

Stress is a body’s reactions to any change that requires an adjustment or

response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental and emotional
responses. People handle stress differently and symptoms can vary.

In General, signs and symptoms of stress fall under any of these three
categories:

Symptoms of stress include

Physical Low Energy
Headaches
Upset Stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
Aches, pains, and tense muscles
Chest pain and rapi heartbeat
Insomnia
Frequent colds and infections
Loss of sexual desire and/or ability
Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ear
Cold or sweaty hands and feet
Excess sweating
Dry mouth and difficulty in swallowing
Clenched jaw and grinding teeth

Cognitive/Perceptual Forgetfulness
Pre-occupation
Blicking
Error in judging distance
Reduced creativity
Lack of concentration
Lack of attention to detail
Orientation to the past
Attention deficit

Module 4 28
 Disorganization of thought
Negative self-statement and negative evaluation of
experiences
Emotional Depression or general unhappiness
Anxiety and agitation
Moodiness, irritability, or anger
Loneliness and isolation
Any other mental or emotional health problems

Coping With Stress

Coping mechanisms are the strategies people often use in the face of
stress and/or trauma to help manage painful or difficult emotions. Coping
mechanisms can help us adjust to stressful events and maintain tour emotional
well-being.
To adjust to stress, you can utilize some combination of behavior,
thought, and emotion, depending on the situation. You may use coping
mechanisms for stress management or to cope with anger, loneliness, anxiety, or
depression.
Below are adaptive coping mechanisms which are generally considered to
be positive and effective ways of managing stressful situations:
 Support: Talking about a stressful event with a supportive person can be
an effective way to manage stress. Seeking external support instead of
self-isolating and internalizing the effects of stress can greatly reduce the
negative effects of a difficult situation.
 Relaxation: Any number of relaxing activities can help people cope with
stress. Relaxing activities may include practicing meditation, progressive
muscle relaxation or other calming techniques, sitting in nature, or
listening to soft music.
 Problem-solving: This coping mechanism involves identifying a problem
that is causing stress and then developing and putting into action some
potential solutions for effectively managing it.

Module 4 29
 Humor: Making light of a stressful situation may help people maintain
perspective and prevent the situation from becoming overwhelming.
 Physical activity: Exercise can serve as a natural and healthy form of
stress relief. Running, yoga, swimming, walking, dance, team sports, and
many other types of physical activity can help people cope with stress
and the aftereffects of traumatic events.

Aside from the above, you may also watch the video on the 25 amazing
Coping Skills everyone needs in this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td4LQ2rxVa0.

Sources of Coping

Among the coping resources to improve the ability to manage stressful events
and better health outcomes include:
 Optimism – refers to the outcome expectancies that good things rather
than bad things witll happen to the self (Scheier et. Al, 1994).
 Personal control or mastery - refers to whether a person feels able to
control or influence outcomes (Thompson, 1981).
 Self-esteem – refers to the individual’s self-perception of his/her abilities,
skills, and overall qualities that guides and/or motivates specific cognitive
processes and behaviours (McCrae, Costa & Gerontol, 1998).
 Social Support – refers to the perception or experience that one is loved
and cared for by others, esteemed and valued, and part of a social network
of mutual assistance and obligations (Wills, 1991).

The Cultural Dimensions of Stress and Coping

Stress is mediated through culture: from the very nature of the stressors, to the
ways we respond to the stress. Understanding this local context might help us
develop more culturally appropriate, and therefore more effective, ways to deal with
stress. Below are some of the social and cultural dimensions of stress and coping

Module 4 30
experienced by the Filipinos as written by Tan (2006) in his article on, “Stress and
the Filipino”:
 Culture adapts to circumstance and we are only one of many countries
with large dense populations that have learned to live with the
maddening crowds, complete with the noise. While we enjoy noise,
we’re quite sensitive to olfactory assaults. We will claim “some odors
are so bad, they cause a stomachache”. We sniff everything, from food
to lovers, and if we find the smells good, we tend to indulge to an
excess wonder aromatherapy are taken off in the Philippines, as did
those terrible car fresheners and deodorizers.
 Filipinos do face many sources of stress, around work and livelihood
mainly. But the scenes of smiling and laughing Filipinos, singing and
dancing (and drinking) away can be deceptive. Quite often, we deal
with stress by trying to be “happy”.
 Many Filipinos express their stress by complaining about recurring
headaches, or abdominal pains, accompanied by dizziness, nausea, or
fatigue.
 There’s an intriguing bangungot, those sudden deaths, usually at night,
associated with nightmares. The medical world remains stumped,
attributing the deaths to everything, from pancreatitis to congenital
defects in the heart, but too little has been done to explore the stress
angle.
 The Filipinos are also attached to home and heart that we even have a
term “namamahay”, missing home, to describe a range of symptoms,
form insomnia to constipation that plagues us when we are away from
home.
 The manghihilot can be “reinvented” so his or her skills with therapeutic
massage can be applied not just for sprains but also for broken hearts
and weary spirits.

What we see today around us magnifies the reality of Dr. Tan’s work. How
Filipinos deal with stress is a trademark of orientation they had with the social world
dictated by the stringent cultural compliance they were exposed to while growing up.

Module 4 31
In the end, Filipinos are still proud of how unique these manners of coping are; what
makes them ultimately happy in the end is the one that matters most.

Taking Care of the Self: The Need for Self Care and Compassion

Generally speaking, self-care is engaging in activities and behaviors that have

a positive effect on one’s mental and physical health (Greene, 2017). She added that
there is a bit of “reverse golden rule” aspect to the practice; that is to treat yourself as
compassionately as you treat others. As college students, it is essential for you take
care of yourself despite the academic challenges. Tips on Self-Care in College is
shared in this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkSsD0ahEEI.

Reasons why self Care is necessary:

 It increases sense of self-love, allowing appreciation and acceptance of who a
person is.
 It promotes feelings f calm and relaxation, serving as a way to refocus and
come back to daily life refreshed and ready to take on anything.
 It improves both physical and mental health by reducing the effects of
prolonged stress on mind and body.

Ways to engage in Self-Care:

 Physical self-care: eating well, exercising regularly, prioritizing sleep and
taking care of health.
 Emotional Self-care: managing anxiety, anger, sadness, and other emotions.
Setting boundaries with people who are not positive or supportive. Spending
time alone ti rest and recharge, maintaining a bullet journal.
 Spiritual self-care: volunteering, connecting with nature, meditation,
mindfulness.

Self-Care Therapy

A positive way to counter stress is self-care therapy. Nancy Appreson (2008) has
provided steps for self-care:

Module 4 32
 1. Stop, breathe, and tell yourself: “This is hard and I will get through this one
step at a time.”
2. Acknowledge to yourself what you are feeling. All feelings are normal so
accept whatever you are feeling.
3. Find someone who listens and is accepting. You do not need advice. You
need to be heard.
4. Maintain your normal routine as much as possible.
5. Allow plenty of time to finish a task.
6. Take good care of yourself. Remember to:
o get enough sleep
o Eat regularly and make healthy choices.
o Know your limits and when you need to let go.
o Identify or create a nurturing place in your home.
o Practice relaxation or meditation.
o Escape for a while through meditation, reading a book, watching a
movie, or taking a short trip.

Less Stress, More Care

We should be in control of the stress that contributes us every day. Otherwise, when
we are overwhelmed by stress, it can be detrimental to our health. Self-care and self-
compassion are two ways to positively confront stress. We should love and care for
our self more and more each day (Alata, Caslib, Serafica, & Pawilen, 2018).

Application

Answer the following:

1. Identify your personal stresses/stressors.

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Module 4 33
 2. Identify ways of dealing with your stress/stressors in order to cope with such
stressful situations.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. Design a Self-Care plan for yourself for the whole year following the given
format below:

Self-Care Action Plan

(Source: http://rems.ed.gov)

1. Physical Self-Care:
The things I do to take care of my body in healthy ways (e.g sleep, nutrition,
exercise, and regular health care visits). How well do you take care of
yourself physically? Identify three activities that you currently do and/or
planning to engage in form this point forward to take care of yourself
physically.
A. ____________________________________________________________
B. ____________________________________________________________
C. ____________________________________________________________

2. Emotional Self-Care:
The things I do to take care of my feelings in healthy ways (e.g professional
support systems, counselling and/or therapy as needed, journaling, talking
about feelings in healthy ways). How well do you take care of yourself
emotionally? Identify three activities that you currently do and/or planning to
engage in form this point forward to take care of yourself emotionally.
A. ____________________________________________________________
B. ____________________________________________________________
C. ____________________________________________________________

Module 4 34
3. Cognitive Self-Care:
The things I do to take care of my mind and understand myself better (e.g.
reading for pleasure or work, writing, engaging in continuing education for
additional knowledge/skill).
How well do you take care of yourself psychologically? Identify three
activities that you currently do and/or planning to engage in form this point
forward to take care of yourself psychologically.
A. ___________________________________________________________
B. ___________________________________________________________
C. ___________________________________________________________

4. Social Self-Care
The things I do to take care of my feelings in healthy ways (e.g spending time
with friends, family and colleagues you enjoy, having fun and playing,
participating in group and community activities that encourage social
connections). How well do you take care of yourself socially? Identify three
activities that currently you do and/or planning to engage in form this point
forward to take care of yourself socially.

A. ____________________________________________________________
B. ____________________________________________________________
C. ____________________________________________________________

5. Financial Self-Care
The things I do to spend and save responsibly (e.g. spending money wisely,
planning for the future). How well do you take care of yourself financially?
Identify three activities that currently do and/or planning to engage in form
this point forward to take care of yourself financially.
A. ___________________________________________________________
B. ____________________________________________________________
C. ____________________________________________________________

Module 4 35
 6. Spiritual Self- Care
The things I do to gain perspective on my life (e.g. prayer, meditation, contact
with nature, connection with God, participating in community worship, etc.).
How well do you take care of yourself spiritually? Identify three activities
that you currently do and/or planning to engage in form this point forward to
take care of yourself spiritually.
A. ____________________________________________________________
B. ____________________________________________________________
C. ____________________________________________________________

Closure

Class, congratulations for doing great in this lesson! I hope that you have learned
the adaptive coping skills that will help you properly manage yourself in times of
stressful moments of your life. Love the life given by God to you and take care of it.
Be compassionate to yourself and others. May you have a meaningful journey of life
ahead!

Module 4 36
MODULE ASSESSMENT

1. What are your goals in life?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

2. How do you plan to realize your goals?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

3. Identify your personal stresses/stressors.

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

4. Identify ways of dealing with your stress/stressors in order to cope with such
stressful situations.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Module 4 37
Module Summary

Learning does not only happen inside the school or classroom, learning is
everywhere. You can learn from someone or from your own experience. You don’t
learn from the most intelligent person rather instead from the wisest man, someone
who is full of wisdom.
This module helped us realize how we got the ideas and learning that we have in
our minds and how these direct our behavior. Familiarizing the PACT cycle: Procure
(our knowledge or ability), Apply (put into practice), Consider (evaluate and assess),
and Transform (modify and adapt) is an easy way to understand how we learn on
things.
Metacognition plays an important role in learning which is referred to our own
knowledge of what we know and what we don’t know. There are many studying
techniques mentioned in this module which are the SQ3R Method, Retrieval Practice,
Spaced-Practice, PQ4R Method, and Feynman Technique. These techniques have
their unique ways which may also vary depending on your learning styles as students.
Self-efficacy, on the other hand, is our trust to ourselves in accomplishing a task.
There are four ways to achieve self-efficacy namely; mastery experiences, social
modeling, social persuasion and state of physiology. If we believe in our capacities,
we can make things possible. Further, Dweck’s two types of Mindset Theory,the
Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset was explored. Individuals with fixed mindset
think that the characteristics and abilities they have are fixed already and they refrain
from changes. On the other hand, individuals with growth mindset believe that one’s
trait can be trained and nurtured. They are positive in improving themselves with
adequate training and consistent practice. Thus, growth mindset is advantageous to a
person. Moreover, Locke’s Goal Setting theory focused on the things we need to
consider in creating an effective and achievable goal. There are five principles that
we must taken into account; clarity, challenges, commitment, feedback and
complexity. Goal serves a driving force in our life. It will give us a reason to wake up
everyday. No matter how small progress we make everyday, we need to acknowledge
our efforts and be grateful. Small steps will create larger impact in the future.
Lastly, we learned that stress is a body’s reactions to any change that requires an
adjustment or response and that it is inevitable to life. However, if stress is
prolonged, it could result in diseases of adaptation of even death. Adaptive coping
mechanisms and tips were presented to help us develop our skills in coping with
life’s stresses. We should be in control of the stress that contributes us every day.
Otherwise, when we are overwhelmed by stress, it can be detrimental to our health.
We should learn to take care of ourselves so that we can also extend our care to
others.

Module 4 38
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Photo Credits

PACT LEARNING

Aquilina, J., Cauchi C., Saliba J., & Nadia, Z. (2014). Modes of Learning.
https://sites.google.com/site/pgcemsl4203/modes-of-learning

TWO MINDSETS

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NextLevelFitness. http://nextlevelfitness.org/2019/04/15/fixed-vs-growth-
mindset/

GROWTH MINDSET

Mindset Works, Inc. (2017). Dr. Dweck’s research into growth mindset changed
education forever. https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/

GOAL THEORY

McHarrie, L. (2017). A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance.

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Module 4 43