IMPACT OF DISTANCE LEARNING ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF GAS 11

STUDENTS OF UNIVERSIDAD DE MANILA, SCHOOL YEAR 2021-2022

Submitted to Mr. Francis Camposano

Submitted by

Barbado, Nathaniel

Barnobal, Michaella

Cañares, Angela

Dizon, Zian Raphael

Lopez, Althea Drizle

Masa, Isabelle Maxine

Masigan, Thomas

Santos, Mary Grace

Suba, Paul Joshua

Villanueva, Ma. Angel Maica

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Background of the Study

This study is about the impact of distance learning on the mental health

of GAS 11 students of the Universidad de Manila. What impact does distance learning

have on students' mental health? We are also students; this is relevant to us. Everyone

is already using technology, everyone has switched to the new system since the

pandemic, including those who work, is innovating in this system. Students have also

changed the way they study nowadays, and many have been affected since the virus

spread. Too many students' mental health has been damaged as a result of distance

learning, and they will continue to be harmed if such studies continue.It is important to

investigate this topic to determine the true impact of the new method of learning during

a pandemic.

We all know that even though our learning system has been like this for

two years, not everyone can keep up with distance learning because not everyone can

afford to buy gadgets, install Wi-Fi in their house, or even load their gadgets just to

attend the online class since we are not in the same state of life, especially in today's

time when it is difficult to find a job because we have to close other companies cause

we are facing a virus, not all families are financially secure enough to fulfill their
children's needs. It is necessary to investigate this angle so that others can understand

the impact of distance learning on students. Even if not only financially, but also

regarding students' mental health, distance learning has an impact on the attention that

many people commit suicide, and we are aware of it because when this education

system began, we heard about what students were doing under too much stress and

pressure, they can commit suicide since we are all struggling with this educational

system, so that’s why it is important to investigate this topic until now.

As a student, we understand and feel the true impact of distance learning

on us, particularly on each student's mental health. We are all aware that, since the

beginning of this educational system, many people have committed suicide because of

the stress and pressure they feel while studying because everyone is still struggling with

the new way of learning. We discovered that students from the SLU (Saint Louis

University) school in Baguio City committed suicide because they want it to ease their

requirements. Rin Payno experiences a lot of work, she also shared that she receives 10

to 15 tasks a week. “Perhaps some of the people think that it all boils down to time and

resource management. It takes too much time and energy, mainly because we only

meet some of our instructors once or twice a week. Most of the time, we have to teach

ourselves or rely on our family members who are unfamiliar with our lessons,” (Reyna

Payno).

Consider that if each student does so much, they will be even more afraid of

 failing if they do not complete all of their work on time. We are sure that all of us

students are struggling and will continue to struggle if this situation continues.
This study's content is entirely factual, and it will help people become more aware of

this type of topic, which is the impact of distance learning on students' mental health

during the pandemic. The new and creative outcome will assist and inform future

researchers as well as ordinary people who will read it.

This COVID-19 Pandemic affects all of us in different aspects, including our

education. Authorities are considering proposals to allow limited face-to-face classes in

low-risk areas. But for the most part, classrooms will remain empty due to safety

concerns. According to Secretary Leonor Briones, “There will be no face-to-face classes

and sessions until we are assured of the safety of our children and teachers.” on May

28. This online learning seems impractical as it could mean spending more time and

money on our education, such as buying a device that will be used and an internet that

will have a monthly payment. “DepEd and CHED have students begging for money

online just so they don’t get left behind with their academics, which is simply

unacceptable considering the situation we are in,” the Samahan ng Progresibong

Kabataan spokesman John Lazaro said in a statement. Many people are asking for an

academic freeze for no students must be left behind, but here’s the answer of CHED

chairman Popoy De Vera during a press conference on July 10, “No ifs, no buts,

learning must continue. We learn as one, we are ready”.

On the other hand, many students are struggling and trying to cope with

new normal, a lot of news appeared that the reason behind those students who

committed suicides are because of modules and due dates. On October 20 the DepEd

responds about the issue “The Department of Education (DepEd) is saddened to learn
about the deaths of teachers and learners in these difficult times. We offer our sincere

condolences to the bereaved families and loved ones of our DepEd family members.

Our field offices are in contact with grieving families to provide urgent relief and

assistance.

We would like to request the public to respect the families’ privacy and avoid

speculating on the cause of death. Suicide is a sensitive and complex issue. We would

like to appeal to everyone to stop directly connecting such to modules or distance

learning. We have received police blotters, incident reports, statements of families, and

initial investigation of the cases, and none of them referred to distance learning as the

primary cause. We caution the public against groups and individuals who use these

unfortunate events to discredit the efforts of the Department. We will continue to reach

out to our teachers, staff, and learners to provide them with vital mental health and

psychosocial services. We likewise request everyone to stay in touch and stay

connected to our loved ones during these challenging times. Together, we shall

overcome”.

Statement of the Problem

This study was conducted to determine the impact of distance learning on the

mental health of GAS 11 A and B students of UDM S.Y 2021-2022.

Specifically, it aims to find an answer to the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondent’s in terms of:

 1.1 Name (optional);

1.2. Sex;

1.3 Age;

1.4 Ordinal position in the family

2. What is the impact of distance learning on the mental health of students in terms

of:

2.1 Psychological

2.2 Social

3. What will be the impact of distance learning on the academic performance of

students?

4. What are the factors that impacted the students’ mental health in the online

education?

5. Does distance learning have a positive impact on student's mental health?

6. Does distance learning have a negative impact on student's mental health?

Hypothesis

There is a significant relationship between the demographic profile of the

respondents and the effects of online distance learning to the metal health of students

of GAS 11.

There is a significant impact of distance learning on the mental health of

students of GAS 11.

 There is a significant about the impact of distance learning on the academic

performance of students in terms of their psychological and social aspect of their life.

Significance of the Study

The result of the study will benefit the following:

School Administrator. Launching programs that would help ease the mind of

the students.

Facilitators. Taking initiatives in the classroom to assist students towards

recognizing and imparting themselves as well as the students about the signs

and symptoms regarding mental illness, encourage good health, create a safe

environment, and assist or provide access to mental health-related resources for

the students.

Students. Develop their needs and appreciate the importance of mental health.

Parents. Concerned with the health of their children regarding their situation.

Researcher. Future study on the impact of distance learning on the mental

health of students.
 Scope and Limitations of the Study

The study is limited only to the population of GAS 11 Students of Universidad de

Manila during the School Year 2021-2022.

The scope of the study is to determine the effects of the online distance learning on

the mental health of the GAS 11 students during the School Year 2021-2022 on their

lives. It also allows us to see the positive and negative outcomes and the experience we

learned in the midst of the pandemic.

The information will be gathered through a survey questionnaire. All of the

information needed for the study will be obtained only from the whole population of

GAS 11 Students of Universidad de Manila.

The respondents in this study are 95 students from Universidad De Manila__

under Grade 11 GAS strand.

 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter of the research paper will present the theoretical and conceptual

framework of the study, review of related literature and studies, synthesis, a paradigm

of the study, and the definition of terms. Moreover, this part of the research paper

will also present the factor that influences students to read online fictional stories,

the advantages and disadvantages of reading online fictional stories, and the impacts

of online distance learning on the students’ mental health which will be shown in this

chapter and will be justified by the numerous authors in their study, article, research,

or thesis.

Review of the Related Study

Mental Health: Our Health Being

, Our emotional, psychological, and social well-being are all part of our

mental health. It has an impact on the way we think, feel, and act. Mental

health also influences how we deal with stress. It is thoroughly important for it

is the root of everything we do and if it's not well functioned, it may cause us

mental health problems. This may result in different complications on a

person's actions, and emotions.

 Mental health is important at all stages of life, from childhood to a

person's maturity season. The word ‘mental health’ is occasionally used to

refer to the absence of mental disease. Did you ever notice your loss of

interest in the things you wanted or loved to do before? Some people give up

their interest simply because they got bored, or it was simply inconvenient to

them. However, this could be caused by a psychological condition called

anhedonia. Anhedonia can take the form of indifference or a lack of

enthusiasm to do activities, as companions for seniors sentenced in one of

their articles. This proves that mental health instability can affect

relationships, daily living, and physical health.

It is thoroughly important especially for teenage students that are coming

up in adulthood. They tend to face mental changes and developmental

problems at this age range. According to Polaris Teen Center, 50% of all

lifetime cases of mental illness are developed at the age of 14, 75% by age of

24. Anxiety disorders, stress-related disorders, mood disorders, obsessive

disorders, eating disorders, and disruptive-behavior are the most frequent

disorders in adolescents and teens.

Meeting and having social interaction with people help teens on

understanding their emotional feelings and cope up with them. As Mental

Health First USA stated, studies have shown that teens who enjoy close

friendships in their adolescence period have a lower rate of having mental

health in the future. Gathering with friends,chatting, and interacting with

them is indeed very important for a growing teen. But how will they do that,

if they were locked up to study in their houses and are forbidden from

meeting with anyone outside their houses during this pandemic?

"While social networking is a great tool, there's a profound difference

between an online social network and a real one." Warell (2018). Social media

keeps us in touch with our family, friends, and peers. However, there is a huge

difference between keeping in touch with people through social media and

meeting them face to face. Sometimes, people tend to miscommunicate

because they can't express themselves when typing. Miscommunication may

affect the relation of a person to his friends and peers. This causes another

reason for a person to have mental health instability.

Having a mental disorder affects our study thoroughly. Being simply

distracted influence our study badly, what's more about having mental health

problems? It is hard to cope up when you are feeling lonely during these

times. Surely, most of the students experienced crying or having academic

breakdown during class work. Staring at the ceiling while questioning their

existence, and questioning the school's existence. School works are affected

these times. Students pass their works late for a reason that they cannot focus

on how they handle problems in their homes, so as the school works.

Ever since the opening of the school and implementation of distance

learning, student's life began to change. Including their formerly

accustomed way of studying, the way they handle stress, and the

problems they face in. Students' mental health is especially affected for

this new normal is mentally exhausting. Facing your problems yourself,

and misunderstandings during communication with different persons. It

also results in being uncomfortable to the public for they are locked up on

their houses for a long time, and the only faces they see are their family.

Aside from mental health problems, connection problems also occur

during online classes. Some students tend to have an inconsiderable amount

of signals in their houses in which causes connection loss and results in

disconnection during online classes. Online classes are indeed inconvenient

not only for students but also for their parents. Some parents cannot afford

to buy their children the essentials of having online classes, such as stable

internet connection, gadgets, and a place to study.

Mental health, connection, and financial, are widely affected by these on-

going online classes. Students' problems pile up to the point that some of

them committed suicide. American College Health Association (ACHA) stated

that the suicide rate among young adults ages 15-24 has tripled since the year

1950. Currently, suicide has scored 2nd place as the most common cause of

death among college students. Proving that school has a lot of pressure on its

own, what is more on this distance learning?

DepEd Speaks on Mental Health Issues

The mental health issues students experience during distance learning are

due to an interplay of factors, said one of the country’s top psychiatrists,

who added that such issues cannot be solely attributed to the difficulties of

the revamped education system.

This issue was brought to light after the Department of Education

(DepEd) released a statement on Tuesday appealing to the public to “stop

directly connecting,” the deaths of its teachers and students to the

distance learning system.

However, Rifareal acknowledges that some of her student clients

talkabout feeling burnt out due to their classes’ workload and struggling

with the new system due to a lack of resources. Meanwhile, the DepEd

said it would continue to reach out to teachers and students to “provide

them with vital mental and psychosocial services.” The Philippines

currently has a landmark mental health law that secures the rights of

persons with mental health needs, provides mental health services, and

promotes mental health education to schools, barangays, and workplaces.

The DepEd shifted to distance learning for the coming school year to

comply with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for schools to delay face-

to-face classes until a coronavirus vaccine becomes available. There was a

heated debate in the country about when and how to start classes in the

middle of an untamed crisis. Parents and students pointed out their lack of
finances to acquire gadgets needed for distance learning.

Review of the Related Literature

Students Mental Health Challenge

A student's mental health always comes first. If a student's way of

thinking is ruined, there's a big chance that his/her work would be

ruined. Now, this ruined work may result in a failing grade

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools and institutions across

our country and even around the world have switched to online classes.

During this pandemic, everyone's safety is of the utmost importance, so

online classes are the only viable alternative. It was convenient and

comfortable at first. We had time to bond and enjoy ourselves together,

had the time we never had for our family when we were still busy. It was

enjoyable before we began to run on a long journey of being locked up in

our houses. It was enjoyable before this got too long and out of hand.

In the long run, not only students and professors have suffered from

the on-going online classes, but parents were also very affected by their

expenses raised considerably due to the needs of online classes. However,

this is not the biggest impact of online classes. As stated above, a

student's mental health always comes first.

Baguio students demand a city-wide academic

 break, as SLU faces protests

Recently, Baguio City agreed to schedule short breaks in between

examinations and ease their workload following a dialogue led by Mayor

Benjamin Magalong stated in one of Vincent Cabreza's articles. Although it

was a short break or vacation, it has a strong impact on students that are

mentally and physically exhausted. This helps a student toat least breathe

for a day or two. Even though it was short, at least this much helps

students to feel more unscathed during the pandemic and online classes.

"Ease not Freeze" is the stand of our DepEd amidst the renewed calls

for academic freeze according to Merlina Hernando-Malipot. Academic

freeze is called upon because students began to suffer from different

mental disorders. As we all know, online classes can be very exhausting for

a student especially if you are in college or senior high school level.

Mental Health Effects of Online Learning

According to Kentucky Counseling Center, there is a newly coined term

called “zoom fatigue,” during this covid-19 era. It is referred to as feelings

of tiredness following extended zoom class or video conference calls.

Consider how would a child feel spending hours each day in front of the

zoom without any recreational activities and social interactions with their

friends. The child would have grown up believing he only has himself and

minds no attention on having friends. That is not the time for it yet.
 Students, parents, and even teachers’ mental health are affected

by online education. It may worsen for people who have mental health

issues. However, a person who's suffering from a mental health issue

cannot simply declare that he/she does not wish to study. The school does

not accept mental health problems as an excuse to skip school or be late

on passing a project.

Theoretical Framework

This research was based on the study of Alibudbud (2021) where he stated that

increase anxiety and absenteeism are examples of the negative mental health

consequences of online learning among students. On the other hand, Poalses and

Bezuidenhout, (2018) believed that these can be attributed to increased demand for new

technological skills, increased productivity, and information overload.

The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated these consequences by shifting educational

institutions away from face-to-face activities and toward mostly online learning

modalities to combat the spread of COVID-19 (Malolos et al., 2021). While all students

may be affected, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experience more

mental distress due to a lack of financial resources to obtain the necessary gadgets and

internet connectivity. Given these variables, a digital divide induced by socioeconomic

inequalities may have resulted in mental health disparities among students during the

pandemic (Cleofas and Rocha, 2021). Hou et al. (2020) noted in a recent article that

young Chinese students from resource-limited regions may be at risk for mental

disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic due to social and cultural factors.

Conceptual Framework

Knowing that we are in a pandemic, these variables can also be considered an

issue that needs to be addressed by the government of the country. A student will have

more work and responsibility because of the requirements and the early due date that's

been given to them. Having financial issues can affect the student's privilege to have a

good education. And since there are many works and responsibilities, being stuck in a

house can give illness to the mental health.

The environmental place of the house can also contribute to the chances of a

person catching the virus. Having gadgets as a medium for online class will make

students dependent on gadgets, and not on natural learning. Gadgets can help us in

learning, but it is not the same with face-to-face classes because they can bring out the

best in you. Gadgets can also cause health problems such as vision and posture.
 Paradigm of the Study

Figure 1. Research paradigm of the impacts of online distance learning on the

mental health among students of UDM-SHS A.Y. 2021-2022.

The input includes identifying the issue that needs to be learned or addressed and

having the facts and reliable information that needs to be processed. Locating needed

materials such as gadgets as a medium is also a must. For the process, the sources that

will be indicated and be referenced must be valuable and reliable. Avoid fake news and
information. Also, include having opinions from different respondents to exercise the

knowledge of different perspectives. Add notes between transactions. For the

output/outcome, if the research and steps are done right, it will result in non-biased

factual research that is reliable and can help researchers in the coming years. Having

this research can also help balance and know each side and perspectives on how they

perceive this issue.

Definition of Terms

Academic freeze- refers to the cancellation of formal education due to

the outbreak of the pandemic.

Anhedonia - the lack of ability to feel pleasure or happiness; lack of enthusiasm

to do activities.

Bereaved - people who are suffering from the loss or death of a loved one.

Disruptive-behavioral- when a person, mostly in child, has difficulty

controlling their actions; has temper tantrums and/or aggression.

Distance learning- is also called "online learning," it is a form of learning or education

in which the essence is that the students and the teachers are in physical separation

during lectures and learning. It will need the use of a medium such as mobile phones,

laptops, desktops, Wi-Fi, radio, etc.

Face-to-face- an interaction that deals with parties who will meet within each

other's sight and having the ability to see each other physically to talk and meet.
Factual - a piece of information or a writing that deals and is based only on facts.

Miscommunication - a failure to communicate comfortably and properly; lack

of clear and adequate communication.

New normal- a current situation that is different from the events before but I

expected to become typical and usual; a transformation of actions and lifestyles.

Obsessive disorder - a mental illness in which a person experiences

uncontrollable thoughts, reoccurring thoughts of obsession, and compulsions in

which he/she/they feel the urge to repeat.

Pandemic- it is an epidemic that has spread throughout different countries and

continents.

Police blotters- a book that contains written records of any events or person

that is handled by the police such as arrests.

Wi-Fi- it allows local area networks to operate without cables. It is a communication

standard for a wireless network.

Zoom fatigue- is exhaustion but is based on the tiredness that people

experience after a video conference call.

 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study involved a qualitative design to make the research authentic and

reliable. Qualitative research includes collecting and analyzing non-numerical data to

acknowledge experiences, concepts, and opinions. It can be applied to construct in-

depth insights into a problem or to generate new ideas for research. The respondents

of the study were the GAS 11 students of Universidad De Manila. This research study

used one research method, which is case study. It is composed of research questions

that are related to the main focus of the study. The researchers aspire to focus

regarding the impact of distance learning on the mental health of GAS 11 students. A

case study was functional to the researchers due to the fact that they were able to

gather information and data through this, such as performing an online survey with the

use of google forms.

Research Locale

This research was conducted through an online survey with the use of google

forms. The researchers were unable to perform an interview to GAS 11 students of

Universidad De Manila, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Universidad De Manila

(UDM), previously known as City College of Manila, was established during the

administration of Mayor Alfredo S. Lim, in 1995 pursuant to ordinance No. 7885

validated by the City Council of Manila. It pioneered in free tertiary education for the

underprivileged but deserving youth who did not have the financial capabilities to obtain

a college education. Its main campus is located at the grounds of Mehan Gardens,

nearby the Central Terminal Station of LRTA Line 1. It previously preserved a campus at

the 15-storey old PNB Building in Escolta Street, however, it was extinguished by a fire

in 2015 and was eventually demolished in 2016

The respondents of this research study were the GAS 11 students of

Universidad De Manila, in the Academic Year 2021-2022.

Respondents of the Study

The researchers of the study selected and considered the grade 11 senior high

school students of Universidad De Manila to be the chosen respondents. The students

both male and female are from different sections of the GAS strand, such as the GAS-A,

GAS-B, and GAS-C. They are chosen to be the respondents because this batch of

students uses advanced technology and their classes are conducted online.

Furthermore, these students are capable of answering the survey question

properly and appropriately. In addition to this, they were also chosen because the

researchers want to recognize different points of view of students from different classes

about the topic.

Research Instruments

The instrument that the researcher used was an online survey that helped the

researcher gather data in response to the specific information related to the study. The

research instrument that was utilized by the researchers in 2022, was modified with the

given permission. The online survey was composed of six research questions which was

a modified version of the online survey that was adapted. The first question identified

the

demographic profile of students who answered the survey. The second question

consists of how does online education affects the mental health of GAS 11 students.

The third question contains whether how was the academic performance of GAS 11

students during online classes. The fourth question consists of factors that affect the

mental health of GAS 11 students. The fifth question is composed of the advantages of

the online classes to the GAS 11 students’ mental health. The sixth question includes

the disadvantages of the online classes to the GAS 11 students’ mental health.

The online survey was pilot tested to the selected GAS students of Universidad

De Manila regardless of their age and socio-economic status.

Data Gathering Procedure

Before the conduct of the research study, the necessary consent and

permissions were obtained from the respondents from Universidad De Manila to

consider case study issues. After obtaining consent and permission, the online surveys

were given to the selected GAS students and they were given five (5) days to answer

the online survey through Google Forms. The data gathering served as a basis for

further enhancing the research tool and served its validity and reliability. The same

procedure was followed in conducting the final study with the GAS students.