STRESS AND COPING STRATEGIES IN ONLINE LEARNING AMONG SENIOR

CRIMINOLOGY STUDENTS OF LA CARLOTA CITY COLLEGE

A Research presented to
La Carlota City College

A Research Report Submitted to

Helen Donguines, PhD
Professor

In partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements in Criminology 7 (Criminological
Research 1)

Claridad, John Kerby R.

Deleon, Leander M.
Pagsuberon, Eljon T.
Semillano, Pablo M.
Torre, Robert A.
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The Corona Disease Virus of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

disrupted all human sociological, economic and political

activities worldwide (Fine & Tronto, 2020). During the first

quarter of 2020, when little information was known about the

disease and no effective treatment measures and vaccines

were available, schools and other institutions in different

countries had to suspend classroom teaching and practice

social distancing. It threatens the people to experience a

challenge that can be so devastating in a lifetime (DiMaio

et al., 2020). The Philippine Government imposes an extreme

measure of community quarantine nationwide in the first two

quarters of the year 2020 that creates considerable

adjustments of the Filipino populace. Most of the people

including the students and their families were caught

unprepared to cope with the unprecedented situation (Salmi,

2020). These drastic quarantine measures or lockdown

intended to ensure the safety of the people became necessary

for the Department of Education to switch to online or

internet and modular form of learning as the primary

curriculum delivery (Bozkurt et al., 2020).

 Such decision and implementation had subjected the

citizens not ready or have financial means faces

insurmountable problems and having difficult time in coping.

Initial study about the student’s readiness on the continued

or sustained modular learning mode of delivery, the current

medium of instructions in education, students have aired

their family condition that causes them to encounter a far

deeper bad situation that subjected them to stress and

depression (De Guzman & Pastor, 2020). While we are aware

that stress and coping mechanisms with stress are phenomenon

closely tight knitted with human life as we evolve. Students

should also be inquired how they cope with stress and

depression in online learning as the New normal of

education. They have to face the diversity of challenges in

terms of their academic, family situations, peers and many

more. This can be in many aspects like physical,

psychological, social and financial. Many students face

stress as they meet-up busy lives, school and work, while

they were trying also to have time with their family and

friends. It is dangerous however, to let stress with

dysfunctional coping mechanisms become student’s way of life

as they coarse through their education because the same

stress can lead to a terrible and disastrous effect that

changes completely student’s life and it led to failure.

Thus, for a student need to create a coping mechanism

strategy to counter their stress in order for them to reduce

the negative effects to their learning and performance as an

adult individual.

The way the students deal with the stress is known as

cope. The term coping is referred to behavioral cognitive

efforts in accomplishing the appraisal situation that is

important in regulating the stress (Crockett et al., 2007).

It should be noted that stress may not affect all people

exactly the same and the individual differences takes the

crucial role in coping with stress (Ganesan & Deb, 2017).

Research evidence suggests that students experience some

kind of stress in one way or the other, and therefore stress

is part of students’ existence and can have effect on how

students cope with the demands of university life (O’Rourke

et al., 2010).

For the longest time, people assumed that the student

population was the least affected by any sort of stress or

problems (Reddy et. al., 2018). Stress is now understood as

a lifestyle crisis (Masih & Gulrez, 2006) affecting any

individual regardless of their developmental stage (Banerjee

& Chatterjee, 2016). The issue of stress among college and

university students has been a focus of many researchers for

several years (Yikealo et al., 2018). College students are

vulnerable to various stress-inflicting situations which in

turn tends them to be continually creative in managing

stress feelings. The stress-producing factors among college

students can arise from the subject or from the environment.

These stressors are related to academic, socio-economic, and

personal successes in which the subject’s failure to

overcome leads to stress (Yikealo et al., 2018). Some of the

common stressors reported in an academic setting include

excessive assignments, poor time management, and social

skills, and peer competition (Fairbrother & Warn, 2003).

Along with it, what proved to be stressful was the

expectations parents had for their children, which in turn

grew into larger burdens that these children could not carry

anymore (Reddy et al., 2018), and students also need

preparation and focus to perform well in academic works of

various subjects and disciplines (Murff, 2005). However,

college students very often experience inconsistent

outcomes. Therefore, ineffective coping can lead to anxiety,

drinking problems, depression, and a multitude of other

mental health problems amongst college students (Pariat et.

al., 2014). Moreover, elevated stress levels amongst college

students can result in a decline in academic

accomplishments, and affect both the physical, social and

mental health of students (Pedrelli et. al., 2015).

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine level of stress and coping

strategies among Senior Criminology students enrolled in La

Carlota City College for the second semester of the School

Year 2021-2022.

Specifically, it seeks to answer the following

questions:

1. What is the profile of senior criminology students in

terms of:

a) Age

b) Sex

c) Civil Status

d) Place of Residence

2. What is the level of stress of senior criminology

students when taken as a whole and when grouped according

to:

a) Age

b) Sex

c) Civil Status

d) Place of Residence.

3. What are the coping strategies among senior criminology

students during the school year 2021-2022?

Hypothesis

There is no significant difference in the level of

stress among senior criminology students.

Significance of the Study

he findings of this study are significant to the

following persons and agencies:

School Administrators. This study is beneficial for

the school administrators, because it can help them in

crafting school programs that will enhance the students

coping strategies and reinforce their students current state

by reducing the stress level of their students.

Guidance Counselors. This study will aid guidance

counselors in creating personality development programs and

it will provide them baseline data in order for them to

assess the school’s capacity to initiate activities and

craft programs that will cater the needs of their students

towards a better guidance program.

Criminology Students. This study will help

criminology students in terms of raising awareness about

their stress level, knowing their coping strategies, and

participating in activities that can greatly aid in

development as a graduating student.

 Future Researchers. This study can help future

researchers include other variables not included in the

study. They can also correlate the level of stress of

students with another construct that is feasible for the

actual conduct of another possible study.

Scope of the Study

This study will use a plain descriptive research design

since it focuses on the assessment of the level of stress

and coping strategies of Senior Criminology students of La

Carlota City College for the school year 2021-2022, with

age, sex, civil status, and place of residence as variables.

The respondents of this study will include the total

population of the Senior Criminology students enrolled for

the said school year. Total enumeration will be used for

this study since it will include the total population of the

proposed respondents. A standardized research instrument

will be utilized to measure the level of mental toughness

among Senior Criminology students.

The findings of this study will be utilized in crafting

a Personality Development Program that will help boost the

level of mental toughness of Senior Criminology students.

Definition of Terms
 The following terms are defined according to their

operational functions in the study.

Level of Stress refers to the measure of the senior

Criminology students' feelings of being overwhelmed and

unable to cope with mental and emotional pressure.

Senior Criminology Students refers to the respondents

in this study that is in their fourth year of studying

Bachelor of Science in Criminology.

Sex refers to the respondents’ biological

characteristics that are further classified into male or

female Junior Criminology student.

Age refers to the chronological age of the Junior

Criminology student at the time of the actual survey.

Civil Status refers to the Junior Criminology

students’ marital status whether they are single, married,

or separated.

Theoretical Framework

The study was anchored on the Cognitive Theory of

Coping developed by Folkman and Lazarus (1988). This theory

states that portions of an individual’s knowledge

acquisition can be directly related to observing others

within the context of social interactions, experiences, and

outside media influences. People do not learn new behavior

only bytrying them and either succeeding or failing but

rather, the survival of humanity is dependent upon the

replication of the actions of others. Coping as a result is

survival technique.

Folkman and Lazarus further defined coping as changing

cognitive and behavioral effort to manage specific external

and or internal demands that are seen as taxing or exceeding

the threshold of the person. Therefore, coping is primarily

a psychological concept although there are many definitions

all share the same concept that of a struggle with conflict,

emotions and demands. The present study deals with students

coping mechanisms that this theory will be defined as the

process through which the students successfully manage

stressful events that are deemed as taxing or exceeding the

available resources. How the students coping with the

different aspects either physically, psychologically,

socially and financially

Schematic Diagram

CRIMINOLOGY STUDENTS

Age Stress Level and Coping Strategies

 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Academic Stress
 Outside forces impinge on the individual would be

regarded as stress (Shaikh, et al., 2004). Stress is defined

as “any factor, acting internally or externally, which makes

adaptation to environment difficult and which induces

increased effort on the part of the individual to maintain a

state of equilibrium between himself and herself and the

external environment” (Richlin et al., 2003). Stress has a

lot of definition, but most of the know ones highlight

stress as “any factor that threatens the health of an

individual or has an adverse effect on the functioning of

the body” (Shaikh et al., 2004). Stress is a natural event

that all of people experiences in their life. All people

have minimum stress but excessive stress may cause anxiety

and it’s harmful for health. Disruptions in physiological

and psychological health are often led by high level of

stress (Lo, 2002). One topic which has a noticeable

percentage of studies and investigations during last and

current decades is how human cope with hard or stressful

situation (Mazumdar et al., 2012).

Stress would be defined as external factors that press

on the individual (Shaikh, et al., 2004). "Any element,

either internally or externally, that makes adaptation to

environment harder and causes additional effort on the part

of the person to maintain a condition of balance between

himself and herself and the external environment" is

characterized as stress (Richlin-Klonsky & Hoe, 2003). There

are several definitions of stress, but the most common ones

define stress as "any circumstance that threatens an

individual's health or has a bad influence on the

functioning of the body" (Shaikh, et al., 2004). Stress is a

normal event that everyone goes through in their lives;

everyone has some stress, but too much stress can induce

anxiety and be hazardous to one's health (Pourrajab et al.,

2014). High levels of stress are frequently the cause of

disruptions in physiological and psychological health (Lo,

2002). One topic that has received a significant amount of

attention in recent and current decades is how humans cope

with difficult or stressful situations (Mazumdar et. al.,

2012). It has an impact on a variety of facets of life.

Going to school is also a source of stress because of the

pressures that come with it (Calaguas, 2012). Under the

influence of important people, students internalize their

educational aspirations while taking their academic success

into account. Furthermore, educational programs have long

been known to translate ambition and motivation into the

genuine effort, hence improving academic success (Salazar et

al., 2020). As a result, expectations are understood as more

than fantasies or status-based value orientations; rather,

they are the outcome of rational calculations that are

constantly updated in light of existing information about

the situation and students' (self)estimated ability (Andrew

& Hauser, 2011).

In recent years, stress has become an important topic

for researchers (Ongori & Agolla, 2009) due to stressful

daily lives in recent years (Calaguas, 2011). Experience

stress is normal for students because they study in a highly

competitive world and they must adjust their academic life

in this situation. Stress has become a significant topic for

researchers in recent years (Ongori & Agolla, 2009) as a

result of hectic daily lives (Calaguas, 2011). Stress is

natural for students because they study in a highly

competitive environment and must modify their academic lives

in this situation (Pourrajab et al., 2014). Ang and Huan

(2006) found that "academic stress, particularly academic

expectations, is a factor contributing to suicidal ideation

in adolescents," but later discovered that adolescent

depression "partially mediates the relationship between

academic stress and suicidal ideation in a four-step

sequential process, using multiple regression." In general,

"adolescents frequently regard themselves as being assessed

in terms of their academic achievement, and the pressure to

excel is a significant indicator of their success" in school

(Ang & Huan, 2006). Academic stress adversely

affects students' overall adjustment (Hussain et al., 2008),

and one type of academic stress that deserves special

consideration is that caused by expectations.

College students who engage in obligatory activities,

specifically school-related, reported it as a significant

source of their stress (Aselton, 2012). Undergraduate

students claimed that stress was the most common health

factor affecting their academic performance, as stress harms

physical and psychological health (Dwyer & Cummings, 2001).

Stress harms students' academic performance. This shows that

students who are highly stressed outperformed poorer

academically than their low-stress counterparts (Parker et

al., 2018). The conclusion is that students who are

underperforming academically due to stress may be subjected

to chronic stress — a never-ending struggle to improve

academic performance (Khan et al., 2013). If a person is

faced with chronic stress or employs ineffective coping

mechanisms, he or she may grow to believe that life, in

general, is unpredictable, uncontrolled, or burdened

(Offstein et al., 2004). These students' efforts to enhance

their academic performance will result in increased stress,

resulting in prolonged tension. The strain placed on

students at higher educational institutions such as

universities is based on the time limit and difficulty

standing out in exams or examinations, making them prone to

stress (Smith et al., 2000). Moreover, academic stress is

also a product of academic expectations (Calaguas, 2011).

Academic expectancy stress, according to Matutino and

Singson (2020), is an unpleasant psychological condition

produced by educational expectations from parents,

instructors, classmates, and family members, existing

educational curriculum, evaluation system, and homework

burden. Throughout this process, the kids strive for

excellence. Students experience academic stress as a result

of both their parents' and instructors' expectations (Ang &

Huan, 2006). Academic expectations, particularly those

placed by parents, instructors, and oneself, induce stress

in youngsters, harming them psychologically as well as

physically. There was also evidence that, despite pupils

achieving better levels of accomplishment despite these

conditions, they had sacrificed their health and well-being

in order to fulfill the criteria (Conner et al., 2010).

According to the research Alipio (2020), college

students may feel stress as a result of strong and demanding

academic obligations. When stress is viewed negatively or

becomes overwhelming, it may have a severe impact on both

health and academic performance, as well as on pupils

(Cassady, 2010). Furthermore, if the pressure is sustained

and thought to be uncontrollable, these experiences have

been proven to evoke hopelessness, sadness, and stress,

putting some students' academic careers in peril (McIntyre,

McIntyre, & Francis, 2017). Recent study has revealed that

not only are perceptions about one's educational and career

destiny erroneous and unclear, but that there is also a

dynamic interplay between expectations and performance

(Morgan et al., 2013). Expectations for education go beyond

wishful thinking. Despite significant knowledge gaps,

adolescents make critical decisions about their educational

future, and these expectations are strongly impacted by

their families' perceptions about their ability and the

amount of effort necessary to achieve at each stage

(Salazar, Hector & Radl, 2020).

Academic Stress of College Students and Variables

Everyone's ambition is to pursue a college education

since a college degree is frequently connected with success

later in life (Terriquez, 2015). However, going to college

is not easy especially with so many possible hindrances

associated with it (Agolla & Ongori, 2009). There is

evidence that university students are under increased stress

(Benton et al., 2003) and fewer programs for psychosocial

development and prevention (Shek & Wong, 2011). College

freshmen are particularly vulnerable to such difficulties

since the first year of college entails several changes and

adjustments that must be successfully completed (Hussain et

al., 2008). Moreover, Elias et al. (2011) found that first-

year students had more significant chronic stresses than

other students. Apart from the actual adjustments that

college freshman face, additional factors such as

academically-relevant and stressful expectations from others

(parents/teachers) or from oneself might hinder their

pursuit of a college degree (Hussain et al.,2008). This may

signify that the early adjustment period for new students

poses particular obstacles that strain their coping

mechanisms. Studies demonstrate that first-generation

college students showed lower academic self-efficacy and

more somatic stress-related symptoms than their peers (Wang

& Castaneda-Sound, 2008). Multiple studies have previously

established the impact of stress on learners (Hussain et

al., 2008; Masih & Gulrez, 2006; Shaikh et al., 2004;

Sulaiman et. al., 2009). The research of expectations as a

cause of academic stress among college freshman is a

worthwhile endeavor, especially since stress is known to

have an impact on students' well-being and performance in

college. The most typical indicators of stress are emotional

deficiencies, aggressive conduct, shyness, social anxiety,

and a loss of interest in normally fun activities (Hussain

et al., 2008).

In addition, the perception and behavior of a student

to academic pressures change based on gender (Misra et al.,

2000). As an illustration, female students are more likely

to report expressing their emotions, whereas male students

are more likely to describe managing their emotions,

accepting the problem, not dwelling on it, and making an

effort to solve the issue (Misra & Castillo 2004). Gender

differences also exist in the ways people cope with

pressures. At the same stress levels, women show greater

overt tension than men (Misra & Castillo 2004). Male and

female students experience varying levels of stress (Amr et

al., 2008). Research on the experience and discernment of

stress by gender is not only intriguing but also

controversial, due to differing approaches taken by

researchers such as Misra and Castillo (2004), who

demonstrated that male and female perspectives on stress

differ. Furthermore, Jogaratnam and Buchanan (2004) argued

that the differences in stress responses between men and

women are important, especially when they are under stress.

In connection, Sulaiman et al. (2009) discovered that the

rate and types of stress experienced by female students are

higher than those experienced by male students due to their

emotional and sensitive personalities and attitudes toward

their surroundings.

According to Pourrajab et al. (2014), the numerous

symptoms that contribute to stress are more common in

females than in males. According to Calaguas (2011), the

significant difference between female and male students is

due to their perception of the subject, lecturers, academic

program, classroom, and their attitude toward the stressors,

but there is no significant difference between enrollment or

admission perception, their classmate, and the stressors'

financial issues. When we compare the stated factors with

the scores of male students, we can see that male students

are more stressed than female students. Female students, on

the other hand, performed better in areas such as

instructors, classrooms, budgets, and expectations

(Calaguas, 2011). As a result, there is a significant

difference in how male and female students perceive academic

stress. This phenomenon can be connected to stressor factors

such as subjects, lecturers, academic settings such as their

courses, and the expectations of both groups.

Several family circumstances influenced how well

parents perceived their child's school to offer information.

Children from two-parent households were less likely to have

parents who thought their child's school gave no information

than students from single-parent families or other types of

family arrangements (25 percent versus 30 and 37 percent).

Following Lippman et al. (2008), parents' expectations for

their children's school performance affect their children,

and early expectations often persist throughout a child's

school years. Parents' expectations (Entwisle, Alexander, &

Olson, 2005). According to studies, parents' expectations

for their children's academic success predict educational

outcomes better than other measures of parental

participation, such as attendance at school functions and

sports games (Fan, 2001; Jeynes, 2005, 2007; Redd et al.,

2004). The expectations of parents have an impact on

children's results in a variety of ways. When parent-child

connections are close and warm, parental expectations are

more likely to influence their offspring (Moore, Whitney, &

Kinukawa, 2009). Higher goals for children's education mean

more significant out-of-school learning for those children

(Entwisle, et al., 2005). Additionally, parents'

expectations affect their children's own goals and

expectations. For example, research shows that parents'

hopes for their children's academic success have a moderate

to substantial influence on students' objectives for

postsecondary education.
 Coping Strategies and Coping Mechanisms

A study conducted by Matud (2004) suggested that

women's coping style is more emotion-focused and suffered

more stress than men who have problem-focused coping

strategies (Endler & Parker, 1990 cited in Matud, 2004).

Women find themselves in stressful circumstances more often

compared to men (McDonough & Walters, 2001). Moreover, women

tend to report chronic stress due to their poor coping

mechanisms compared to men. In the present study, women

scored higher than men on an emotional and avoidance coping

style, and the men scored higher on rational and detachment

coping and emotional inhibition (Matud, 2004).

Kelly, Tyrka, Price, and Carpenter (2008) found out

that women report significantly more clinical depressive and

anxiety symptoms than men, corroborating the findings of

Cohen (2002) and Bennett, Compas, Beckjord, and Glinder

(2005). Furthermore, interactions between gender and coping

styles that involved emotion were not significant predictors

of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Thus, it indicates that

emotional support and their relationship to depression and

anxiety do not differ between men and women (Kelly, Tyrka,

Price, & Carpenter, 2008).

From another perspective, Felsten (2007) evaluated

gender differences in the use of coping strategies. Women

used slightly more social support seeking compared to men,

but both genders did not differ in the utilization of

problem-solving strategy. The present study validated the

findings that both genders did not differ among university

students in terms of their coping strategies (Cabas-Hoyos,

Espriella, German-Ayala, Martinez-Burgos, & Uribe-Urzola,

2015).

Stress, Coping Strategies, and Birth Order

Only children have been previously shown to have a

greater risk of self-harm due to poor coping mechanisms

compared to second or

third-born children (Riordan, Morris, Hattie, & Stark, 2012;

Bjorngaard et al., 2013).

Third born children are members of larger families.

Therefore, it can add further confounding issues if not

controlled (Easey, Mars, Pearson, Heron, & Gunnell, 2019).

Putter (2003) concluded that middle children are susceptible

to a greater risk of acquiring mental health problems.

However, later studies that included a greater amount of

data found that later-born children have a higher risk of

mental health problems (Black, Devereux, & Salvanes, 2016).

Easey, Mars, Pearson, Heron, and Gunnell (2019), found

out in their study, that later-born children were

predisposed to a greater risk of suicide attempts and

psychiatric disorders in their adolescent stage. This study

is comparable to previous research investigating the effect

of parity on offspring suicide attempts, which showed

similar dose-response effects as the current study with an

increase in suicide attempts shown for each increase in

birth order (Rostilla, Saarela, & Kawachi, 2014). Few

previous studies have been conducted to look into the

association of birth order and offspring psychiatric

disorder. Thus, the current study further supports the

previous studies that have reported later-born children to

be at greater risk of mental health problems, and increased

risk of suicide due to poor coping strategies (Black,

Devereux, & Salvanes, 2016; Geoffroy, Gunnell, Clark, &

Power, 2018). The study's findings provide further evidence

that later-born children are at greater risk for suicide

attempts and mental health problems (Easey, Mars, Pearson,

Heron, & Gunnell, 2019).

Stress, Coping Strategies, and Course

Students enrolled in allied medical courses are more

exposed to stressful events than students enrolled in other

courses. This notion is supported by the continuous exposure

of these students in situations that requires full

responsibility for the lives and health of patients

(Pacheco, 2008). Thus, stress is something immanent to both

nursing students and professionals, due to multiple demands

and extravagant workloads, inadequate peer support, dynamic

work environment, all of which are contributing to the high

levels of stress experienced in the nursing profession

(Chang, Hancock, Johnson, Daly, & Jackson, 2005).

Medical students represent a group of people under

significant pressure due to the tremendous academic demands

of their course. A study by Naveen, Swapna, Jayanthkumar,

and Shashikala (2015) showed that 32.9% of medical students

and 34.2% of engineering students from urbanized

professional colleges, suffered from stress due to lack of

positive coping strategies. A similar study by Waghachavare,

Dhumale, Kadam, and Gore (2013) determined a higher level of

stress in medical students (25.1%) compared to engineering

students (19.7%) from professional colleges in the urban

area (Shiva Kumar, Jibin Babu, & Krishnamurthy, 2018).

A study by Shiva Kumar, Babu, and Krishnamurthy (2018)

found that 72% of medical students perceived moderate to a

high level of stress, which is higher than 56.7% of

engineering students. Medical students significantly

utilized active problem solving, accepting responsibility,

and less used escape-avoidance coping than engineering

students. However, among engineering students, seeking

social support and distancing was significantly utilized

compared to medical students (Shiva Kumar, Jibin Babu, &

Krishnamurthy, 2018).

The findings of the present study were higher compare

to the findings of Saipanish (2003), which is 61.4%,

Sherina, Rampal, and Kaneson (2004) with 41.9%, and Tyseen,

Vaglum, Gronvold, and Ekeber (2001) with 31.2% in their

study. Studies by Solanky, Desai, Kavishwar, and Kantharia,

2012 (96.8%), Shaikh et al., 2004 (90%), and Chauhan, Shah,

Chauhan, and Chaudhary, 2014 (87%) had reported that

students perceived stress which is higher compared to the

present study (Shiva Kumar, Jibin Babu, & Krishnamurthy,

2018). Both medical and engineering students perceived the

highest support from their peers compared to their

significant other. This can be attributed to the fact that

students stay in a hostel with their friends and spend most

of the time with their peers compared to their family.

Furthermore, medical and engineering students perceived the

least support from their families.

Cultural views can support these findings. Family

members are obliged to provide support, which is not

perceived as "special," Therefore, it does not provide

satisfaction. It may be perceived as extraordinary from

developed countries where the government provides social

support rather than close familial support (Shiva Kumar,

Jibin Babu, & Krishnamurthy, 2018).

The relationship between stress and coping in

university students is interesting (Gustems-Carnicer,

Calderon, & Calderon-Garrido, 2019). Coping is a key

variable in managing the impact of stress (Gustems &

Calderon, 2013) and preventing a negative academic result

(Tavolacci et al., 2013). A study of Iranian university

students found out that individuals with poor academic

performance perceived their problems as out of control,

utilized avoidance as part of their coping mechanisms, such

as cognitive avoidance and seeking alternative rewards, and

made fewer positive reappraisals their high achieving peers.

The latter considered the situation within their control

(Aguilar-Vafaie & Abiari, 2007). Using cognitive avoidance

negatively affects the academic achievement of university

students (Gustems-Carnicer, Calderon, & Calderon-Garrido,

2019). Some studies indicate that students tend to neglect

their emotional and mental health and are more likely to

employ poor coping strategies that develop maladaptive

responses towards stress (Deasy, Coughlan, Pironom, Jourdan,

& Mannix-McNamara, 2016).

Cognitive avoidance paves the way for individuals to

disengage themselves from their studies, which compounds the

effects of stress and has negative effects towards their

academic future (Neveu et al., 2012), while problem-focused

coping aids in alleviating the negative impact of stress and

often leads to more positive outcomes (Doron et al., 2009).

Students who use problem-focused coping strategies to

prepare for their examinations adopt more active strategies,

such as planning and seeking social support (Rogaten &

Moneta, 2017), which positively affects their academic

performance.

Approach strategies that seek help and attempt to solve

problems were positively related to high-achieving students'

performance, while cognitive avoidance and stress were

related to students' poor performance. These results

corroborate the findings of numerous studies (Deasy et al.,

2014; Gustems & Calderon, 2013; Pietarinen et al., 2013),

suggesting that academic performance of students depends in

part upon how students perceive the impact of stress and

cope up with the situation (Vaez & Laflamme, 2008; Stormont

& Young-Walker, 2017). Moreover, literature shows that

university students who use approach coping strategies, such

as seeking social support (Vaisanen et al., 2018), and

initiate changes to improve their stressful disposition

(Mapfumo, Chitsiko, & Chireshell, 2012) cope better compared

to students using avoidance as their coping mechanism, such

as ignoring the stressful situation (Mapfumo, Chitsiko, &

Chireshell, 2012), and substance use (Tavolacci et al.,

2013).

Furthermore, the educational implication of the results

is that knowledge about students' coping strategies in

dealing with their personal and academic difficulties can be

a better predictor of their academic achievement than

knowing their stress level. High academic achievement

students can perform better even if they are under great

stress if they respond to pressure with less avoidance as

part of their coping strategies (Gustems-Carnicer, Calderon,

& Calderon-Garrido, 2019).

Stress, Coping Strategies, and Family Income

Families with low socioeconomic status are deprived in

various ways and suffer from numerous stressors related to

finances, social relations, employment, and health compared

to their counterparts, the families with high socioeconomic

status (Weyers et al., 2010; Senn, Walsh, & Carey, 2014).

Results from a longitudinal analysis of 34 countries from

2002 to 2010 showed that inequalities between socioeconomic

groups increased in terms of their health; thereby,

adolescents coming from the low socioeconomic status group

are more affected by physical and psychological symptoms

(Elgar et al., 2015). Moreover, children and adolescents

from a low socioeconomic status group are two to three times

prone to develop mental health issues than their

counterparts coming from high socioeconomic status (Reiss,

2013). In numerous studies, common indicators of low

socioeconomic status include household income, parental

education, and parental employment status. The said

indicators were directly associated with an increase in

mental health issues among children and adolescents (Najman

et al., 2010).

A study conducted by Reiss et al. (2019) concluded that

all indicators of low socioeconomic status, as well as a

high number of stressful life situations, were directly

associated with the manifestation of mental health problems

in children and adolescents. In more detail, the study

showed that each indicator of socioeconomic status

separately contributed to children's coping and mental

health problems at the two-year follow-up; however, detected

effects were low for household income and unemployment of

parents, and low to average for parental educational

attainment. Thus, parental education was the strongest

predictor, whereby children coming from families with

higher-educated parents showed promising coping strategies

and lower risk of developing mental health problems than

their counterparts with lower-educated parents (Reiss et

al., 2019).

Furthermore, household income and parental education

have a stronger impact on children's and adolescents' mental

health problems than low occupation status or unemployment

(Reiss, 2013). Parents with a university degree tend to have

higher positive psychological health than children of

parents without a university degree (Padilla-Moledo et al.,

2016). Additionally, low socioeconomic status is associated

with a higher struggle in different areas of everyday life

and potential exposure to stressful situations. Studies

concluded that unpleasant life events and other stressors

are clearly associated with low socioeconomic position

(Lantz et al., 2005). In more detail, socioeconomic status

is associated with stress responses, coping strategies, and

stressful life events (Baum, Garofalo, & Yali, 1999 cited in

Reiss et al., 2019).

Furthermore, exposure to unpleasant life events and

family distress partly explained the association between the

symptoms of mental health problems and the socioeconomic

status of Swedish adolescents (Boe et al., 2018). This

result aligns with the findings of a longitudinal study by

Koechlin et al. (2018), which reported that stressful

childhood experiences and low maternal educational

attainment significantly predicted difficulties in coping

among adolescents (Reiss et al., 2019). Similar findings

were noted for the mediating role of life events on the

relationship between socioeconomic status and mental health

of adolescents who participated in a longitudinal study in

the United States of America (Businelle et al., 2014).

Altogether, the assumption that low socioeconomic status is

associated with more problems and stressful life situations

can be considered contributing factors in the development of

mental health problems among children (Reiss et al., 2019).

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study will utilize a quantitative

descriptive-comparative research design. The descriptive-

comparative research will be used to measure the difference

in the stress level according to the students' demographics

with the use of a standardized questionnaire to extract

statistical data appropriately.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of this study will include the total

population of Fourth-year Criminology students in a La

Carlota City College enrolled in the second semester of the

academic year 2021-2022.

Population and Sample Size

This study will include the total population of the

Fourth-year Criminology students under the College of

Criminal Justice Education of a La Carlota City College.

Sample size will not be determined because it will include

total enumeration of respondents.

Sampling Techniques

The appropriate sampling technique to be used in this

study is Purposive Sampling because this study will include

the whole population of the Fourth-year Criminology students

in La Carlota City College.

Data Gathering Instrument

 This study will utilize standardized questionnaires to

measure the stress level and coping strategies of Senior

Criminology students because of its quantitative nature. The

researchers will use two standardized questionnaires, to

measure the stress level of students, the Stress

Questionnaire by International Stress Management Association

UK will be used and Brief-COPE questionnaire will be used

for their coping strategies.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers will write a letter to the office of

the Dean of the College of Criminal Justice Education of La

Carlota City College asking for permission to conduct the

study in their Department with Fourth-year Criminology

students as respondents of the study. After that, a

communication letter will be sent to the Program Head of the

College of Criminal Justice Education as a sign of courtesy.

A letter asking for the list of Fourth-year Criminology

students will be addressed to the School Registrar of the

school. Informed consent will be asked from the respondents

and a brief background about the study's objectives will be

included in the survey forms. Once all the permits are

secured, the researchers will schedule a specific date for

the survey's actual survey administration. The researchers,

with the list of the students as a reference, will

administer the standardized questionnaire. The researchers

will tabulate the data after the extraction, then the

researchers will encode the raw data and send the files to a

statistician for analysis and interpretation.

Data Analyses

To determine the profile of the respondents the

researchers will use frequency count. For the descriptive

analysis, weighted mean will be used to determine the level

of awareness towards drug campaign among the respondents.

For the inferential problem, comparative analysis, Mann

Whitney U test will be used to determine the significant

difference in the level of mental toughness among Fourth-

year Criminology students.

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APPENDICES
APPENDIX A

Brief-COPE
Name (Optional): ____________

Age: ______
 Sex: ___ Male ___ Female

Civil Status: ___ Single ___ Married ___Separated

___Widowed

Place of Residence: _______________

1- I haven’t been doing this at all

2- A little bit
3- A medium amount
4- I have been doing this
5- I have been doing this a lot
1 2 3 4 5

1. I've been turning to work or other

activities to take my mind off things.
2. I've been concentrating my efforts on
doing something about the situation I'm in.
3. I've been saying to myself "this isn't
real".
4. I've been using alcohol to make myself
feel better
5. I've been getting emotional support from
others.
6. I've been giving up trying to deal with
it.
7. I've been taking action to try to make
the situation better.
8. I've been refusing to believe that it
has happened.
9. I've been saying things to let my
unpleasant feelings escape.
10. I’ve been getting help and advice from
other people.
11. I've been using alcohol or other drugs
to help me get through it.
12. I've been trying to see it in a
different light, to make it seem more
positive.
13. I’ve been criticizing myself.
14. I've been trying to come up with a
strategy about what to do.
15.I've been getting comfort and understanding
from someone.
16.I've been giving up the attempt to cope.
17.I've been looking for something good in
what is happening.
18.I've been making jokes about it.
19.I've been doing something to think about it
less, such as going to movies, watching TV,
reading, daydreaming, sleeping, or shopping
20.I've been accepting the reality of the fact
that it has happened.
21.I've been expressing my negative feelings.
22.I've been trying to find comfort in my
religion or spiritual beliefs.
23.I’ve been trying to get advice or help
from other people about what
24.I've been learning to live with it.
25.I've been thinking hard about what steps to
take.
26.I’ve been blaming myself for things that
happened
27.I've been praying or meditating
28.I've been making fun of the situation.

Stress Questionnaire

Yes No

29. I frequently bring work home at night

30. Not enough hours in the day to do all the things that I must
do
31. I deny or ignore problems in the hope that they will go away
32. I do the jobs myself to ensure they are done properly
33. I underestimate how long it takes to do things
34. I feel that there are too many deadlines in my work / life
that are difficult to meet
35. My self confidence / self esteem is lower than I would like it
to be
36. I frequently have guilty feelings if I relax and do nothing
37. I find myself thinking about problems even when I am supposed
to be relaxing
38. I feel fatigued or tired even when I wake after an adequate
sleep
39. I often nod or finish other peoples sentences for them when
they speak slowly
40. I have a tendency to eat, talk, walk and drive quickly
41. My appetite has changed, have either a desire to binge or have
a loss of appetite / may skip meals
42. I feel irritated or angry if the car or traffic in front seems
to be going too slowly/ I become very frustrated at having to wait
in a queue
43. If something or someone really annoys me I will bottle up my
feelings
44. When I play sport or games, I really try to win whoever I play
45. I experience mood swings, difficulty making decisions,
concentration and memory is impaired
46. I find fault and criticize others rather than praising, even
if it is deserved
47. I seem to be listening even though I am preoccupied with my
own thoughts
48. My sex drive is lower, can experience changes to menstrual
cycle
49. I find myself grinding my teeth
50. Increase in muscular aches and pains especially in the neck,
head, lower back, shoulders
51. I am unable to perform tasks as well as I used to, my judgment
is clouded or not as good as it was
52. I find I have a greater dependency on alcohol, caffeine,
nicotine or drugs
53. I find that I don’t have time for many interests / hobbies
outside of work