Effect of Mental Health on the Academic Progress of a student

Title of the Project

Cherry Mae P. Panague

Name

Submitted I n Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Culminating Activity

San Jose National High School

Name of school

April 1, 2022
Date

Introduction

Mental health issues are the leading impediment to academic success. Mental illness can affect
students’ motivation, concentration, and social interactions—crucial factors for students to succeed in
higher education. Student’s experiencing mental distress has been linked to lower academic self-efficacy
and poor study progress, yet underpinning mechanisms are complex and not fully elucidated. This study
will serve as an eye-opener to both students and staff of De provide awareness and deeper knowledge on
the effect of mental health on the academic progress of a student. This concept builds upon the various
insights that have been undertaken by the various researchers in psychological field.

Value of the Study

This study will benefit the following sectors;

Department of Education - Through this study, they will be aware of the students’ situation in
performing their academics and provide programs in school that will help those students who are
currently struggling.
Teachers, Staffs, and Administrators of SJNHS – To provide consciousness on the struggles of the
students so that they can offer guidance counseling to the learner.
Parents – To raise awareness regarding the effect of mental health on the academic progress of a
student so that they can provide support that is needed by their children.
Students – To gain information about the relationship of mental health and academic progress.
Future Researchers – This study will serve as their source for conducting their own research if they
will undertake the same topic.
Literature Review

Student life can be stressful and for some students it may cause mental distress. Besides being a major
public health challenge, mental distress can influence academic achievement (Grøtan , Sund, and
Bjerkeset , 2019). Studies on the impact of educational achievement and academic performance on mental
health in the younger population mainly include adolescents. In a meta-analysis of 17 original works,
early school drop-out was found to be associated with substance abuse, depression and externalizing
problems [4]. Moreover, academic performance in adolescence has been associated with suicide in men
but not in women [9]. In a recent Swedish study, a low Grade Point Average (GPA) at age 16 was found
to be associated with depression in early adulthood, and this association was attenuated by externalizing
comorbidity [10]. In a large population-based cohort, Jonsson et al. [11] found that a low GPA was
associated with hospitalization due to depression in adolescence. However, academic performance was
assessed at age 16 and depression between ages 12 and 17 making a definite conclusion about the
direction of the association precarious. With regard to younger children, Deighton et al. [12] found
support for the effect of poor academic performance on subsequent internalizing problems in middle
childhood. In sum, a couple of studies investigated the effect of academic performance on mental health
in adolescence and early adulthood, although most studies focused mainly on depression. 

Objectives

The research paper seeks to achieve the following objectives:

1. To determine the effects of mental health on the academic progress of the students.
2. To address the struggles of the students with mental distress that hinder their focus on their studies.
3. To open the eye of the teachers and staffs of the school, and also the DepEd about the current situation
of the learners and come up with an effective solution to cure the problem.

Hypothesis

1. What are the effects of mental health on academic performance of a student?

2. How does mental distress affect academic achievement?

Methodology

The study intends to use an explanatory design

which seeks to carry out an in-depth study on the
effects of mental health on the academic
performance of the learners to have an in-
depth knowledge about it. This study will gather the
needed data through giving interview guide
questions to the respondents.
Timeline
The project is expected to be completed in 19 weeks with the following indicated as the activity’s
durations for every section of the research project:

Research Section Duration

1. Title 1 week
2. Introduction 1 week
3. Purpose of the study 2 weeks
4. Preliminary Literature Review 4 weeks
5. Objectives of the study 1 week
6. Research Questions and 1 week
Hypothesis
7. Methodology 2 weeks
8. Data analysis, interpretation, 4 weeks
and discussions
9. Summary, conclusion, and 2 weeks
recommendations
1o. Reviewing work for final 1 week
submission

Citations
Agnafors, S., Barmark, M., and Sydsjö, G. (2020, August). Mental health and academic performance: a
study on selection and causation effects from childhood to early adulthood.

(Grøtan , Sund, and Bjerkeset , 2019). Mental Health, Academic Self-Efficacy and Study Progress
Among College Students - The SHoT Study, Norway.

[4] Esch P, Bocquet V, Pull C, Couffignal S, Lehnert T, Graas M, Fond-Harmant L, Ansseau M. The

downward spiral of mental disorders and educational attainment: a systematic review on early school
leaving. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;27(14):237. doi: 10.1186/s12888-014-0237-4. [PMC free
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[9] Gunnell D, Löfving S, Gustafsson JE, Allebeck P. School performance and risk of suicide in early
adulthood: follow-up of two national cohorts of Swedish schoolchildren. J Affect Disord. 2011;131(1–
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[10] Sörberg Wallin A, Koupil I, Gustafsson JE, Zammit S, Allebeck P, Falkstedt D. Academic

performance, externalizing disorders and depression: 26,000 adolescents followed into adulthood. Soc
Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2019;54(8):977–986. doi: 10.1007/s00127-019-01668-z. [PubMed]
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11. Jonsson U, Goodman A, von Knorring AL, von Knorring L, Koupil I. School performance and
hospital admission due to unipolar depression: a three-generational study of social causation and social
selection. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2012;47(10):1695–1706. doi: 10.1007/s00127-012-0476-
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12. Deighton J, Humphrey N, Belsky J, Boehnke J, Vostanis P, Patalay P. Longitudinal pathways

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