Department of Education

Region 02, Cagayan Valley

Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Stress can be defined as a physiological and psychological response to

external or internal demands that exceed an individual's perceived ability to cope

effectively (American Psychological Association, 2020). Students are most frequently

affected by stress due to their academic and personal life. Students face various

challenges, difficulties, and a whole lot of pressure in today’s competitive world.

Students get to be trained in handling stress and should get out of it. Stress is the

process by which an individual or a person reacts when opened to external or internal

problems and challenges. The organism processes numerous systems to coordinate

such adaptive responses both at systematic and cellular levels. It is a complex and

multifaceted phenomenon that can manifest in various forms, such as acute or chronic

stress, and can arise from factors such as work pressure, relationship difficulties,

financial problems, or major life events. (International Journal of Academic Research

Economics and Management Sciences, 2018).

Studies indicate that the well-being and academic achievement of high school

students can be affected by part-time job involvement and working pattern

(Lederman, S. J. 2009) mention that depending on the nature of the job and the

number of working hours that a student engages in, his health status can be affected

either positively or negatively.

Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera

 Department of Education
Region 02, Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

Working students are those students who work outside the school and have a

school responsibility too. Students have so many reasons to work outside at home.

One of these is that they want to help their parents in earning money to meet the needs

of their family. These may include their everyday needs such as food, shelter,

clothing, and education Others want to work because they feel bored at home and by

means of working, they will able to amuse themselves. Somehow the others work for

their personal interests. That is, they want to use what they have acquired in school

and feel fulfilled just to apply whatever knowledge they have gained in the past.

Money or financial gain is not the main issue but simply an expression of self-

fulfillment. Students who are engaged in a job have to carry out their duties and

responsibilities both as students and workers in order to maintain school and company

relationships Students who had stayed at home with their parents were often eager to

get any job. Some really needed extra income and others wanted to re-establish

communication skills with adults and have something to make them busy. The

successful working students have examined their goals and priorities before they

entered into the field of work.

Coping skills include a range of actions and adaptations in response to stress-

ful experiences, which can be critical for determining pathways of resilience and vul-

nerability in children and adolescents. (Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Health,

Volume 2, 2023) . There are three types of coping mechanisms: primary control cop-

ing (PCC), secondary control coping (SCC), and disengagement coping (DC). Pri-

mary control coping involves active attempts to directly alter the stressor or one's

emotions through problem-solving, emotional expression, and emotion modulation.

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Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera
 Department of Education
Region 02, Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

Secondary control coping involves more cognitively complex strategies to adapt to

the stressor, such as acceptance, positive thinking, distraction, and cognitive reap-

praisal. While DC is often linked to greater levels of these symptoms, PCC and SCC

have consistently been linked to lower internalizing issues in young people (Compas

et al., 2017). This study made clear how crucial it is to employ efficient coping mech-

anisms, such problem-focused coping, to lower the damaging impacts of stress on

mental health. It also implies that people should be encouraged to utilize adaptive

coping mechanisms to deal with environmental stresses because different coping

mechanisms may have varying consequences on mental health outcomes. There are a

number of reasons why students who work while they are simultaneously in school

could feel more stressed than those who do not.

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) strand is

one of the most challenging because it entails challenging coursework that necessi-

tates analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. This study sought to in-

vestigate the sources of stress among working STEM students. Due to financial con-

straints, the STEM strand is seen as difficult. Working students frequently need to

work to support themselves financially in order to have a sufficient allowance or to be

able to purchase their necessities as well as their own tuition. This may make it more

difficult for kids to balance jobs and school and may increase their concern about how

they will pay their bills

According to Smith (2022), STEM students who excel in all four disciplines

often struggle with the heavy workload of homework and studying required by each

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Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera
 Department of Education
Region 02, Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

class due to the complexity of the subjects covered. Smith further explains that under-

standing these subjects necessitates additional hours of work outside of the c

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to explore the sources of stress and coping strategies among

Grade 11 and 12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

working students of Nueva Vizcaya General Comprehensive High School for the

Second Semester of S.Y. 2022-2023.

Specifically, it aimed to answer the following questions:

1. What are the sources of stress among the respondents?

2. How do the respondents cope with stress?

Theoretical Framework

Students engaged in part-time and sometimes full-time employment while

studying is becoming a normal phenomenon everywhere. Job employment will

eventually prepare the students for their future profession. While ordinary experiences

will comprise the majority of the data content of this study, these data will be

analyzed and justified using particular theories.

This study made use of the Role Strain Theory and Job Demands-Resources

Model. The theory of Role Strain Theory suggests that individuals who hold multiple

roles or statuses (such as being a student and a part-time worker) may experience

strain or conflict as they try to balance the demands of each role. This can result in

negative outcomes, such as decreased academic performance or increased stress. In

other words, in the context of students having a part-time job, Role Strain Theory

suggests that students who work while attending school may experience strain as they

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Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera
 Department of Education
Region 02, Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

try to balance the demands of their academic and work roles. For example, a student

who works long hours may have less time and energy to devote to their studies, which

could lead to decreased academic performance or increased stress. Additionally, the

demands of their work role (such as completing assignments or meeting deadlines)

may conflict with the demands of their academic role, further increasing strain. Role

Strain Theory highlights the importance of understanding the various roles and

statuses that individuals hold, and how these roles can interact and impact an

individual's well-being and performance. It suggests that individuals who experience

role strain may benefit from strategies such as time management or seeking social

support to help them better manage the demands of their multiple roles (Kim, Y., &

Kim, M. 2021). Role strain and subjective well-being among college students working

in South Korea. Journal of Education and Work,) while Job Demands-Resources

Model suggests that the demands and resources associated with a job can impact an

individual's well-being and performance. For example, if a part-time job requires long

hours or is highly stressful, it may negatively impact a student's academic

performance. On the other hand, if a job provides resources such as financial support

or social connections, it may have a positive impact on a student's academic

outcomes. Job demands refer to the physical, psychological, social, or organizational

aspects of a job that require sustained physical or mental effort and are associated

with physiological and psychological costs. Examples of job demands might include

workload, job insecurity, or interpersonal conflicts with colleagues. Job resources, on

the other hand, are the physical, psychological, social, or organizational aspects of a

job that are functional in achieving work goals and reducing the associated

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Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera
 Department of Education
Region 02, Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

physiological and psychological costs. Examples of job resources might include social

support from colleagues, opportunities for skill development, or a sense of autonomy

in decision-making. (Hakanen, et al., 2015).

Conceptual Framework

Input Process Output

Data Requirements Gathering of This research will

Conceptual and provide information
Stress among Related Literatures about the
working students in
respondent’s
Stem strand of Data Collection:
NVGCHS. Crafting and sources of stress
validation of and coping
Coping strategies of questionnaire strategies of
working Students working students in
Data Analysis and Stem strand of
Interpretation:
NVGCHS.
Thematic and
Narrative Analysis
This study will
benefit on the field
of education.
Moreover, this
paper can serve as a
basis of Grade 11
and 12 STEM
Students.
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Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera
 Department of Education
Region 02, Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

Figure 1 presents the paradigm of this study. The first box presents the input.

The input is divided into two categories, which are primarily for the data collection of

the targeted respondents. This contains the information needed in conducting this

research. The process contains how the data of the respondents were collected. The

process contains information about the different techniques and strategies that we use

in conducting our research. The output is the expected outcome of this study, which is

to know the sources of stress among the respondents and their coping strategies.

Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to the following:

Working Students. This study will encourage them to balance their

obligations to work and academics so that neither will have an adverse effect on the

other person’s achievement in either area

Teachers. This will remind them of their critical role in guiding their students

in their academic tasks

Parents. This study will give parents insight into the issues that working

students have faced. This will encourage them to show their children more support

and empathy

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Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera
 Department of Education
Region 02, Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

School Administrators. Administrators will profit from the study’s findings

by implementing the proposed action plan, which will reduce drop-out rates for

working students

Future Researchers. The results of this study will serve as a basis for their

topic of research in addition if the study is similar to their topic, they can utilize the

study wherein they can gather information.

Scope and Delimitation

This study was focused on exploring the different stress among working

students, particularly the Grade 11 and Grade 12 STEM strands. The STEM strand is

the focus, because the STEM strand is among the toughest graders, and it has

specialized subjects that are used to fulfill requirements in so many majors and pre-

professional programs. Moreover, only the aspects and contexts stated in the problem

statement will be the concern of this study. This study is to also gather relevant data

on how working students cope with their struggles and difficulties. It aims to know

the motivations of working students and to fully understand their experiences of being

a working student. In general, this study aims to grasp the essence and entirety of a

working student’s life.

Definition of terms

The following terms are operationally defined for a better understanding of the

study.

Coping Mechanisms. We use These cognitive and behavioral approaches to manage

internal and external stressors in academics.

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Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera
 Department of Education
Region 02, Cagayan Valley
Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya
NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Bayombong

NVGCHS. Nueva Vizcaya General Comprehensive High School. A school located at

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.

NVGians. In this study, the students of Nueva Vizcaya General Comprehensive High

School were given questionnaires to gather information.

Stress. Response to a situation that a person perceives to be overwhelming in that the

person does not think he or she can meet the demands of the situation.

Stress is how we react when we feel under pressure or threatened. It usually happens

when a situation that we don’t feel we can manage or control.

Students. A person formally engaged in learning, especially one enrolled in a school

or college university.

Working Students. A student who is permitted to work while studying for them to

pay their own expenses. They are individuals who find ways to support themselves

and to help their parents.

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Avellano, Lopez, Pugong, Tacson, Valera