Grace Christian College

English High School

S.Y. 2021-2022

Factors Affecting the Psychological Well-being of GCC Senior

High School Students

As partial fulfillment for the requirement in

English for Academic and Professional Purposes (EAPP)

Submitted to

Mrs. Gina M. Aragon

(teacher)

by:

Gochuico, Grace Kelly

Ngo, Jethro Akio

Peng, Zhi Kang

1
 Introduction

The aspect of mental health has been a significant issue to

many students, especially since the start of the dreaded

pandemic in 2019. The World Health Organization claims that

among Filipino children aged 5 to 15, 10% to 15% are affected by

mental health problems (Malolos et al., 2021).

The concept of one's mental health is seen with utmost

importance at this day and age, as multiple recognitions such as

the Mental Health Awareness movement have been acknowledged to

promote the continuous state of the importance of a person's own

health, happiness, and productivity. The numbers of physicians

and therapists willing to treat human mental health have been

increasing since the 1900's, and within this modern age, there

is a growing population of individuals such as social workers,

celebrities, and ordinary citizens who campaign for mental

health advocacy (Wieman, 2013).

As the growing trend of inciting positive mental health

rises, this research aims to substantially provide individuals

with information and updates regarding the mental health of a

specific group of individuals most affected by numerous

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pressures and expectations, specifically Senior High School

Students.

There is a high possibility that many young students across

the globe suffer from the lack of capability and understanding

to tend to their mental health. For this, the goal of this study

is to recognize specific factors that may or may not affect

one's mental well-being as considering the said plausible

factors could provide awareness and aid individuals in tackling

and coping with issues that may affect their mental state.

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 Statement of the problem

The main problem of this research is to assess the factors

that affect a student's mental health. This study also aims to

identify various circumstances that may affect a student and

specific potential indications towards students' mental

well-being. This study will be conducted for senior high school

students in Grace Christian College and will be held during the

school year SY: 2021-2022.

This research aim to analyze the following issues:

1. What is the demographic profile of Respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age;

1.2 Grade Level; and

1.3 Gender

2. Do the respondents exhibit particular symptoms of poor

mental health?

2.1 What is the severity of the respondents' poor mental

health?

2.2 Do the respondents appear to display certain mental

health issues?

2.3 What specific mental health issue is the respondent

categorized under?

3. Is the respondent maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

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4. How do the respondents feel regarding their academic life?

4.1 Does a respondent's academic workload affect how they

feel?

5. How do the respondents feel within their home?

5.1 Do respondents feel pressured or uncomfortable around

their family members?

6. Have the respondents experienced triggering or traumatizing

events in the past?

7. How do the respondents cope with their problems?

8. Is there a statistically significant correlation between

the respondent's mental health and the specific factors

stated?

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 Significance of the Study

Having mental health problems can cause a negative impact

on people's lives. According to a website managed by the

Department of Health Australia called Better Health Channel

(2015), such problems may be categorized as anxiety disorders,

depression, eating disorders, paranoia, and the like, which

typically occurs when a person is affected by mental health

issues.

Mental health affects how a person acts through emotional

and psychological means. One's entire mental health depicts his

well-being, and it is essential to continue living throughout

one's life, as critical cognitive abilities such as a person's

thinking and feeling abilities may be directly affected when a

person's mental health is not at its best. Similarly, behavioral

characteristics such as attitude could likewise be impacted

(U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2020).

This study is conducted to discern the specific factors

that directly affect an individual's mental health. Individuals

such as high school students, college students, working

individuals, parents, and teachers can benefit from the study's

findings as the gathered data will be utilized to provide

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awareness to prevent plausible mental health issues from arising

and provide people a better understanding of the issues that can

affect a student's mental health.

Incoming Senior High School Students. With the Junior High

School students proceeding to Senior High School, many young

adolescents can be more prone to developing poor mental health

due to circumstances. We have collected the experiences of the

past Senior High School students, and the incoming students can

potentially benefit from this study as they will know what to

expect when entering a new environment of academics to prevent

the development of poor mental health.

Present Senior High School Students. Students currently enrolled

in Senior High School are similarly prone to develop poor mental

health. This research data may assist and aid the students with

specific information that may allow them to look out for their

mental health.

College Students. College students have the experience of

academic pressure during their Senior High School days, and

these students, especially those suffering from poor mental

health, can consequently benefit from the findings of this

research. The students can be equipped with information to

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recognize the potential factors that affect their psychological

well-being.

Working Individuals. Despite being individuals present in the

field of work rather than students who are faced with academics,

this group of people may nonetheless significantly benefit from

this research as well. The study may provide working individuals

with the knowledge to aid and tend to their own mental health.

Parents of Students and Individuals. This research may help

parents boost their awareness and find solutions to aid their

children who are suffering from poor mental health. Furthermore,

this will allow parents to understand the potential adverse

factors that affect the psychological well-being of their child.

Teachers. As expected of individuals involved in affairs,

services, and support for students, teachers must also consider

the psychological well-being of their students. This study may

provide information that allows educators to understand and

reflect on the potential adverse factors that affect a student’s

mental health. In the process, this allows them to organize

tasks accordingly.

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Organizations of Youth. This study can benefit organizations of

youth, as it allows the groups to further enhance their take on

improving the general wellness for youths. In effect, more

projects that may raise awareness and morale for students

suffering from poor mental health may be suitably performed.

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 Review of Related Literature and Studies

Mental health refers to the state of a person's mind. The

United States Department of Health and Human Service has stated

that it is essential not to ignore a person's mental health

because it can affect one's decision-making skills. Severe

damages to a person's mental health can cause irreversible

psychological problems that may affect a person for the entirety

of his life. Parts of mental health are the following:

emotional, social, and most importantly, psychological welfare.

These elements can directly affect how a person acts, behaves,

and thinks (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2020).

Many students find college to be a stressful experience.

Aside from academic pressure, some students must deal with the

arduous chores of separation and individuation from their

families of origin, while others must balance several career and

family responsibilities. Many college students encounter the

onset of mental health and substance use problems, or an

exacerbation of their symptoms, in this environment. Because of

the particular characteristics of college students, it is

necessary to list essential topics to consider while working

with this group. Furthermore, crucial components of treatment to

consider while treating college students with mental health

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problems are outlined, such as incorporating parents in the

treatment, connecting with other doctors, and using technology

to enhance adherence. It is concluded that practitioners will be

better able to treat college kids if they become familiar with

the special challenges associated with their developmental stage

and surroundings(Pedrelli et al., 2014).

A scholarly source named The Lancelet has an article named

as “No health without mental health” speaking about the mental

health like the health problem that may occur, saying that it is

a serious issue and if not taken care of, several problems like

increasing risk for contagious diseases, and contribute to

injuries (Prince et al., 2007).

The American Psychological Association reported that 81% of

high school students have experienced greater stress during the

COVID-19 pandemic. Online learning has the greatest impact on

the deterioration of mental health among high school students,

with some race-based disparities, according to numerous stressor

statistics for high school students. Furthermore, they ruled in

specific factors that affect a high school students' mental

health: increased stress due to homework, social isolation or

lack of social interaction, and lack of support for mental

health (Rao, 2021). Meanwhile in terms of keeping oneself

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healthy, they have suggested that staying active can help reduce

mental health deterioration.

According to the study of Chinese high school students'

mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic involving

859 high school students (61.4% male, 79.4% under 16 years old).

Their results showed depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress

disorder, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt at 71%, 54.5%,

85.5%, 31.3%, and 7.5%, respectively. The proportion of youth

with psychological problems is much higher during the COVID-19

pandemic. Problems related to schooling and their impact have

been reported in many countries (Dolean and Lervag, 2021).

Furthermore, as reported by a certified article by Educase,

There are multiple factors present that affect a person's mental

health, one of the main factors that impact mental health is the

environment or the situation. Similarly, social influences could

also be one of the contributors to mental health. Such factors

could benefit and harm a person's state of mind, and it comes to

specific terms—both how an individual experiences the situation

and how one's influences directly affect him. (Bradley and

Tugade, 2020).

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 Goals & Objectives

This research aims to identify specific factors that could

affect the mental health of GCC Senior High School students. The

concluded results may potentially be helpful to both the parents

and students to realize and understand the factors that

influence their mental health.

The study seeks to analyze the factors that affect the

mental health of GCC Senior High School students. The goal is to

determine whether or not these specific factors directly have an

effect on poor mental health.

The researchers aim to conduct surveys to collect

information regarding the mental health of GCC Senior High

School students. The questionnaire will also include questions

about the potential factors that may directly affect a student’s

psychological well-being. At the end of the research, the

researchers will analyze the gathered data and conclude the

result.

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 Research Questions

With the background of the research in mind, the

researchers aim to answer three core questions within the course

of this study:

1) How does academic pressure impact the mental health of GCC

Senior High School students?

2) What factors affect the mental health of GCC Senior High

School students?

3) Why are there unique factors that affect the mental health

of GCC Senior High School students?

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 Statement of the Hypothesis

In accordance to the synthesis of the reviewed literature

and studies, the following are the formulated hypothesis

null hypotheses (𝐻0):

1. Academic pressure is not a factor of a student’s poor

mental health.

2. Lifestyle does not correlate with a student’s mental

health.

3. Family relationships do not correlate with a student’s

mental health.

4. Traumatizing events are not a factor of a student’s

poor mental health.

The following are the alternative hypotheses (𝐻1):

1. Academic pressure is a factor of a student’s poor

mental health.

2. Lifestyle has a significant correlation with a

student’s mental health.

3. Family relationships have a significant correlation

with a student’s mental health.

4. Traumatizing events are a factor of a student’s poor

mental health.

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 Methodology

The researchers will gather the needed data for the

research through a survey questionnaire which will help collect

data from the respondents. The questionnaire will consist of

specific questions that will help the researchers fulfill the

study efficiently. This research will take at least 10 minutes

of the respondent's time, and respondents will be asked to

answer a survey which will consist of a Likert scale and

fill-in-the-blanks type questions through Google Forms.

A survey was chosen as the instrument of the study because

it will allow the researchers to collect information regarding

the respondent’s experience with mental health and its potential

factors. The survey will allow the respondents to freely choose

and agree with an option that they feel is similar to their

lives, and this will enable the researchers to compare the data

received to see if there is any trend relative to the study.

The researchers will primarily collect quantitative data

from the respondents. This data comes in the degree of how much

a student agrees with a particular issue or scenario using a

Likert scale. Furthermore, after analyzing and concluding the

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gathered data, all information received from the respondents

will be immediately deleted right after the use.

From a population of 145 from the current Grade 12 batch in

Grace Christian College, 75 will be randomly chosen as

respondents for the study, with 15 students from each class.

The researchers conducted this quantitative study because

mental health is a majorly important issue, especially for

students. The research results will benefit people such as

students, parents, and teachers; this information will provide

individuals with more knowledge about the potential factors that

affect a students' mental health.

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Timeline

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 References

Bradley, E., & Tugade, M. (2020, May 18). Mental Health in

Higher Education: Can a Digital Strategy Help? EDUCAUSE.

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/5/mental-health-in-hi

gher-education-can-a-digital-strategy-help

Malolos, G. Z. C., Baron, M. B. C., Apat, F. A. J., Sagsagat, H.

A. A., Pasco, P. B. M., Aportadera, E. T. C. L., Tan, R. J.

D., Gacutno-Evardone, A. J., & Lucero-Prisno Iii, D. E.

(2021, August 18). Mental health and well-being of children

in the Philippine setting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health promotion perspectives.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8501475/#:~:te

xt=Among%20Filipino%20children%20aged%205,affected%20by%20m

ental%20health%20problems.&text=According%20to%20the%20Worl

d%20Health,School%2Dbased%20Student%20Health%20 survey.

Pedrelli, P. (2014, 21 augustus). College Students: Mental

Health Problems and Treatment Considerations. SpringerLink.

Geraadpleegd op 29 maart 2022, van

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40596-014-0205-9

?error=cookies_not_supported&code=9c2c629a-0a43-4729-9e9c-c

a642ffccf3a#cities

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Prince, M., Patel, V., Saxena, S., Maj, M., Maselko, J.,

Phillips, M. R., & Rahman, A. (2007, September 4). No

health without mental health. The Lancet.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140

673607612380

Rao, M. E. (2021). The Mental Health of High School Students

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Student involvement, mental health and quality of life of

college students in a selected university in Manila,

Philippines. (z.d.). Taylor & Francis.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673843.2019.

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Types of mental health issues and illnesses. Types of mental

health issues and illnesses - Better Health Channel. (2015,

September 18).

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsuppo

rt/types-of-mental-health-issues-and-illnesses

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2020, February 28).

What Is Mental Health? | MentalHealth.gov.

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MentalHealth.Gov.

https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health

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