Coping Mechanism of IPT Students During COVID-19 Pandemic 2022

An Action Research
Presented to the
Faculty of the College of Industrial Education
TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Batangas Campus

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirement in
In-Campus Practice Teaching

Researchers
Evangelista, Marie P.
Floralde, Eugene E.
Gagarin, Jhenrae Angel J.
Gob, Mary Jane B.
Mañago, Shaeana Mae C.
Mangundayao, Rolan D.

BSIE-ICT 4A

2022
II. ABSTRACT

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt across many

demographics, industries, and institutions. School closures, shifts to online learning, and

the elimination of social and networking opportunities, for example, have all had an

impact on college students. The COVID-19 pandemic presented difficulties for

educators. Educators are said to bring light into the lives of their students.

The research study aims to determine the coping mechanism of IPT students

during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, is to look into IPT students' experiences

during disruptions, particularly their encounters.

This research was carried out at the Technological University of the Philippines-

Batangas. Purposive sampling was used to 25 selected Fourth Year students major in

Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The ICT students from TUP-

Batangas are selected by the researchers based on their own judgment as part of the

population to participate in the interview.

This study is qualitative in nature. A research method that allows for the

exploration of phenomena within their context. After each interview, the data was

analyzed to immerse the researchers in the data. Throughout the research process,

research protocols were observed and followed in accordance with research ethics.

Based on the study, it was revealed that most of the IPT students' stressors are

lack of financial, disruption, anxiety, mental breakdown and work overload. In addition,

the latter are stress, boredom and fear. In relation to stressors, based on the result the
 coping mechanisms of the IPT students to relieve the hardships they felt during Covid 19

are by means of listening to the music, watching movies, playing online games using

smartphones, doing physical activities inside the house, eat healthy meals, and keep

their busy. The study revealed that the respondents utilized those mechanisms in a

positive attitude which helps stop them from being dragged down by unhappy feelings,

boosts the problem solving that a stressful situation requires and helps us see the

possibilities within a situation, while negative thinking narrows our view. However,

challenges were encountered by the IPT students in using those coping mechanisms are

financial Problem since they can't go outside to buy loads to watch movies, studying at

home or dormitory is more evidently correlated with academic performance decline,

problems regarding physical and mental health during online learning, difficulties on

socialization, distraction and slow connectivity while watching movies to ease the

disruptions.

The parameter is used to evaluate what specific coping mechanism are utilized

by the IPT students during COVID-19 pandemic. The study's findings revealed that

COVID-19 has a wide impact on one's lives, especially IPT students. In addition, a good

coping mechanism or strategy is the major factor to cope up and deal with the hardship

experienced.

Keywords: coping mechanism, stress, disruption, anxiety, mental breakdown

III. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The researchers would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the

following people for their invaluable assistance, professional supervision,

encouragement, and moral support in completing this study.

Dr. Cristina Celarta, In-Campus Practice Teacher Course Facilitator -

Technological University of the Philippines for her invaluable supervision and

advice which greatly helped the researchers to complete this research work.

Mr. Loreno P. Norcio, Teacher I of Cuenca National High School, for

providing guidance, suggestions, and assistance with the study.

Researchers Family who were constantly there, providing them moral

support and inspiring words to keep him moving.

And most of all to Almighty God, the source of everything, for His divine

mercy, love, protection and guidance, giving the researcher the courage, vitality

and perseverance to hold on.

 Researchers

IV. CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt across many

demographics, industries, and institutions. School closures, shifts to online

learning, and the elimination of social and networking opportunities, for example,

have all had an impact on college students. Early research indicates that the

associated lack of routine and isolation has resulted in an increase in mental

health problems among an already vulnerable population (Anderson, et al 2020).

Several recent studies provide compelling evidence of the pandemic's far-

reaching effects on college students. According to Aucejo, French, Araya, and

Zafar (2020), who surveyed students at Arizona State University, the pandemic

caused delays in degree progress, lost wages and employment opportunities,

and decreased students' post-graduate prospects. Employment prospects after

graduation Low-income students were disproportionately affected, as Rodriguez-

Planas discovered.

Indeed, the emerging literature paints a bleak picture of college students'

COVID-19 pandemic experiences. Despite the rapid proliferation of these

important studies, we still know very little about how college students dealt with

adversity. Given the widespread negative effects of the pandemic on students,

there is a clear need for evidence on best pandemic coping practices to assist

colleges in better supporting their students.

 The goal of this research is to look into IPT students' experiences during

disruptions, particularly their encounters and coping mechanisms.

The researchers, who are IPT students at TUP-B College have directly

experienced disruptions, conducted this study to investigate the experiences of

learners amidst this global disruption, the various stresses, their coping

strategies, and to recommend a new model based on its gaps and challenges on

IPT students' coping mechanisms.

V. INNOVATION, INTERVENTION, AND STRATEGY

CBT Program to Practical Strategies when Distress and Overwhelm Your Life

Unpleasant feelings or emotions that interfere with your day-to-day functioning.

Coping is defined as the efforts we make to manage situations that we

perceive to be potentially harmful or stressful. Those who cope best have a

battery of coping strategies and are adaptable in their responses to a situation.

Coppers are generally optimistic and use their skills to achieve the best possible

outcome. Copers are not helpless or passive. This means that they seek ways to

gain control of their lives.

Another way to improve our coping mechanisms is to boost our resilience.

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines resilience as the ability to

adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, threats, or other significant sources of

stress. In today's demanding environment, providing long-term care for a loved

one or working as a professional caregiver can be a significant source of stress.

We are not born with resilience; however, it is something that everyone can learn

and develop.

According to the APA, having caring and supportive relationships that

create love and trust is the most important factor that contributes to resilience.

Effective coping skills can frequently help improve mental and emotional

well-being. People who can adjust to stressful or traumatic situations (and the

long-term effects these incidents may have) through productive coping

mechanisms may be less likely to experience anxiety, depression, or other

mental health issues as a result of painful or challenging events.

A program designed to help you made a positive changes in your life will

help you cope. You'll work with the trainer and other participants to learn and

practice skills for dealing with stress in your life.

The program has two primary objectives:

1. provide useful strategies and pointers to help you with problems related

to distress.
 2. assist you in developing a personal tool kit that you can use in your own

life and at your own pace to help manage stress and distress.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you

manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It is most

commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but it can also help with other

mental and physical health issues.

CBT is based on the idea that your thoughts, feelings, physical

sensations, and actions are all interconnected, and that negative thoughts and

feelings can trap you in a negative cycle.

CBT seeks to assist you in dealing with overwhelming problems in a more

positive manner by breaking them down into smaller parts.

CBT treatment typically entails efforts to alter thought patterns. Among

these strategies are:

• Recognizing one's own thinking distortions that are causing problems

and then reevaluating them in light of reality.

• Developing a better understanding of other people's motivations and

behaviors.
 • Dealing with difficult situations by using problem-solving skills.

• Acquiring a greater sense of confidence in one's own abilities.

In general, many of coping mechanisms of the students is an ease as a

result of the benefits they receive, such as feeling better, feeling less isolated,

learning how to use mindfulness to keep things from getting worse, strategies to

deal with relationship problems, and strategies to deal with stress in the future.

VI. ACTION RESEARCH QUESTION

This study sought to document the stressor and coping mechanisms of

IPT Students at Technological University of the Philippines-Batangas During the

Covid-19 Pandemic 2022. It sought to answer the following questions in

particular:

1. What are IPT students' academic stressors during the Covid-19

Pandemic?

2. What are coping mechanisms for these stressors employed by the

learners?

3. How important is utilizing such a coping mechanism?

4. Why does such a coping mechanism become a challenge?

VII. ACTION RESEARCH METHOD

a. Participant and/or other sources of data

This study is qualitative in nature. A research method that allows for the

exploration of phenomena within their context. After each interview, the data was

analyzed to immerse the researchers in the data. Throughout the research

process, research protocols were observed and followed in accordance with

research ethics.

This research was carried out at the Technological University of the

Philippines-Batangas. Purposive sampling was used to (25) selected Fourth Year

students majoring in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) because

researchers rely on their own judgment when selecting members of the

population to participate in their surveys.

b. Data Gathering Methods

Google meet, MS Teams or Face to Face was used to conduct an

interview for the respondents. The study only took into account the students who

responded to researcher’s interview. Participants' consent was sought under

Republic Act No. 10173, also known as the Data Privacy Act. Participants were

informed about the study so that they could decide whether or not to participate.

Also, participants were assured of the confidentiality of the data and that it would

only be used for this study.

VIII. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS AND REFLECTION

The information gathered from the interview was analyzed, identifying

significant statements that emerged from the participants' narratives.

IPT students' academic stressors

COVID-19 pandemic affected not only the elderly but also students. Faced

with this pandemic, everyone experienced a roller coaster of emotions. Adults

are afraid because they are concerned about how they will deal with the situation

given their family's situation. While adults tried to figure out how to survive the

day-to-day chaos, young people are also very involved (Bangayan et al., 2021).

As to the common IPT students' experiences, it was revealed that they

had emotional problems because the majority of the respondents experienced it

and felt scared of the current situation implyied that the respondents requires

expert treatment. They are struggling because they are physically isolated, which

means they are no longer allowed to attend their classes and experience actual

and technological matters at school. It is clear that this is one of their common

behavioral changes that may manifest as an unfavorable attitude. The following

are some examples of responses from respondents gathered during the

interview:
 "I experience during COVID- 19 are lack of financial"

"I experience disruption, anxiety, mental breakdown and Work Overload"

I experience stress, boredom and fear"

Coping mechanisms for these stressors employed by the learners

Coping may appear to be a simple word with a deeper meaning. Coping

refers to every individual from birth to the geriatric stage of life. As everyone

fights their own battle, coping is the best word to combat all of the negative

thoughts, emotions, and physical struggle.

IPT students who were affected by the pandemic learned various coping

strategies with the experiences influencing their physical, psychological, and

social aspects of life. One of their coping mechanisms is prayer and meditation,

which help them develop a positive mindset. This optimism allowed learners to

viewed life as a new light. As a result, they incorporated a variety of worthwhile

activities into their daily routine. They could spread positivity to their family and

friends as a support system, and this positivity would be returned to them. The

responses to their coping mechanisms to ease or relieve the hardships they felt

during Covid-19 are listed below:

 "listening to music, watching movies, playing online games using smartphones,

doing physical activities inside the house, eat healthy meals, and keep yourself

busy"

Importance of Utilizing such Coping Mechanisms

Learners who are engage in flexible learning cultivated a positive mindset

during disruptions. Learners who have a positive outlook on life are more likely to

be resilient in the face of adversity. To face and respond to COVID-19 situations

bravely and flexibly, one should use their experience viewpoint to adjust

cognition and lower their perceptions of COVID-19 situation intensity. With a

positive outlook, they no longer see COVID-19-caused depression as a terrible

danger, but rather as a reminder that their life is out of control and a warning to

overcome their obstacles and pursue a new path of meaning and purpose.

With regards on the coping mechanisms of the respondents, utilizing

those strategies are very important because it relieve stress, provides time

management for school activities and engage you to a positive attitude. Some of

the responses gathered from interview data are as follows:

"A positive attitude helps stop you from being dragged down by unhappy

feelings."
 "A positive attitude also boosts the problem solving that a stressful situation

requires."

"A positive attitude helps us see the possibilities within a situation, while

negative thinking narrows our view."

Coping Mechanisms as Challenge

Communication challenges with colleagues were identified and linked to

increased email loadings due to remote working: “getting a quick answer to a

query (usually popped into the colleague's office to ask, but now have to

email/phone and wait for an answer)”. In addition, increased efforts were noted in

chasing students who did not respond to email. Many found the lack of personal

contact with students difficult ( Knapp, et.al., 2022).

In accordance with the respondents answers the challenges they were

experience in utilizing such coping mechanism is written below:

"Financial Problem since they can't go outside to buy loads to watch movies."

"Studying at home or dormitory is more evidently correlated with academic

performance decline. Regarding physical and mental health during online

learning."

"socialize, distraction and slow connectivity while watching movies to ease the

disruptions"
Summary of Coping Mechanism of IPT Students

What are IPT students' academic stressors during the Covid-19 Pandemic?

The rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life for

individuals, states, and institutions all over the world. Great uncertainty and

anxiety have been triggered. This situation has presented a significant challenge

and dramatic change for the university as a whole, as well as for professors and

students (De la Fuente et al., 2021).

Based on the interview, most of the respondents answer that they

experience lack of financial support, having anxiety, mental breakdown, work

overload, fear, stress and boredom.

What are coping mechanisms for these stressors employed by the

learners?

According to Carver, active coping strategies include "active coping,"

which means taking action or exerting efforts to remove or avoid the stressor;

"planning," which means thinking about how to confront the stressor and

planning one's coping efforts; "acceptance," which means accepting the fact that

the stressful event has occurred and is real; and "positive reframing," which
means making the best of the situation by growing from it or viewing it in a more

positive light. Active coping is thought to be a better way to deal with stress,

whereas avoidant coping is thought to be a psychological risk factor for negative

responses to stressful life events.

Based on the results of the interview, the coping mechanisms of an IPT

student are through listening to music, watching movies, playing online games,

doing physical activity inside the house, eating healthy food, and eating well-

balanced meals.

How important is utilizing such a coping mechanism?

Coping skills assist you in tolerating, mitigating, and dealing with stressful

situations in your life. Stress management can improve your physical and

psychological well-being, as well as your ability to perform at your peak.

Based on the findings of the study, coping mechanisms are necessary

because through the data gathered on the interview, the responses of the

respondents implied that a positive attitude helps stop anyone from being

dragged down by unhappy feelings. In addition, a positive attitude also boosts

the problem solving that a stressful situation requires.

Why does such a coping mechanism become a challenge?

 Coping mechanisms are the strategies that people frequently employed to

help manage painful or difficult emotions in the face of stress and/or trauma.

Coping mechanisms can assist people in adjusting to stressful events while

maintaining their emotional well-being. When circumstances feel out of control,

our coping mechanisms assist us in regaining control. We accomplish this by

either managing emotions or attempting to solve the problem.

As a result of the findings of the study, most of the respondents stated that

coping mechanism becomes a challenge when they encountered financial

problem since they can't go outside to buy loads and to watch movies. In

addition, studying at home or dormitory is more evidently correlated with

academic performance decline. It also became a challenge when they

encountered a problem regarding physical and mental health during online

learning. Aside from that, difficulties in the way of socialization, distraction and

slow connectivity or unstable internet connection are present.

Reflection

The Covid-19 pandemic created a slew of problems for academics, social

standing, and emotional behavior. Even we do things that can relieve our stress,

anxiety, and fear, the learners should engage the positivity viewpoint as their

mindset in every situation to stay calm and get rid of fear and apprehension from
 our minds. In the new normal, one should engage in worthwhile activities such as

better daily routines and other worthwhile activities as much as possible. A

straightforward discussion with students about being trapped at home with

parents and family members could be beneficial. Taking care of oneself allows

one to better care for others. It is critical to maintain contact with friends and

family, especially during times of social isolation. Maintaining a regular daily

exercise routine, sleeping at the appropriate times, and eating nutritious foods

are all important techniques for staying safe and sound during the disruptions. A

program for IPT students' coping mechanisms is also proposed. Future research

will be carried out.

IX. ACTION PLAN

Goal : The overall goal was to investigate and identify IPT students' coping

mechanisms during the Covid-19 pandemic, which can assist people in adjusting

to stressful events while maintaining their emotional well-being.

Program Objective : To recommend actions that will assist students in

maintaining emotional well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic, based on the

strategies and coping mechanisms of IPT students.

Steps in Implementation Responsibilities Timeline

Give the study's findings to Researchers October 2022 - January

 the facilitator. 2023

Use the findings to develop Researchers January 2023

an intervention that
addresses the IPT coping
mechanism during Covid-
19.

Implement an intervention- Researcher January 2023

like action research,
innovation, and strategy to
address IPT students'
coping mechanisms.

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