FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE STRESS LEVEL OF GRADE 12-STEM

(SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS) STUDENTS

IN EL NIDO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

ABAD, NATHALIE R.

BABLES, RINSMARK A.

GALOCGOC, JOHN PAUL P.

GAMARSA, CRESSEl D.

LAYAN, DANILYN A.

OROSCO, JAYBOY B.

VALDEZ, JOHN MATTHEW V.

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO MA’AM WENALYN F.

MORANTE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT TO THE REQUIREMENTS IN
PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

February 2024
 APPROVAL SHEETS

The research proposal attached hereto, entitled “THE FACTORS

CONTRIBUTING TO THE STRESS LEVEL OF GRADE 12 STEM
STUDENTS INSIDE THE CAMPUS OF ELNIDO NATIONAL HIGH
SCHOOL” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Practical Research I is
hereby accepted.
CHARMAINE JEAN R, NUGPO ALONA B. GALLEGO

Member Member

___________________ __________________
Date Signed Date Signed

____________________ ____________________
Data Signed Data Signed

Accepted as partial fulfillment of the requirements in Practical Research 1

WENALYN F. MORANTE
Research Adviser
________________________
Date Signed
 BIOGRAPICAL SKETCH

Nathalie R. Abad was born on January 21, 2007. She is the eldest daughter of
Mr. Armando J. Abad Jr. ,and Mrs. francisca R. Abad. She has two siblings namely
Pauleen R. Abad ,and Gabriel R. Abad. She graduated at Mabini elementary School
and her secondary level, she graduated at Mabini National High School

Rinsmark A. Bables was born on Jan 1, 2006. He is the eldest son of Mr. Marlon
A. Bables ,and Mrs. Richel A. Bables. He has two siblings. He graduate at Central
Elementary School and His Secondary level, he graduated at El nido National High
School

John Paul P. Galocgoc was born on July 3, 2004. He is the eldest son of Mr.
Michael E. Galocgoc and Mrs. Eudia C. Pestolante. He has three siblings. He graduate
at Iligan Elementary Central School and His Secondary level, he graduated at Sibulan
National High School

Cressel D. Gamarsa was born on October 18, 2007. She was born in Brgy. Iraan,
Roxas Palawan. She is the 2nd daughter of Mr. Joey S. Gamarsa and Mrs. Ronalyn D.
Gamarsa. She has 4 siblings. She graduate at Rizal Elementary School and her
secondary level she graduated at Roxas National Comprehensive High School.

Danilyn A. Layan was born on June 15, 2007. She is the Eldest daughter of Mr.
Danilo C. Layan and Mrs. Evangeline A. Layan, She has two siblings. She graduate at
Diapila Elementary School and her secondary level, she graduated at Diapila National
High School

Jayboy P. Orosco was born on july 21, 2005. He is the 2nd to the youngest of
Mr. Abner H. Orosco and Mrs. Ruth S. Orosco. He has six siblings. He graduate at
New Guinlo Elementary School and his Secondary level, he graduated at New Guinlo
National High School
 John Matthew V. Valdez was born on April 22, 2007. He is the eldest son of Mr.
Richard Z. Valdez and Mrs. Ronalyn V. Valdez. He has one siblings. He graduate at
Bebeladan Elementary School and his Secondary level, he graduated at El nido
National High School

N.R.A

R.A.B

JP.P.G

C.D.G

D.A.L

J.P.O

JM.V.V

RESEARCHERS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researchers of Grade 11-Gas Unity would like to express their

gratitude in completing this research. First and foremost, to the almighty God who
gave the researchers the knowledge, understanding, blessings, and resources to finish
this research journey and the one who protect each one until the completion of this
study.

Next, to the supportive parents of the researchers who helped and sustain the
needs of the researchers in making this study.

The researchers would like to thank Ma'am Wenalyn Morante who helped,
support, and motivate the researchers to complete this research. Also their friend and
classmates who helped in making this paper, as well as the Grade 12 Stem students
for letting them to asked questions especially to Jillian legaspi, Nicole ivon Daizon
and Ryzelle lim for giving some ideas on the researchers about what are the stress
factors they are experiencing . Special mention for Joyleyn Gamarsa for letting them
use her laptop.

Lastly, to the school Assistant Principal II, Ma'am Tessie Lampago, and
Public School District Supervisor, Ma'am Lutgarda S. Juanich who gave as the
opportunity to conduct this research in El Nido National High School
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE i
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ii
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS v
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION 1
Background of the study 1
Statement of the Problem 2
Research Objective 2
Hypothesis 3
Significant of the Study 3
Scope and Delimitation
CHAPTER II 4
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 4

Theoretical framework 5
Definition of terms 5
 SCHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The life of a student can be a stressful one. Factors such as homework, social
life, perceived parental pressure, university applications, and never-ending workloads
all generate stress .Although research shows that a moderate amount of stress can be
beneficial and act as a motivator for students to do well, too much stress can impact
their overall well-being. So much so, that 70% of students report that depression and
anxiety are a “major problem” in their school community. Chronic stress can also lead
to poor academic achievement, increase the likelihood of dropping out of school, and
diminish motivation. Therefore, both students and educators need to recognize what
the triggers are and what they can do to better manage everyday school stress.
( Inner ,Drive .2020). Stress is defined as a feeling of emotional or physical
tension. There are many factors which leads to stress. It also depends upon the
capacity of an individual to make adjustments. Stress is not always negative.
There are positive stress also. (Shiney chib,2020)

Base on the survey questioner, STEM students experience academic stress

not only inside the school but also outside. Many of the students says that stress
factors are due to fear of failure, research, examination fear, high expectations from
teachers, parents, and the school, additionally they also had personal problems such as
being bullied and family problems that might cause stress and may affect the student
behavior and academic performance, they often require a significant amount of time,
effort, and patience .Students may feel pressure to perform well because of this
stressors Additionally, there may be deadlines to meet, challenges to overcome, and
high expectations from both teachers and peers. This combination of factors can lead
to increased stress levels for students. It's also stressful financially because they need
to buy some materials for their needs in school.

"There are some students who experience depression and anxiety that lead to
suicide because they don't know how to handle stress. The purpose of researching
factors contributing to the stress of Grade 12 STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics) is to raise awareness, identifying the factors and
challenges they encounter and develop strategies to support their well-being and it
also aims to reduce stress in their lives by understanding specific stressors and
promoting academic success and overall mental health among STEM students

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to answer the following questions specifically .It seeks to
determine the Factors contributing to the stress level of Grade 12 STEM students in El
Nido National High School

1. What is the profile of the Grade 12 STEM students in terms of?

a. Age
b. Gender
2. What are the Factors Contributing to the stress level of Grade 12-STEM students
in El Nido National High School?

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. Determine the profile of the Grade 12 STEM students in terms of:

a. Age
b. Gender
2. Determine the Factors Contributing to the stress level of Grade 12-STEM
students in El Nido National High School.
HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

1. There is no significant relationship on the age and gender of the respondents with
the Factors Contributing to the stress level of Grade 12-STEM students

2.Putting to much pressure on myself, because of exam and assignments ,got no

friends, no regular sleep hours, feel distressed because of too much competition in
getting good Grades, don’t fully understand what my teacher teaches, experiencing
prolonged fatigue due to to many activities in school, got too many assignments to
complete, don’t have enough money for my basic needs, not sure if they are able to do
well in school, got no enough time to get everything done in school, have family
problems, experience being bullied, having poor access to service such
transportation ,can’t handle time management ,parents control how much money they
spend, feel nobody cares for them, worry about things academic performance, find
challenging to them for help or seek support when feeling overwhelmed ,have
memory loss, not comfortable with their classmates, those are the Factors
Contributing to the stress level of Grade 12 -STEM students.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The researchers believe that this study will essentially contribute to the
following:

To the Students. Understanding the factors contributing to students stress is

crucial it empowers them to develop coping mechanisms, improve academic
performance, safeguard their mental and physical health, build resilience, and foster
supportive communities.
 To the Parents. Knowing the factors contributing to the students stress allows
parents to provide better support, create conducive home environments, address
stressors effectively, promote their child mental well-being, and strengthen
communication channels with educators.

To teachers. Understanding the factors contributing to students stress enables

teachers to tailor their teaching approaches, provide the appropriate support systems,
implement stress reducing strategies in the classroom, faster positive learning
environment, and enhance students well-being and academic performance.

To future researcher. May able to use this study as a base if ever they will
pursue or consider the same area if interest.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study will focus in the Factors Contributing to the stress level of Grade 12
STEM students of El nido National High School, We selected 15 students from Grade
12 STEM ( Science Technology Engineering Mathematics).
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

1.1 Determining Stressor

A stressor is a situation or event that causes us to feel stressed. They can be

internal or external factors, like our memories, environment, or the people around
us. They’re also very personal; a significant source of stress for one person might
cause no stress for another

1.2 How Stressors Function in an Individual

Our stress response happens when our brains recognize a threat. This can be
any stressful event, like a natural disaster or an important budget meeting. Our
amygdala, which processes our emotions, sends a signal to the hypothalamus to
communicate with our nervous systems and release stress hormones like cortisol
and adrenaline. All of this happens within seconds of our brains recognizing a
threat. The rush of adrenaline triggers our fight-or-flight response. And while
cortisol is great for reducing inflammation, helping us act under pressure, helping
to control our blood sugar levels, and more, high cortisol levels can contribute to
Cushing syndrome and other issues like cardiovascular disease, anxiety, and
depression. Acute or chronic stress still impact our bodies — especially if we
experience acute stress disorder or longer psychological stress from traumatic
events. To best combat our stressors, we need to learn about all types of stress and
how to fight them.(Maggie Wooll.July 30,2022)..What causes our stress is often
out of our control, but our everyday life events can contribute to our stress. If we
want to identify the causes of stress in our lives, we have to have enough self-
 awareness to be mindful and reflect.

1.3 Academic and Family Stress

As the Senior High School students face the school week ahead, they
experience tremendous amounts of stress from academics such as assignments,
performance tasks, tests, and deadlines Aside from academics, students have to
deal with various things such as athletic trainings, extracurricular activities,
college preparation, and even their transportation from school to home. These
activities reduce the time students have available for themselves, the time they
allot for their personal growth. This can be very stressful for the student as the
activities accumulate and overwhelm them. Weekends, therefore, can be seen as
their salvation from their work. Weekends grant people a better mood and a
stronger sense of vitality (Joiner, 2019). Family stress can arise from various
sources, including financial difficulties, divorce, illness, parental conflicts,
moving to a new home, and external pressures like work-related stress. It can
manifest in different forms, such as parental arguments, economic strain, or
emotional tension within the family unit. When not appropriately managed, this
stress may affects children Emotional and Behavioral .They may become more
irritable, anxious, or fearful. These emotions can manifest in various ways, such
as temper tantrums, withdrawal, or mood swings. In some cases, they may also
exhibit regressive behaviors, like bedwetting or thumb-sucking. Family stress
may also affects the Academic Performance of a child, it can interfere with a
child’s ability to focus and excel in school. It may lead to difficulties in
concentration, lower grades, and an overall decline in academic performance.
Chronic stress can also affect a child’s motivation to engage in learning and
extracurricular activities. Additionally, Family problems may contribute to
Physical Health problems of a children. These may include headaches,
stomachaches, sleep disturbances, and even weakened immune systems, making
children more susceptible to illnesses. Chronic stress can also have long-term
effects on cardiovascular health.

1.4 Various Factors that Contribute Stress

During Sundays the completion of requirements is the leading factor. From

Mondays to Thursdays, lack of rest/sleep is the leading factor. On Fridays and
Saturdays, the leading factor becomes the completion of requirements. Aside
from "Others", extracurricular activities are the least common factor except for
Wednesdays, wherein the least common factors are the personal factors. The
stress level during Sundays is 2.82, meaning that the students are approaching
"Moderately Stressed" from "Slightly Stressed." It then peaks on Mondays,
having a mean stress level of 3.62, meaning that the students are between
"Moderately Stressed" and "Stressed." It then continues to be stressful for the
students up until Fridays, wherein the mean stress level drops to 2.61, meaning
that the students' stress level is between "Slightly Stressed" and "Moderately
Stressed." The stress level sinks to its minimum during Saturdays, wherein the
mean stress level is 2.37. Based on the data gathered, Mondays are the most
stressful day for the respondents, having a mean stress level of 3.62. On the other
hand, Saturdays are the least stressful, having a mean stress level of 2.37. There
are various factors that contribute to the stress level of the student. From Fridays
to Sundays, the completion of requirements is the leading factor. On the other
hand, the days of Mondays to Thursdays are led by the factor of lack of rest/sleep.
In total, lack of rest/sleep is the most common factor, affecting the respondents
384 times over a week. The least common factors the extracurricular activities,
affecting the respondents 150 times over a week, and the factors classified as
"Others," affecting the respondents 39 times over a week. Excess stress can
manifest itself in a variety of emotional, behavioral, and even physical symptoms,
and the symptoms of stress vary enormously among different individuals
1.5 Effects Of Stress to the Students

Students in secondary and tertiary education settings face a wide range of

ongoing stressors related to academic demands. Previous research indicates that
academic-related stress can reduce academic achievement, decrease motivation
and increase the risk of school dropout. The longer-term impacts, which include
reduced likelihood of sustainable employment, cost Governments billions of
dollars each year. This narrative review presents the most recent research
concerning the impact of academic-related stress, including discussion of the
impact on students’ learning capacity and academic performance, mental health
problems, such as depression and anxiety, sleep disturbances and substance use.
(April,19,2020)

1.6 Male and Female Sudents had Different Coping Strategies

This study specifically aimed to make a plan of action on how to reduce the
stress level of the Senior High School Students. In order to make a feasible action
plan, the researchers determined the stress level and the coping strategies of the
male and female students respectively. The researchers used the descriptive
method of research. A total of 82 students were the respondents of the study.
Adopted questionnaires were utilized in measuring the perceived level of stress
and sources of stress of the students. Results showed that both male and female
students had an average level of stress. The level of stress of both female and
male students is average for academic and financial sources. Moreover, the
female students had low level of stress for psychological and health related
stressors while the male students had average level for the said stressors. In
addition, the results revealed that male and female students had different coping
strategies in dealing with stress. Female students always employed spending time
with friends, listening to music, eating a lot, going to some places and keeping
their faith to their God as coping strategies. On the other hand, male students did
not always employ coping strategies when they are stressed. Both male and
 female students never isolate themselves when are stressed.( 2021 Angelie M. C.
Gomez, Jerlene L. Calonia, Mayflor D. Huera)

1.7 Tips to Avoid Stress

There are emotional and behavioral consequences of stress that can make it
difficult to perform your daily routine. These include anxiety, depression, fatigue,
becoming aggressive, unmotivated, or withdrawn, and difficulties with problem-
solving and concentration. There are also physiological consequences of stress
including headaches, nausea, and palpitations.So, how can you avoid stress and
assuage the negative social, emotional and physical consequences of it in the
process?Here are some tips:

Take care of yourself. Avoid drugs and alcohol as they can add to stress. Eat a
well-balanced diet, get enough sleep, and exercise on a regular basis. Engage in
self-relaxation.Try muscle relaxation, breathing or meditation exercises, prayer,
yoga, or swimming to reduce stress. Spend time with nature or listen to quiet
music.Take breaks when needed.Especially at work, taking breaks can help you
re-organize and re-energize your thoughts and focus. This will help you do your
work and maintain productivity.Seek out social support.A partner, family
member, friend, counselor, doctor, or clergy person can help lighten your mental
load.Connect with others socially.Spending time with loved ones and doing fun
things can help ease the stress.Maintain a normal routine.Get up in the morning
and go to bed at night each day at the same time. Eat three meals daily.Give back
to others.Sometimes channeling your energy into giving – like doing community
service or helping a neighbor or a friend – can channel your energy in positive
ways.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Survey As the result of the

answer of the questionnaire study shows the
students from the Mean factors contributing
survey Variance to the stress level
questionnaire about of Grade 12 STEM
the factors (Science
contributing to the Technology
stress level of Engineer
Grade 12 STEM Mathematics)
students students

Definition of Terms

Absence. to the state of not being present or available. It can apply to physical,
emotional, or mental absence from a particular place, situation, or relationship.

Acute stress. short-term physiological and psychological response to a specific

stressor or situation. It typically arises suddenly and is of relatively short duration,
lasting minutes to hours or days..

Cushing Syndrome. A disorder that occurs when your body makes too much of
the hormone corsitol over a long period of time.

Hypothalamus .small region located in the brain, below the thalamus and above
the pituitary gland. It plays a crucial role in regulating many bodily functions,
including hormone release, temperature regulation, thirst, hunger, sleep, mood, and
the autonomic nervous system.

Indicate. To declare ,state somebody, something to be something, announce your

intention to do something
 Inflammation. is the body's response to injury, infection, or irritation. It is
characterized by redness, swelling, heat, pain, and sometimes loss of function in the
affected area. Inflammation is a protective mechanism that helps the body to remove
harmful stimuli, initiate the healing process, and repair damaged tissues. However,
chronic inflammation can contribute to various health problems, including
autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers

Isolate. To set apart from others.

Manifest. To make something happen by imagining it and consciously thinking

that it will happen

Significant. to something that is important, meaningful, or notable in some way.

It often implies that the thing being described has a notable impact, influence, or
relevance in a particular context.

Therapeutic. Having to do with treating disease and helping healing take place.

Tremendous. describes something extremely large, powerful, or significant in

size, intensity, or magnitude. It conveys a sense of awe or admiration. For example,
"She showed tremendous courage in facing her fears," or "The company has
experienced tremendous growth in the past year

Variety. quality or state of being different or diverse