ii

STRESS AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG DISTANCE EDUCATION

STUDENT AT RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEMORIAL COLLEGE

A Thesis
Presented to the Faculty of the Education Program
RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEMORIAL COLLEGES
General Santos City

In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements in Methods of Research
Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Science

MAE ZONIO
November, 2021
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents Page

Title Page i
Table of Contents ii
List of Figures iii
CHAPTER

1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction 1

Statement of the Problem 3

Scope and Delimitation 4

Conceptual Framework 5

Significance of the Study 6

Definition of Terms 6

2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 8

3 METHODOLOGY

Research Design 20

Data Gathering Procedure 22

Statistical Treatment 24

REFERENCES 25

APPENDICES

A. Authoritative Approval from College President 27

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B. Consent Letter from College Dean 28

C. Consent Letter for Teacher 29

D. Consent Letter for the Respondent 30

E. Validators Letter for Questionnaire/Survey 31

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. The total population of the respondents 21

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1

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTINGS

Introduction

Education nowadays promotes several new innovative approaches that

are feasible and enjoyable for the learners not just to have fun but also to have

holistic learning experience that will guarantee positive outcome .Moreover,

online learning seems to be seems to be an interactive way of learning to engage

the students, it is becoming an excellent alternative for the students who cannot

afford the time and money to go for the course. It’s no wonder why million of

students across the worlds top for distance education program. It proves that

numerous opportunities for every students to learn something.

Due to the unprecedented situation generated by the Coronavirus

pandemic, the impact of the pandemic on education, teachers and students

became a subject of great interest it was stating that we had to adopt online

learning and had to face many challenges, the most important being access to

technology and teachers ability to deliver online courses. This study of stress

among 50 undergraduate students enrolled in various degree strands in a

Victorian Institute of Technology reveals that major stressors are both academic

and personal in nature. Students generally are more likely to use direct‐action

strategies in their attempts to cope with college stress, while male students rely.

More on palliative techniques compared with female students. (James C Sarros,

Iain L Densten 1989)

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Stress Management empowers students to learn what stress is, evaluate

their level of stress, and apply to their own lives the tools and skills to manage

that stress. The book examines a variety of topics relevant to college students

such as intrapersonal and interpersonal stressors, physiological reactions to

stress, spirituality and stress, occupational stress, and family stress. Lab

Assessments at the conclusion of each chapter help students relate what they

have learned to their personal lives by encouraging them to identify specific

attitudes, behaviors, and coping skills as well as target areas for improvement

(Jerrold Greenberg 2012)

Students experience some kind of stress in one way or the other, therefore stress

is part of students’ existence and can have effect on how students cope with the

demands of university life (Ramos, 2011; Rourke et al., 2010).Other studies have

consequently attributed many emotional and physical symptoms among tertiary

students such as fatigue, headaches, depression to stress (Abdullah & Dan

Mohd, 2011).

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to explore the stress and coping strategies among

distance education student particularly the BSED-Science Student at Ramon

Magsaysay Memorial Colleges in AY 2020-2021

Specifically, it seeks to answer the following question:

1. What is the level of stress experienced by the science during distance learning

in terms of:

1.1 Internet connectivity

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1.2 Virtual learning environment

1.3 Academic overload

2. What is the mean differences among the stresses experienced by the

students?

3. What are the coping strategies applied by the student against the stress they

have encounter in distance learning?

Scope and Delimitation

This study focuses on the stress and coping strategies among distance

education student particularly the BSED-Science Student at Ramon Magsaysay

Memorial Colleges in AY 2020-2021. This study started on November 2021 and it

will be conducted at Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges, Bachelor of

Secondary Education major in Science students are the respondents of the

study.

The study will be conducted through survey questionnaire which has its own

corresponding sets such as (Internet connectivity, Virtual learning environment,

Academic overload). The study was descriptive in nature employing quantitative

methods in collecting the data.

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Theoretical Framework

This study was anchored to Susan folkman (1984) who described about

the stress can be thought of as resulting from an “imbalance between demands

and resources” or as occurring when “pressure exceeds one's perceived ability to

cope.

In this social psychology, analyzes the role of personal stress and coping

strategies process. Believing that an event is controllable does not always lead

an event to a reduction in stress or to a positive outcome, and believing that an

event is uncontrollable does not always lead to an increase in stress or to a

negative outcome. Stress has been implicated in the development of a wide

range of problem and a rich literature has development on factors that enable

children to be resilient again the negative effect of stress (Gore and Eckenrode

1994).

Moreover, the perspective of Lazarus' Theory (1984) defined as an

“imbalance between demands and resources and Lazarus states that stress is

experienced when a person perceives that the “demands exceed the personal

and social resources the individual is able to mobilise. Lazarus formulate

transactional model of stress and coping, that define stress can experienced as

an appraisal an evaluation of the situation we find ourselves in. Specifically, the

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transactional model suggests we go through two stages of appraisal before

feeling and responding to stress.

Additionally, Knussen & Sloper (1992) presented the Lazarus and

Folkman Transactional Model on Coping and Stress in relation to stress in

families of children with a disability. Lastly, Stress has been defined by Robson &

Cook (1995) as when individuals ‘reach breaking point, have a weakness, break

down, reach overload and imply a rupture in the individual’s capacity to engage

in the world.

Significance of the study

This study will be significant to the following:

The administration - it will help them craft a program that will enhance the

students stress and coping strategies their studies and also encourage them to

provide adequate training for teachers to be effective in unpacking knowledge to

the learners specially in stress and coping strategies among distance education

students.

The teachers - are the one who will primary benefit from this study , because

they will know how effective of stress and coping strategies among distance

education students system.

The student - the result of this study will a big help to the students because

they will determine the stress and coping strategies of the students.

Others researchers - this study will serve as a bridge for the the conduct of

similar studies that will contribute to the teachers and administrator in depth
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knowledge about stress and coping strategies among distance education

students.

Definition of Terms

For clearer understanding of the study, the following terms are defined

operationally and conceptually:

Stress - is an organism's reaction to a stressor, such as an environmental

condition. It can be physiological, biochemical, or psychological. Stress is the

body's response to a situation that includes a threat, a challenge, or a physical or

psychological barrier. Multiple systems in the body respond to stimuli that change

an organism's surroundings. The autonomic nervous system and the

hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis are the two principal systems that respond to

stress in humans and most mammals.

Coping Strategies - a behavior, sequence of behaviors, or mental process

employed to satisfy a taxing or unfavorable scenario or in changing one's

response to such a scenario.

Distance education - The formal process of distance learning. This term has

traditionally implied the higher education level, but can include K-12 education,

as well as continuing education.

Students- A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational

institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend

university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in

English, although in the United States a person enrolled in grades K–12 is often

called a student.
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Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the review related literature and studies that have

significant bearing to the present st

Stress comes in different forms to an individual’s daily life. Stress is

a bio-psychosocial model that refers to the consequence of failure of an

organism to respond adequately to mental, emotional or physical demands,

whether actual or imagined cited in Al-Sowygh, (2013). According to Akhlaq,

Amjad and Mehmood (2010), stress is seen as a psychophysiological process,

which results from the interaction of the individual with the environment and

results in disturbances caused to the physiological, psychological and social

systems, depending upon individual characteristics and psychological processes.

The individual characteristics may include factors such as sex, health status,

heredity, and socioeconomic background. Psychological processes refer to such

 8

factors as attitudes, values avarious personality dimensions. (Gormathi,

Kadayam, Soofia & Ahmend, 2013; William et al., 2010).

For an undergraduate student, stress may be caused by failure in

academic work, financial problems, health problems, loss of a family member or

friend and other social problems (Hung & Care,2011; Smith, Rosenberg, &

Timothy Haight, 2014). Such events that bring stress are called stressors and a

sudden change in these stressors may affect the persons’ physical or mental

health. Studies conducted on university students in the USA, UK and Saudi

Arabia reveal high academic workload, difficulty reading textbooks, family related

problems, health related problems and financial problems as most of the sources

of students stress (AlSowygh, Alfadley, Al-Saif, & Al-Wadei, 2013; Chao, 2012;

Saklofske, Austin, Mastoras, Beaton, & Osborne, 2012). These studies used

regular undergraduate students as their study particpants who had varied

background characteristics compared to distance education studies who majority

are matured and are in the working class group.

Distance education students do not enjoy previlages such as access to

library resources, computer laboratories, students support services interactions

with academic counselors which make them disadvantage compared to regular

and –campus students. Other reported studies on stress among tertiary students

(Akhlaq et al., 2010; Al-Sowygh, Alfadley, Al-Saif, & Al-Wadei, 2013; Gormathi,

Kadayam,Soofia Ahmend, 2013). Have grouped stressors among university

students under a broad categories such as ‘self-efficacy beliefs’ (e.g. fear of

failing a course or insecurity concerning professional future); ‘workload’ (e.g.

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difficulty of class work, overloaded course content), ‘faculty and administration’

(e.g. lack of input into the decision making process of school), ‘social stressors’

(e.g. financial responsibilities). All these studies were done with mostly regular

residential students on university campuses; hence there is a gap to fill in the

literature as to the sources and management of stress among distance education

students in developing context (2013).

Empirical evidence of the impact of stress on the individual has shown that

depending on the stress coping strategies of the individual, stress could be very

harmful to a person’s physical and mental health (Akhlaq et al., 2010; Al-Sowygh,

2013; Hung & Care, 2011; Smith et al., 2014).The effects of stress in the

literature stem from physical, psychological to behavioral problems. Some of the

physical problems of prolonged stress are hypertension, high cholesterol level,

ulcer, arthritis and heart diseases (Akhlaq et al., 2010; Johnson, Wasserman,

Yildirim, & Yonai, 2013; Ramos, 2011). Psychological effects of stress could be

anger, anxiety, nervous tension, depression, boredom.

Direct behavior that may accompany high level of stress include under-

eating or over-eating, increased smoking and alcohol use, and drug abuse (Esia-

donkoh, Yelkpieri, & Esia-donkoh, 2011; Hung & Care, 2011; Ramos, 2011). The

literature furthermore documents that high levels of stress if not controlled could

result into poor academic performance, examination malpractices and incidence

of improper behavior among tertiary students (Rourke et al., 2010; Soliman,

2014). Hence, stress is an important variable to include in designing students

support services for distance education programs. A detailed examination of Al-

 10

Sowygh’s (2013). Study on “perceived causes of stress among Saudi dental

students” revealed some significance differences in stressors using some

background characteristics of the students.

There were statistical differences in stressors among male and female

students; first year and final year students. In Ghana, traditional gender-role

identification and living arrangement have established clear delineation of

households responsibilities which continue to passed down to children in the

family (Adu-Yeboah, 2011). It is generally held that married women have to

perform household chores like washing, cooking, caring children. Furthermore

cleaning the house are the responsibilities of married women while men have the

responsibility of providing for the home whether employed or unemployed (Adu-

Yeboah, 2011).

Consequently, we posit that married people pursuing tertiary education

especially on distance could have higher stressors than their unmarried

counterparts. We, therefore hypothesized that there is no difference in stressors

among married and unmarried distance education students. This hypothesis is

supported by findings of some studies (Al-Sowygh, 2013; Kaufman, 2006; Reed

et al., 2011). That found differences in stressors among married/unmarried and

male/female students.

The background characteristics of these students in the studies in

developed context are different from that of Ghanaian distance education

students in terms of socio economic background which gives space to explore

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the hypothesis in a developing context. Coping strategies to reduce stress is a

necessary condition for preventing the harmful effects of prolonged stress

(William et al., 2010). Coping strategies refer to the specific efforts that people

use to master, reduce or minimize stressful event. Coping is multi-dimensional

and involves various strategies of which some are functional than others (Gnilka,

Chang, & Dew, 2012). Chao (2012).

Identifies two important ways of managing stress; namely social support

and dysfunctional coping strategies. Social support such as seeking support from

families and friends naturally help people to manage stress. Dysfunctional coping

strategies include (2012) focusing on and venting of emotions; behavioral

disengagement and mental disengagement. Supporting this view of coping is

what Lazarus and Folkman cited in (Chao, 2012. Identified as problem-focused

ways of managing stress referring to attempts to engage, act on, or change the

perceived stress.

The issue of social support and coping has received considerable

attention in the literature, indeed, social support has been found to be related to

problem focused coping (Soliman, 2014). This assertion is corroborated by

Saklofske, Austin, Mastoras, Beaton and Osborne (2012) who suggest that

relaxation, exercises, maintaining good health and time managements are some

ways of managing stress. A study by Sideridis (2008) reveals five most frequently

used coping strategies by students; browsing the internet, sleeping and resting,

watching TV shows or movies, and instant messaging. The search for literature

indicate there have been very limited discussion in the literature on the sources
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of distance students’ stressors and what coping strategies they adopt to minimize

the effect of stress in light of growing number of distance education students in

most parts of the world.

In this study, we give an account of the sources of stressors among

distance education students, and the coping strategies they use to minimize

stressful events in the Ghanaian context(2012).The disruptive effects of the

COVID-19 pandemic have been felt worldwide across many demographics,

sectors, and institutions. College students, for example, have been affected by

school closures, shifts to online learning, and the elimination of social and

networking opportunities. Early studies suggest that the associated lack of

routine and isolation have given rise to increasing mental health problems among

an already vulnerable population (Anderson, 2020;Hamza, Ewing, Heath, and

Goldstein 2020).

Several recent studies convincingly document the wide-ranging effects of

the pandemic on college students. Surveying students at Arizona State

University, Aucejo, French, Araya, and Zafar (2020). That is, what coping

strategies did they employ during the pandemic, and which strategies were

effective at improving outcomes? Given the widespread negative effects of the

pandemic on students, there is a clear need for evidence on best coping

practices during the pandemic to help colleges better support their

students(2020). This paper aims to provide some of that evidence. We

proceeded in two parts. Study 1 was an open-ended survey of over 500 students

at the University of Toronto (UofT) in Toronto, Canada.

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The survey was conducted approximately four weeks after the World

Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic, at the end of participants’

winter semester in (2020).Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This pandemic

led to a strong reaction among students who experiences anxiety. This cross-

sectional study aimed to examine students’ knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, and

coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed that students

possessed sufficient knowledge and high-risk perceptions. Non-medical

prevention measures were perceived as highly effective.Students were satisfied

with the government’s actions to mitigate problems.

However, an unwillingness with the online-blended learning approach was

observed. Students utilized various ways to?cope up with mental health

challenges. It is necessary to address students’ mental health during this COVID-

19 pandemic among HEIs.(Erick T Baloran 2020). Higher education delivery

system which has a classroom setting with students and lecturer interactions has

been challenged by innovations in educational delivery mechanisms (Soliman,

2014). Innovations in information technology has enabled other methods of

education delivery such as Distance Education (DE) gained prominence in higher

education delivery.

DE has the student in remote from the campus and is educated through a

mixture of media such as TV, video, print and personal computer. In many Sub-

Saharan countries, tertiary institutions are under pressure to train skilled

manpower to meet the increasing sophisticated demands of workplace. However,

universities lack the infrastructure to cater for the increasing numbers of

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students who graduate from senior high schools every year and the high demand

of organizations from workers to upgrade themselves to meet the current

demand of development. In Ghana, as part of strategies to expand access to

tertiary education to meet the growing demands of professional education, DE

has been one of the best mode of teaching employed by various universities

(Kumi-Yeboah, 2010; Ministry of Education [MOE], 2013).

This is as result of the unique advantages Distance and Open learning

(DEOL) provide: DE students are not required to be physically residing on the

campus of the learning institution, there is flexibility in the program in terms of

place, time and pace of learning. Experts in various courses write modules for

students self-learning, hence study materials could reach the remotest part of the

country (Panchabakesan, 2011). Despite all the benefits of distance learning, DE

students face a lot of challenges in the course of their program (Rourke,

Hammond, Flynn, & Boylan, 2010). Studies conducted on DE in Ghana reveal

that students face problems such as combining full time work and family

demands with studies.

Since many distance students are adults, there are a lot of responsibilities

to meet while meeting the academic demands of their learning institutions. Most

distance education students are matured, married and working. Additionally,

distance education students have the problem of combining work, family

demands, and other commitments with packed academic work (Panchabakesan,

2011).DE students encounter numerous challenges such as increased

 15

responsibilities from both nuclear and extended families and other social

responsibilities.

These responsibilities come with their associated pressure of work, fatigue

and financial constraint which may result into stress induced behaviors among

these students. Interactions with distance students on the University of Cape

Coast Campus during their face-to-face sessions showed complaints of

headache, sleeplessness, and fatigue by these students. Studies on distance

education in Ghana have focused mainly on students learning with information

communication technology (William, Rebecca, & Joseph, 2010). Problems of

distance education students and student mode of learning (Agyemang, 2010).

Very little is known about the causes of stress and the coping strategies

used by these students to survive the challenges encountered in pursuing

distance education in Ghana. This finding is consistent with well-established

findings in the psychology literature that social connections are crucially

important during stressful times. Social connections provide social support, which

in turn is crucial for mental and physical well-being. Social support is defined as

the perception or experience that one is valued and cared for by others, and that

one is part of a social network that can be counted on to help each other when

needed (Wills, 1991).

Sources of social support can include romantic partners, family, friends,

coworkers, connections to social, community, or religious groups. These sources

can provide support that is informational (i.e., helping an individual determine

 16

resources and coping strategies), instrumental (i.e., providing tangible services

such as financial support or transportation), and/or emotional (i.e., conveying that

the individual is cared for and valued during a difficult time (Taylor, 2011).There

is some evidence of student anxiety toward online learning when compared to

more traditional, or in person, in class learning environment, as well as

perceptions of media toward emergency situations. Public agencies, political

entities, and research institutions may both enable and also constrain learning

during a disease outbreak crisis (Muller-Seitz & Macpherson, 2013).

Moreover, crisis management is an active process, whereby “lessons

learned” or previous knowledge from emergency situations can be difficult to

process in an emerging emergency scenario for public institutions and entities

(Elliott & Macpherson, 2010).

While online learning technologies offer much potential for student

engagement, it may differ from on-campus and in person learning (Robinson &

Hullinger, 2008). Results of surveys found less than half of adults surveyed say

the online class format was equal to that of a course taken in a classroom, with

the potential of plagiarism appearing to increase with online learning (Parker et

al., 2011). Distance learning delivered strictly through videoconferencing can also

lead to lower course satisfaction and lower academic grades when compared to

traditional instruction in person (Roth et al., 2020). Moreover, the “learning curve”

for both students and educators towards active learning and computer
 17

confidence present practical challenges needing to be overcome for online

learning (Kenny, 2002).

However other studies have found when the same professor is teaching

an in-class and online class, that student performance (measured by exam

scores), can be similar (Stack, 2015).Interestingly, there may be some potential

benefits to undergraduate university students staying at home, including support

received from parents and varying domestic tasks, and financial considerations

as reported during an economic crisis in Portugal (Cairns, 2011). Alternatively,

other studies have found no significant difference between online learning and in-

class or off-line learning, and may even enhance the undergraduate learning

experience (Pei & Wu, 2019). Also, distance learning implementation may have

reduced socialization or communication between students when compared to a

traditional classroom (McKenna, 2018).

However, it is unclear to what extent online learning correlates if students

are required to adjust within a semester in 1-2 weeks of time. Previous examples

of countries and schools responding to crisis situations have provided limited

data on the move to online learning. During the SARS and H1N1 outbreaks of

2002 and 2008, Honk Kong implemented complete online schooling (Barbour et

al., 2011). However, there is currently limited research for how students are

impacted when schools have to close unexpectedly, indefinitely, and move to

online learning communities, as has been documented during Hurricane Katrina

and Rita (Lapraire & Hinson, 2006).

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Previous research on Ebola outbreaks has identified knowledge and

attitudes of students on disease transmission can help inform best practices for

public health (Holakouie-Naeieni et al., 2015).Social media may play some part

in dissemination of information and connecting communities, as has been found

during the 2016 flooding of Louisiana (Kim & Haska, 2018). In addition,

information on the severity and spread of COVID-19 in the United States is

affected by news media outlet bias, with noted partisan and political differences

for response and importance of behavior during the pandemic (Allcott et al.,

2020).These events have sparked the digital transformation of higher education

and challenged its ability to respond promptly and effectively.

Schools adopted relevant technologies, prepared learning and staff

resources, set systems and infrastructure, established new teaching protocols,

and adjusted their curricula. However, the transition was smooth for some

schools but rough for others, particularly those from developing countries with

limited infrastructure (Pham & Nguyen, 2020; Simbulan, 2020).Schools and other

learning spaces were forced to migrate to full online learning as the world

continues the battle to control the vicious spread of the virus. Online learning

refers to a learning environment that uses the Internet and other technological

devices and tools for synchronous and asynchronous instructional delivery and

management of academic programs (Usher & Barak, 2020 Huang, 2019).

Synchronous online learning involves real-time interactions between the

teacher and the students, while asynchronous online learning occurs without a

strict schedule for different students (Singh & Thurman, 2019).To address this
 19

problem, online learning webinars and peer support systems were launched. On

the part of the students, dropout rates increased due to economic, psychological,

and academic reasons. Academically, although it is virtually possible for students

to learn anything online, learning may perhaps be less than optimal, especially in

courses that require face-to-face contact and direct interactions (Franchi, 2020).

The social structure with its advancing technology and tremendous growth

of knowledge is making more and more demands upon the adolescents which

appear to be far beyond their capacity to cope. In such society adolescence are

more vulnerable to competition. Competition leads to academic overload which is

one of the most pervasive psycho-social stressor for the young generation in our

country (Jhumpa Biswas 2015). Do you feel overwhelmed by the number of

research papers in your field? Do you wonder if you’re missing key ideas that

could be critical for your research program? Does it feel like the deluge is only

getting worse (Sarah Boon 2017).

Research suggests University students are more disposed than others to

develop problematic social media use. Social media overload, the phenomenon

where users are exposed to a massive amount of information and

communication demands via social media that may require energy and cognitive

processing beyond their capabilities, is the specific problem under investigation

in this paper. We apply the situation–organism–behavior–consequence paradigm

to investigate the etiology of social media overload and its consequences for
 20

student performance in higher education (Eoin Whelan, Najmul Islam, Stoney

Brooks 2019). Digitalized learning with its promise of autonomy, enhanced

learner choice, independence and freedom, is an intuitive and appealing

construct but closer examination reveals it to be a rather simplistic proposition,

raising the following questions.-What do we mean by autonomy?-What are we

implying about the role of the teacher, the classroom, and interaction between

learners?-What do we understand about the impact of technology on the ecology

of the learning environment? This book describes the use of a Virtual Learning

Environment (VLE) by a group of advanced English language learners in Mexico,

comparing what students thought and what they did in response to the

technology (Miranda Hamilton 2013).

Higher education is facing a renaissance in terms of its approaches to

teaching and learning and the use of physical and virtual spaces. This book will

address the question of how higher education institutions and administrators

need to re-conceptualize, re-design, and rethink the use of space for students

entering university in the 21st Century. Higher education institutions are no

longer defined by the physical boundaries of their traditional campus but the

entire student experience, whether that be negotiating the physical corridors of

the campus or connecting to virtual environments(Mike Keppell, Kay Souter,

Matthew Riddle 2011). Teachers are not trained or educated to teach virtually, so

blended learning is not their normative teaching platform.

This confusion causes distress and frustration across the educating

community (Dziuban et al., 2018). A work from home analysis done in India
 21

showed that teachers must commit to most new educational processes, which

renders them incapable of prioritizing their mental health (Pajarianto et al.2020).

A case study on the stress state of teachers and students in Stockholm, Sweden,

revealed that any sudden change in the learning environment causes disparity

and even depression across teachers. This is particularly amongst the

administrative heads of educational institutions (Ramberg, 2019).

Educators experience less pressure and resolve to occupations all the

more regularly under agreeable working conditions. Schools can likewise help

diminish educator stress by advancing successful teacher understudy

connections. One approach to achieve this is by utilizing systems that reward

positive understudy practices. Educators additionally need to ensure they deal

with themselves so they can deal with others. Without effectively thinking about

themselves, educators lose the ability to think about others (Ketchell, 2018).

Theirs study concludes that stream wise difference in stress does

exist in students. It is important to deal with stress at personal, social and

institutional level. Remedies such as feedback, yoga, life skills training,

mindfulness, meditation and psychotherapy have been found useful to deal with

stress. To identify the main reason of stress is the key to deal with it.

Professionals can develop tailor made strategies to deal with stress. The

integrated well being of the students is important not only for the Individual but for

the institute as well (Reddy et al. 2018).

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In his study claimed that stress can be addressed by ensuring that the

students give utmost importance to their welfare. Food, exercise, work,

recreation are some of the areas to focus on. He also concluded that the

education system is more to do with the academic qualifications and does not

contribute enough to the holistic development of students ( Dimitrov 2017).

Study stated the use of various methods to curb stress. Doing one

physical exercise on daily basis can address the concern of stress. One can also

adopt to various time management tools and get involved with leisure activities

which can benefit students. Also, it was suggested that colleges should have a

conducive ambience to curtail the stress. Change in the style of delivery from

teachers end and providing mentors can bring fresh air to the teaching style.

(Sharma et al. (2016)

Acknowledged that mental health of teenagers get affected due to

the academic stress. Girls with academic stress were found to have poor mental

health as compared to the boys. This was accounted on the study that parents at

times put pressure and strain on students that leads to deteriorated mental

health. (Kaur 2014)

In his study measured the academic stressors experienced by

students at university. The result of the analyses showed that there is an

unreasonable academic overload, not enough time to study due to the vast

course content being covered, high family expectations and low motivation levels

are some of the reasons for the stress. Fear of failure is also the prime reason for
 23

stress. There was no significant difference found amongst the students from

different of specializations (Bataineh 2013).

They concluded that stress definitely impacts the academic performance

in a negative way though no significant difference was found as per the gender.

The difference was evident between junior and senior students. Stress, for sure,

affects the ability to study efficiently and managing the time. Studying regularly is

important, this helps reduce the academic pressure and helps them fulfill their

goals (Khan and Kausar 2013).

Khan and Kausar 2013, studied the stress among students of professional

studies and claimed that curriculum and instructions parameters were most

responsible for stress with 86 percent, followed by 63 percent for placement

related issues, assessment and teamwork issues accounted for 41 percent and

24 percent respectively. The study further identified various micro issues

responsible for stress, and listed twelve sub issues related to curriculum and

instruction. Once the sub issues of each parameter are identified, it provided

improved vision to the academic administrators for initiating efforts to reduce the

gravity of academic stress (Nandamuri and Gowthami 2011).

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Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the Research Design, Research Locale,

Respondents of the study, Research Instrument, Data Gathering Procedures,

Data Analysis and Statistical Tool.

Research Design

This study used correlational research design. The purpose was to

determine the relationship between the Stress and coping strategies among

distance education students of Ramon Magsaysay Memorial College enrolled

during academic year 2020-2021.higher education delivery system which has a

classroom setting with students and lecturer interactions has been challenged by

innovations in educational delivery mechanisms (Soliman, 2014). The study was

descriptive in nature employing quantitative methods in collecting the data.

 25

Research Locale

The researcher conducted the study at Ramon Magsaysay Memorial

College, Pioneer Avenue, Roxas street, General Santos City (GSC).The school

located in front of Plaza General Santos. This is a private and non-sectarian

institution Which strives to contain its mission and vision to uphold and enhance

students academic performance and be globally competitive in terms of teaching

learning experience through continue offering of quality education with the

leadership of the school administrator, teachers, and stakeholders. It also strives

for excellence in south central Mindanao dedicated by giving holistic education.

Generally, the goal of the school is to provide data based program for the

individual.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study were the 50 students at Ramon

Magsaysay Memorial College.

Table 1 below shows the total respondent of this study who will answer to

the self-administrative test questionnaire.

Participants Frequency %
Male 20 40
Female 30 60
Total 50 100

As shown above, the male respondents are 20 (40%) whereas the female

respondents are 30 (60%). The overall population is 50 respondents (100%).

 26

Research Instrument

A self-made questionnaire on stress and coping strategies was used in

the study the questionnaire determined the level of stress and coping strategies

among distance education students of the respondent. I considered ten (10)

question that contain the topic about stressed.

Data Gathering Procedures

The validation of test questionnaire will undergo to the requesting

research process in which the validators scrutinize the questions and

evaluate them based on the given set of criteria for validation. When the

questionnaire is found valid and appropriate, the researcher will send a

letter to the Dean of Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges Teacher

Education Program for the permission to conduct the study with the

signature of the Research Adviser. Note that it will be a test questionnaire

procedure in which it has a Pre-test and Post-test.

Once approval is sought, the researcher will going to distribute the

test questionnaires to the respondents. It will be conducted as an

examination environment in which the respondents will have 1 hour to take

the test. After the examination, the researcher will now organize the test
 27

papers provided with answer by the respondents and conduct a tallying in

each items in the questionnaire.

After gathering the data needed, the result from the research

instruments tally and tabulated will be submitted to the statistician for

statistical analysis and interpretation.

Data Analysis

To determine the stress of the students, frequency and percentage were

used. In addition, in determining the coping strategies, frequency and weighted

mean were used. Descriptive statistical analysis is the statistical tool used in

collecting data for this study.

Statistical Tool

The researcher will going to use weighted mean, and frequency count in the data

gathered in the study that will be conducted.

It has the formula of

ϵfx
x=
n
 28

x= the mean of the respondents

f= frequency

n = total number of respondent

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Appendix A
LETTER OF PERMISSION TO CONDUCT THE STUDY
RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEMORIAL COLLEGES
TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Pioneer Avenue, 9500, General Santos City
Tel No. [085] 552-3348 Fax No: (083)301-1927
www.rmmc.edu.com

November 3, 2021

KRISTOFFER FRANZ MARI MILLADO

School President
Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges

Dear Sir:
Greeting of Peace!

The undersigned is presently conducting a thesis study entitled “STRESS

AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENT AT
RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEMORIAL COLLEGES”

In this connection, he is requesting your good office to allow him to

conduct a study among the chosen respondents in this school. Your positive
response will mean a lot for the success of the study.
 34

Rest assured that all gathered information shall be kept strictly

confidential. Thank you and God bless!

Respectfully yours,

MAE T. ZONIO
Researcher

Noted by:

(SGD) RODERICK T. MALINAO, LPT, MST

Thesis Adviser

Appendix B
LETTER OF PERMISSION TO CONDUCT THE STUDY
RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEMORIAL COLLEGES
TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Pioneer Avenue, 9500, General Santos City
Tel No. [085] 552-3348 Fax No: (083)301-1927
www.rmmc.edu.com

November 3, 2021

ANALISA T. AMADA, EdD

Director
Teacher Education Program
Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges

Dear Ma’am:

Greeting of Peace!

The undersigned is presently conducting a thesis study entitled “STRESS

AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENT AT
RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEMORIAL COLLEGES”

In this connection, he is requesting your good office to allow him to

conduct a study among the chosen respondents in this school. Your positive
response will mean a lot for the success of the study.
 35

Rest assured that all gathered information shall be kept strictly

confidential. Thank you and God bless!

Respectfully yours,

MAE T. ZONIO
Researcher

Noted by:

(SGD) RODERICK T. MALINAO, LPT, MST

Thesis Adviser

APPENDIX C
LETTER TO THE TEACHER
RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEMORIAL COLLEGES
TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Pioneer Avenue, 9500, General Santos City
Tel No.[085] 552-3348 Fax No: (083)301-1927
www.rmmc.edu.com

Sir/Maam,

Good day!

The undersigned is presently conducting a research entitled “STRESS

AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENT AT
RAMON MAGSAYSAY MEMORIAL COLLEGES”, as partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Secondary Education at Ramon
Magsaysay Memorial Colleges, AY 2021-2022.
 36

In line with this, I am requesting for the permission to conduct an

examination on the said respondents of the study. The data gathered is
necessary for the fulfillment of my research.
The data obtained in this study will be confidentially kept and only used for
study purposes.
Thank you very much and your favorable approval is highly anticipated.

Respectively yours,

MAE T. ZONIO
Researcher

Noted by:

(SGD) RODERICK T. MALINAO, LPT, MST

Thesis Adviser