Chapter I

Introduction
People experience stress on a regular basis. Stress is a natural part of life.
It is hard to define because it means different things to different people;
however, it's clear that most stress is negative rather than a positive feeling.
Some define it as a state produced by a change in the environment that is
perceived as challenging, threatening or damaging to the person's dynamic
balance or equilibrium. The stimulus that evokes this state is the stressor. A
stressor can upset the equilibrium or create change in an individual which it
could be physiological, emotional, cognitive or behavioral. Some people see
stress as "any stimulus, such as fear or pain that disturbs or interferes with the
normal body functioning." Commitment to work or family life, time pressures,
financial pressures and difficulties in personal relationships can all be important
sources of stress. As the definition implies, stress can disrupt a person's normal
routine to the point that his/her ability to function is compromised. Stress is an
unhealthy response to the pressures of life.
Republic Act No. 11036, otherwise known as the Mental Health Act, which
was signed into law on June 20, 2018 and took effect on July 5, that same year.
Academic stress among college students has been a topic of interest for many
Years. College life is an unending stream of papers, assignments and midterm;
the never ending flow of information that needs to be processed can become
overwhelming. Perceived obstacles to goal achievement, environmental change,
life challenges and periods of significant transition are common stresses for
college students. Some stressors, however, are actually positive as they can also
be motivators like most things in excess, too much stress is negative. A critical
issue concerning stress among students is its effect on their learning and
academic performance. Individuals under high stress learn the least and that
those under moderate and low stress learn the most. The effect on each student
varies depending on the maturity of emotion, mental state, support system and
adaptive strategies that act as stress buffers. The same situation is not evocative
or stressful for all people, and all people do not experience the same negative
thoughts and feelings when stressed. It is variable; an event that produces
stress at one time and place for one person may not do so for the same person
at another time and place.
College life is a major transition that introduces new kinds of stressors in a
student's life. These stressors and anxieties consume most students. Most
college students perceive academic life as stressful and demanding and would
report experiencing emotional and cognitive reactions to this stress, especially
due to external pressures and self-imposed expectations. They report on
numerous stressors during term time, including academic demands and social
adjustments.
In fact, college students are usually related to everyday experiences, worries,
and challenges at home, school, community and with their peer group. As there
are many competing commands such as academic difficulties, social changes,
adjusting to new environments or developing friendship and financial stability,
it also includes changes in our daily living like going to school, getting married,
looking for a stable job or illness. All these stressors if not dealt effectively
because a college student's normal range of coping skills prevent his/her from
doing so, can lead to depression, irritability, poor concentration, physical illness
and poor disturbances.
Nowadays, students may encounter stress resulting from bullying, social
isolation and academic pressures, which would bring disturbances of mind and
body, particularly in his/her physical, emotional and behavior well-being.
According to the American College Health Association (ACHA), 44.9% of college
students experience more than average stress levels, while 12.7% experience
overwhelming stress levels. With so many academic demands and
responsibilities as a student, it’s expected that you might feel high levels of
stress from time to time. But, when stress disrupts daily activities, you need to
determine the cause of your stress and how to manage it.
The researcher hoped to determine the stress management techniques utilized
by the students and the stressful situations that usually affect them. Thus, it was
considered beneficial to know the stressors the coping mechanism of the
students, how they manage stress definitely different from the students and the
techniques they used in order to understand them and help other students as
well.
In the light of the above discussions, the researchers decided to conduct this
study to find out the stress management techniques utilized by the Bachelor in
Elementary Education students of Daraga Community College, Salvacion Daraga,
Albay.
Statement of the Problem
This study aim to determine the stress management techniques of the Bachelor
in Elementary Education Third Year Students (BEED III) in their college life.
Specifically, it sought the following problems.
1. What are the socio-demographic profile of the BEED 3rd Year Students SY
2022 - 2023 in terms of:
a. Age
b. Sex
c. Occupation
d. Religion
e. Marital Status
f. Family size
g. Monthly family income
2. What are the sources of stress as perceived by the respondents?
3. What are the respondent's techniques to utilized in managing stress?
4. What various components of stress experienced by the respondents?
5. What recommendations should be made to address stress management
encountered by the respondents?

Scope and Delimitation

The objectives of this study was to determine how stress is experienced and
how it affects the everyday life of BEED 3rd year students of Daraga Community
College (DCOMC) and how they managed them. It will look into the
demographic profile of BEED students of 3rd year level SY: 2022- 2023 in terms
of age, sex, religion, marital status, occupation, family size, and family monthly
income. This study also discussed the sources of stress as perceived by the
respondents and their techniques utilized in managing stress. Also included the
recommendations may be proposed to enhanced stress management
encountered by the BEED 3rd year students. The study did not include the other
year level.
This study also did not include other students from other courses, faculty
members and non-teaching personnel of Daraga Community College. It only
focused on the BEED 3rd year students of DCOMC.
Theoretical Framework

This study was anchored on the Theory of Selye's General Adaptive

Syndrome (GAS) which is about how an individual reacts or responds to the
stress they experience. Stress is a normal, recurring event inherent in daily
living, which can be avoided, if one is taught how to manage and cope with it.
College students come across many factors that bring stress to their college
years. Often times, these students become overwhelmed by the tasks they need
to accomplish in order to fulfil academic requirements of the course they have
chosen. Most of them believe that being college is not much different from
high school life only to realize that is an entirely different experience. Faced
with the demands of their course and lacking the mental and emotional
readiness. The college student becomes stressed. Another factor that bring the
students' stress is their physical attributes. Everyone want to blend in and be
easily accepted, however, their physical attributes could make them feel
inferior or could decrease their self-esteem causing them to feel insecure and
therefore stressed. Based on the variable Theory ‘interpretation of stress
effect (HAMILTON, HOCKEY, and, REJIMAN)
This theory targets the individual performance under their
responsibilities and high workload aknowledging the different kinds of stress
triggers. It means , this theory presents the interpretation of stress effect on
individual performances under a task. It evaluates on individual status in
terms of suffering form stress. The initial analysis of stress effects leads to a
proposal of a broder, more widely - applicable mechanism for adaptive
regulation of behavior. This theory suggest a numbers of possible sources for
the derivation of individual differences. These may arise within the control
system itself or in instric variability involve cognitive and energetic resources.
This theory is the compensatory control of human performance under stress
and high workload on human performance. This theory has something to do
with with the Theory of (Sigmund freud by Max Halberstadt). This theory
brought into the awareness and is recognized for such concepts as the “id,
ego , superego .” The Theory of Sigmund Freud is connected with the theory
of interpretation pf stress effects, as an individual wants fo follow his interest
and wants that caused happiness to him though it’s not significant (id). On the
other side, when the needs of individual is forgotten then it make sense until it
finally realize it at end it is a important (eg). However, when the two is being
evaluated and the realization come at last and finally concluded it that chosen
was important or not (superego) According to Sigmund Freud, personality
consist of these three parts work together to create a complete personality.
The superego is the social component and is your conscience. The id is your
instrict, while the ego is your concious decisions. The students social status is
another concern. The less privileged find it hard to mingle and get along with
the affluent students. In fact a faction could be obvious in a college which
could be a cause for stress for those who try so hard to become part of the
community of the college.
Finally, moral standards or norms can also be a dilemma and therefore
a source of stress for the students may have come from varying moral
orientation thus adjusting to the expectations of other students in the campus
may prove difficult to overcome. All of these contribute to the stress a college
student experiences and their ability or inability to cope with it may end with
varied consequences. To be able to face surpass situations, students need to be
taught how to appropriately manage them.
To clearly understand the framework, a paradigm is shown in the next
page.

4
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework of this study includes several variables that
are necessary in interpreting objectively the process that was observed in the
course of this research.
Stress is experienced by everyone. Only that people, have different ways
of facing them. A person's ability to cope with stress may have something to
do with gender, age, and social status to mention a few.
In this study, the subject is the selected BEED 3rd students of Daraga
Community College. First their demographic profile was determined which
included getting their age, sex, religion, occupation, marital-status, family size
and monthly family income. The age and the marital status of the respondents
bear on how they cope with stress. In the previous study cited, it was stated
that the male has different way of coping with stress as compared with the
male. Furthermore, the family income could also have the bearing on the
causes of stress or on how well the well-off face their stressors. Thus, the
respondents' demographic profile is important in studying stress management
of the selected respondents.
Once their demographic profile is determined, the study went on the
determined what they perceived as the sources of their stress; whether they
have significant relation to their demographic or not.
Then it was also significant to find out what techniques they used in managing
stress which them led to recommendations for the respondents and other
college students to consider in order to better manage stressful situations.
To clearly understand the framework, a paradigm is presented on the
next page.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of this study includes several variables that

are necessary in interpreting objectively the process that was observed in the
course of this research.
Stress is experienced by everyone. Only that people, have different ways
of facing them. A person's ability to cope with stress may have something to
do with gender, age, and social status to mention a few.
In this study, the subject is the selected BEED 3rd year students of
Daraga Community College. First their demographic profile was determined
which included getting their age, sex, religion, occupation, marital-status,
family size and monthly family income. The age and the marital status of the
respondents bear on how they cope with stress. In the previous study cited, it
was stated that the male has different way of coping with stress as compared
with the male. Men and women recognize and react to stress in different ways,
both mentally and physically. When feeling stressed, women reach out to
friends and family. They seek support to lower their stress and find a solution
to their challenges. By talking about their emotions, women are able to
process their feelings and share the pressure of their situation.
When men experience stressful situations, they are likely to hide their feelings
or change the subject to escape a stressful situation. Men find it hard to talk
about their feelings or ask for help when faced with pressures from their job,
family issues or money worries. Men prefer to play sports or listen to music to
manage stress. Furthermore, the family income could also have the bearing on
the causes of stress or on how well the well-off face their stressors.
 Thus, the respondents' demographic profile is important in studying
stress management of the selected respondents.
Once their demographic profile is determined, the study went on the
determined what they perceived as the sources of their stress; whether they
have significant relation to their demographic or not.
Then it was also significant to find out what techniques they used in
managing stress which them led to recommendations for the respondents and
other college students to consider in order to better manage stressful
situations.
To clearly understand the framework, a paradigm is presented on the
next page.

Definition of Terms

For better clarification and understanding of the terms related to this study,
the following terms are defined conceptually and operationally.

Distress. This refers to negative stress or stress that diminishes the quality of
life which is commonly associated with diseases, illness, and mal-adaptation in
this study. A feeling of great pain or sadness, acute or extreme suffering or its
cause of stressful situation.

Mechanism. It refers to instrument or a process, physical or mental, by which

something is done/comes into being or usually unconscious mental and
emotional pattern that shapes behavior in a given situation or environment.

Physiological. It is something in accord with or characteristic of the normal

functioning of a living organism. Sources of stress are bounty and are from
normal growth and development.

Psychological. It is something that is of, relating to, or arising from the mind
or emotions. Stress prepares the individual to deal with stressors by
heightening awareness and mobilizing the body.
 Stress. It Refers to the level of tension people feel that is placed on their
minds and souls by the demands of their lives. It is also refers to ones inability
to cope with one's mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being Stress
Management.
It refers to the amelioration of stress and especially chronic stress that
includes an increase in heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and serum
cholesterol. These are the coping mechanisms or techniques utilized by an
individual.

Stressor. It is a stimulus, whether real or imagined, that has potential for

triggering and producing stress.

Assumption
Stress is the physiological response of your body to a challenge or
demand. Stress can be beneficial in short bursts, such as when it helps you
avoid danger or meet a deadline. Stress, on the other hand, can be harmful to
your health if it lasts for an extended period of time. One of these stressors is
peer pressure. Other sources of stress include homesickness, academic or
personal competition, peer pressure to succeed, social anxieties, and heavy
workloads. Students are also stressed when they get too little sleep, eat poorly,
or have too much downtime. During this pandemic, students face academic
stress as a common foe. Balance responsibilities (such as schoolwork) with
activities you enjoy (such as relaxing or spending time with friends), eat
healthy foods, get enough sleep, and make time to exercise every day to
prevent or avoid stress. Stress is defined as the feeling of being overwhelmed
or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure.
Your body's physiological reaction to a challenge or demand is stress.
In brief periods, stress can be advantageous, such as when it helps you stay saf
e or achieve a deadline. On the other hand, stress can be hazardous to your he
alth if it persists for a long time.  Peer pressure is one of these stressors. 
Homelessness, rivalry in school or in life, peer pressure to succeed, social worr
ies, and a lot of labor are other sources of stress. 
Also, students who sleep too little, eat badly, or spend too much time relaxing 
are anxious. 
Students' shared enemy in this pandemic is scholastic stressMaintain a health
y balance between your obligations, like your schooling, and your interests, lik
e resting or hanging out with friends.
 Notes

Stress Management: Psychological Foundations

Stephen M. Auerbach, Sandra E. Gramling

Prentice Hall, 1998 - Stress (Psychology) 

Coping with Stress at University: A Survival Guide
By Stephen Palmer, Angela Puri

Stress Management: From Basic Science to Better Practice

By Wolfgang Linden