Chapter 1

Introduction
Every student will experience the effects of stress at some point in their lives in today's

competitive world. Some students feel more stressed out compared to others, and some handle

the stress more efficiently than others, but no one can eliminate it from their lives.

Academic performance is influenced by a variety of factors, two of which are stress and

motivation. It is an important aspect for senior high school students as they approach college

because better academic performance leads to better opportunities in life.

According to Bruinsma in 2004 (as cited by Kori et al., 2016), higher motivation leads to

higher academic performance. In their study on academic stress and emotional intelligence,

Ranasinghe et al. (2017) discovered that academic stress is negatively correlated with emotional

intelligence and academic performance. Other studies, on the other hand, claim that stress has no

effect on academic performance. Stress, according to Bello and Gumarao (2016), has no

relationship with academic performance.. According to Fereidooni-Moghadam et al. (2017),

students' achievement motivation is significantly correlated with academic performance. Bolkan,

Goodboy, and Kelsey (2015) looked into the connection between instructor clarity and student

motivation and academic performance. Furthermore, stress has been found to persist into the

tertiary years, contributing to academic disengagement and mental health issues in developing

adults. This study aims to raise awareness that giving too much schoolwork or overloading tasks

on academic performance, as well as things they do outside of schoolwork, will cause stress. One

of the most effective ways to avoid serious problems, such as health problems, is to manage and

Schools Division Office of Kabankalan City

TABUGON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School Department
control stress. Every TABUGON Senior High School STEM student should understand how to

manage stress so that they can be happier, healthier, and more productive. Senior high school

students are undoubtedly busy at school and at home, and their academic performance may

suffer as a result. We must assess students' stress levels in order to assist those who require

assistance in improving their coping mechanisms. This can also serve as an incentive for

instructors to be more considerate of their students.

Background of the study

Stress is defined as anything that offers a challenge or a threat to a person's well-

being. It may be felt anywhere, even at home and school. Academic stress primarily affects

students since they are subjected to a variety of stresses, such as academic pressure and the duty

to achieve.(Noson & Shastri, 2019). According to Kötter et al. (2017), Stress has a detrimental

impact on academic achievement and can lead to a vicious cycle of rising stress and declining

performance. Thus, motivation is defined as a person's willingness to perform specified

activities. Bruinsma in the year 2015(as cited by Kori et al., 2021) stated that higher motivation

results in higher academic performance.

A study conducted by Ranasinghe et al. (2020) on academic stress and emotional

intelligence on academic performance revealed that academic stress is negatively correlated with

emotional intelligence and academic performance. However, other studies claim that stress has

Schools Division Office of Kabankalan City

TABUGON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School Department
no significant relationship with academic performance. A study by Bello & Gumarao (2016)

concluded that stress is not correlated with academic performance. Furthermore, Fereidooni-

Moghaddam et al. (2017) found out that students' achievement motivation is significantly

correlated with academic performance. Also, Bolkan, Goodboy & Kelsey (2018) examined the

effect of instructor clarity on learning with student motivation and academic performance. The

study's findings revealed a positive correlation between instructor clarity, student motivation, and

academic performance. This study's main objective is to determine the relationship between

stress and motivation on students' academic performance. The study's findings could serve as a

basis for program development to assess how the school could alleviate stress, stimulate

motivation, and improve the student’s academic performance.

When employment presents obstacles or hazards, the stress level varies. The academic

setting is stressful due to the pressure to perform well in the examination. Students will either

deal with it or let stress devour them (Seaward, 2020). An endocrinologist first created the term

"stress," but too much stress is harmful. Stress may be beneficial or detrimental. It can

sometimes be beneficial, supplying individuals with the necessary extra energy or alertness. For

example, stress may provide a runner with the motivation to complete a marathon. (Garcia,

2019).

Appraisals are determined simultaneously by perceiving environmental demands and

personal resources. Since its first publication (Lazarus, 1984), it has not only been further

developed and refined but it has also been expanded recently to a meta-theoretical concept of

emotion and coping processes. There are many ways to reduce student stress and one of them is

Tutoring. According to Wake Forest University, tutoring can be an effective method of helping

Schools Division Office of Kabankalan City

TABUGON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School Department
students cope with any academic difficulties they may be facing. Also, Study groups can be an

effective means of reducing stress in teenagers, considering how academic pressures are one of

the primary stressors of this population. These groups can help teens discover new solutions to

academic problems and overcome difficulties they may be facing in school. Support groups can

also be beneficial to teens in dealing with stress and anxiety.

Recreation is an activity that attracts a wide range of sports activities and attracts a wide

audience. However, to be seen as a recreational phenomenon, participation in sports activities

must be realized in leisure time with the purposes of entertainment, physical activity, and play.

(Sevil et al., 2015). Recreational activities that people participate in in their spare time seem to

be very beneficial for their health (both mental and physical). It is known that knowing what

factors affect people’s attitudes, perceptions and preferences is an important condition for

ensuring the quality of recreation. (Thakkar., 2018).

Stress researcher Hans Selye (2017) referred to such healthful stress as eustress, whereas

stress that leads to negative consequences is known as distress. But intense or prolonged stress

can overtax our capacity to adjust, dampen our moods, impair our ability to experience pleasure,

and harm the body. Academic stress is the product of a combination of academic-related

demands that exceed the adaptive resources available to an individual. Students in senior High

education settings face a wide range of ongoing stressors related to academic demands. Porwal &

Kumar (2014) stated that there is a lot of stress related to studies, homework, tests, and other

academic competitions. The students also face a lot of stress due to an imbalance of academic,

and social performances and time management for extra-curricular activities from education.

Schools Division Office of Kabankalan City

TABUGON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School Department
Academic stress in the students who are unable to maintain the balance between their academic

activities, social, emotional, and family.

Awareness is one approach to avoid unsafe or risky circumstances, and this research

informs every reader that there are kids who are stressed, particularly STEM students at Tabugon

National High School (TNHS). It emphasizes that if this kid is stressed, other students with other

strands may also be stressed. Assume that some of them are under stress. As a result, its

academic performance suffers.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine the stress levels among the Senior High School STEM

Students of Tabugon National High School for the School Year 2022-2023. Specifically, this

study will answer the following questions:

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

a. age

b. gender

c. economic status

2. What is the level of academic stress of the respondents in terms of:

A. Stresses related to academic expectations

B. Stresses related to school work and examinations

C. Stresses related to students’ academic self-perceptions

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TABUGON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School Department
3. Is there a significant difference in the academic stress level of the participants when they are

grouped according to demographic profile?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study may be significant for the following:

Students. To the pupils, they can use this study as awareness to understand the types of
the stress they are experiencing and the level of stress they are experiencing. Students will be
able to comprehend various classes, and it will serve them in a way that will inspire, educate, and
benefit them.They will continue to work toward achieving their goal even though perceived,
Stress is a strong external factor in academic performance and contributes to challenges and
struggles in life as the basis or standard of their goal or motivation to try and avoid or prevent
this kind of stress.

Teacher. This study can give ideas that can help teachers to be aware of the behaviors
shown by their students or other people they interact with at school. They can find out the stress
level of the student, or if that student is stressed, that is shown in how they perform or behave in
class over a short time.

Parents. They will learn about their children's mental health and be aware of the stress
they are going through. This will help them realize what their children feel and to give them
ideas about what might happen to them if they wouldn’t do anything to counteract it. Let the
children learn and warm up to their parents and be able to at least find any possible way or
solution to ease their kids' pressure, anxiety, or any other mental health issues.

Guidance Counselor. This study can help them to identify and nature specific strengths
and interests of the student. This can also help them in resolving personal or interpersonal
problems, especially the stress levels of the students that they encounter every day.

Future Researcher. They can use this research as a source and useful information. It can
also be a basis for them to have more types of perceived stress that can relate or connect to their
future research.

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TABUGON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School Department
 Student’s academic performance as the dependent variable refers to the extent to which a
student has attained their long-term educational goal and is measured by continuous assessment
in TNHS-SHS.

Scope and Delimitation

This study is limited only to STEM senior high school students from two different grade

levels enrolled in the first Semester of TABUGON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL of the School

year 2022-2023. Each of the respondents is given an adapted questionnaire to answer. The main

objective of this study allows you to perceive the stress levels of STEM students.

Definition of Terms

For clarification, the important terms used in this study are defined here:
Stress level. Conceptually, this refers to knowing the level of a feeling of emotion or
physical tension.
Stress level. Operationally, this refers to the behavior of students if they are doing well or
not quite well during class hours and in their take-home school activities
Academic performance. Conceptually, this refers to the measurement of students’
achievement across various academic subjects.
Academic Performance. Operationally, this refers to the performance of the students in
TNHS-SHS.

Schools Division Office of Kabankalan City

TABUGON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School Department