THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL SUPPORT AND STRESS RESILIENCE

AMONG JUNIOR STUDENTS OF SENATOR NINOY AQUINO PRIVATE SCHOOLS

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Social support assume that people are engaged in and are shaped by multiple

relationships, events and influences. Human experience and behavior is therefore explored, not

only by taking a range of social and psychological factors into account but also, importantly, by

paying close attention to the meanings and interpretations that people attach to their diverse

experiences. According to May, J. (2009) the family is the most important group of people for an

individual because family members offer each other love and support, especially in times of

crises.

On the other hand, stress is playing an ever more prominent role in our lives. Continuing

researches show how stress impacts our health and quality of life. In today's fast-paced,

constantly changing world, just managing stress is not enough. What is needed is resilience to

inoculate us against the impacts of stress such as disease, depression and anxiety. Boosting

resilience will also boost self-confidence, achievement and productivity.

Being resilient means being able to recover or bounce back from adversity, difficulties or

change with the ability to at least function as well as before. Resilience involves successful

adaptation despite being exposed to challenging and adverse circumstances. Despite this

exposure, good outcomes result. Resilient people effectively cope with and adapt to stress and

challenging circumstances. Resilience means dealing with challenges that make us grow and

make us stronger, better prepared to face the challenges ahead (Seaward, L. Ph.D., 2009).
 According to Maddi and Khoshaba (2009) the family, friends and social and physical

environment plays a very important role in the stress resiliency of the individuals because they

may serve as the risk and protective factors.

Above all, this study will help discover how social support affect one’s stress resiliency

and does social relation can do affect stress resilience of an individual. The researcher is also

eager to if is there any relationship between social support and stress resilience.

Statement of the Problem

This study will determine the social support of the respondents with their family and

friends and if there social support is correlated to their stress resilience.

Particularly, this study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is the social support of the respondents?

2. What is the level of stress resilience of the respondents?

3. Is there a relationship between social support and stress resilience of the respondents?

Scope and Limitation

This study will be limited to the relationship between social support and stress resilience

of Junior Students of the private schools in Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat, namely

Senator Ninoy Aquino College Foundation, Kulaman Academy Incorporated, Gapok Academy

Incorporated, Notre Dame of Kulaman and Mountain Light Academy.

Social support in this study will refer to family and friends as sources. It would only

focus on the third year students who are enrolled in the current school year 2009-2010.
Significance of the Study

The result of this study will determine if there is a relationship between social support

and stress resilience. The data that will be gathered from this study will help the educators to

understand why some students disregard classroom interaction. Through the result of this study,

educators will be able to design other strategies to be employed so that they can help those

students to adjust with the environment that they have. It would also help the schools where this

study would be conducted as a reference on the plan that they will employ regarding the said

concern.

Operational Definition of Terms

Social support - is operationally defined as the score obtained in the Provision of Social

Relation with family and friends as sources of social support.

Family support - refers to the support from the father, mother, siblings and relatives.

Friend support - refers to support from peers, cliques, board mates, roommates, classmates, and

boarding house owner

Stress resilience - the measure of how people cope with stress at different level. It is

operationally defined as the scores of the respondents obtained in Tress

Resilience Evaluation Test.

Very strong – describes the kind of stress resilience that is very high, it is almost impossible to

be embarrassed. It refers to the score obtained by the respondents on the Stress

Resilience Evaluation Test that ranges from 81-108.

Strong - stress resilience is high; equanimity is not easily upset, seldom embarrassed. It refers to

the score obtained by the respondents on the Stress Resilience Evaluation Test

that ranges from 61-80.

Average to strong - level of stress resilience is within normal range, tending to rather more

strongly developed. It refers to the score obtained by the respondents on the

Stress Resilience Evaluation Test that ranges from 41-60.

Average to weak - level of stress resilience is within normal range, tending to be rather less

strongly developed. In stress situation you may, on occasion, lose your

equanimity and calm. It refers to the score obtained by the respondents on the

Stress Resilience Evaluation Test that ranges from 21-40.

Weak - when faced with unpleasant situations you readily tend to grow uneasy and embarrassed.

It refers to the score obtained by the respondents on the Stress Resilience

Evaluation Test that ranges from1-20.

Junior students - refers to the third year high school students from SNACF, NDK and KAI who

will served as the subject of the study.

SNACF, NDK, GAI, MLA and KAI- are schools in the Senator Ninoy Aquino who are offering

secondary education.

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on the Stress Buffering Theory by Greenberg (2002) which states

that social support helps after a stressor is encountered to help prevent that stressor from

resulting in negative consequences. For example, you may lose your job but your family and
friends may help you feel worthwhile nonetheless. As also with the statement of Caplan which

said: “significant others help an individual mobilize his psychological resources and master his

emotional burdens, they share his tasks, and they provide him extra supplies of money, materials,

tools, skills, and cognitive guidance to improve his handling of the situation.” They help one deal

with and feel better about stressors.

Conceptual Framework

Social relation Stress

• Family Resilience
• friends

Figure 1. Schematic diagram showing correlation between social relation and stress resilience

of Junior Students of Senator Ninoy Aquino Private Schools

 Hypothesis of the study

Ho: there is no significant difference between social relation and stress resilience.
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Social support has been described as ‘support accessible to an individual through social

ties to other individuals, groups, and the larger community’ (Ozbay, F. et. al, 2007). Furthermore,

the National Cancer Institute’s Dictionary of Cancer Terms defines social support as “a network

of family, friends, neighbors and community members that is available in times of need to give

psychological, physical and financial help” (www.cancer.gov.). Family support can be provided

by family members, friends, lovers and anyone else. Family is both the earliest and the most

sustained source of social contact for the child. It remains the most intense and enduring of all

interpersonal and social bonds. Family members shares not only their memories of their past but

their expectation of future shared events and experiences (Parke and Locke, 1999).

Social support is exceptionally important for maintaining good physical and mental

health. Overall, it appears that positive social support of high quality can enhance resilience to

stress, help protect against developing trauma-related psychopathology, and decrease the

functional consequences trauma-induced disorders, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD0 and

reduce medical morbidity and mortality (Ozbay, F., Johnson, D., et. al., 2007 ).

On the other hand, according to Selye as cited by Greenberg (2002) stress is the

nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it. It means that good things and bad

things are both experienced the same physiologically. Moreover, everything that happens to you

has a reason, for instance, when you are stress, it really has a reason and it is called stressor.

Stressor is a stimuli with the potential of triggering the fight- or flight response and the stressors

for which our bodies were evolutionarily trained were threats to our safety.
 Researchers who have studied resilient individuals found three primary types of

protective factors, or personal attributes and environmental conditions that appear to buffer the

child- and later, the adult- from the effect of risk and stress and to promote coping and good

adjustment in the face of adversity. The first set of factors consists of positive individual

attributes. Individuals who have easy temperament and high self-esteem and who are intelligent

and independent are adaptable in the face of stressful life experiences (Hetherington, 1991b;

Ruther, 1987; Werner, 1988). The second protective factors are combined in a supportive family

environment. And the third protective factor comprises people outside the family as well as

social agencies and institution (Parke, R. and Locke, V., 1999). Furthermore, according to

Greenberg, J., 2002) one of the protective factors suspected of preventing stress related illness or

disease is social support. Social support is a belonging, being accepted, being loved or being

needed “all for oneself and not for what one can do”.
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter includes the design of the study, place where it will be conducted, the

respondents as well as the sampling procedure.

Research Design

The researcher will employ correlational design in this study in order to find out if there’s

any correlation between social relation and stress resilience of the Junior High School Students

of Senator Ninoy Aquino Private Schools.

Locale and Respondents of the Study

This study will be conducted at Senator Ninoy Aquino Private Schools. Senator Ninoy

Aquino is one of the municipality of Sultan Kudarat Province and this municipality is composed

of twenty five (25) barangays.

Senator Ninoy Aquino has five private schools who are offering Secondary Education

namely the Senator Ninoy Aquino College Foundation, Notre Dame of Kulaman, Gapok

Academy Incorporated, Mountain Light Academy and the Kulaman Academy Incorporated.

From these respective schools, all Junior Students will be chosen via complete enumeration as

the subjects of this study.

 Data Gathering Plan

The data gathering plan follows a step- by step procedures which will be used in this

study. It includes the research instruments that that will be used in data gathering.

Data Gathering Procedure

In conducting this study the researcher will first, send formal letter to the respective

Principals Office of Senator Ninoy Aquino College Foundation, Notre Dame of Kulaman, Gapok

Academy Incorporated, Mountain Light Academy and the Kulaman Academy Incorporated

asking permission in conducting the study and the participation of their Junior students. Upon the

approval of the Principal, the researcher will then meet the respondents and distribute the two

sets of questionnaires namely the Provision on Social Relation (R. Jay Turner et. Al) and the

Stress Resilience Evaluation Test by G. M. Barrios. The respondents will be given enough time

to answer the questionnaires. The answered questionnaires will be collected and data will be

summarized, tabulated for analysis and interpretation.

Research Instrument

The standardized questionnaire of Provision on Social Relation (R. Jay Turner et. Al.)will

be used in gathering the data on social relation. The items 4,7,10,11,12,14 are concerned with

family social support and the items no. 1, 2,3,5,6,8,9,13,15 are concerned with friend social

support. Reverse scoring is employed for items 7 and 15. Higher score for the two subdivisions

means the highest social support received.

Another standardized test that will the researcher will be using in this study is the Stress

Resilience Evaluation Test which was cited by G. M. Barrios. It is composed of eighteen (18)
hypothetical situations and it indicates that the person with a high score has higher self-

resilience.

To score the test, just add up all “As” that have been encircled. The total is the

respondents score. The following is the interpretation of scores: 1-20= weak, 21-40= average to

weak, 41-60= average to strong, 61-80= strong, and 81-108= very strong.

Statistical Analysis
SOCIAL RELATION AFFECTING STRESS RESILIENCE OF JUNIOR STUDENTS OF
SENATOR NINO AQUINO PRIVATE SCHOOLS

PROVISION FOR SOCIAL RELATION

INSTRUCTIONS: In this scale, I would like to know something about your relationship with
other people. Please read each statement below and decide how well the statement describes you.
For each statement, show your answer by indicating to the left of the item the number that best
describe and you feel. The numbers represents the following answer.

1= very much like me

2= much like me
3= somewhat like me
4= not very much like me
5= not at all like me

1. When I’m with my friends, I feel completely able to relax and be myself.
2. I share the same approach to life that many of my friends do.
3. People who know me trust me and respect me.
4. No matter what happens, I know that my family will always be there for me should I need
them.
5. When I want to go out to do things, I know that many of my friends would enjoy doing
things with me.
6. I have at least one friend I could tell anything to.
7. Sometimes I’m not sure if I can completely rely on my family.
8. People who know me think I am good at what I do.
9. I feel very close to some of my friends.
10. People in my family have confidence in me.
11. My family lets me know I am worthwhile person.
12. People in my family provide me with help in finding solution to my problems.
13. My friends would take the time to talk over my problems, should I ever want to.
14. I know my family would always stand by me.
15. Even when I am my friends I feel alone.
 YOUR RESILIENCE UNDER STRESS

INSTRUCTIONS: Study the following eighteen (18) situations carefully, consider how you
would react. Encircle the letter ‘a’ or ‘b’ representing each mode of reaction you may or may not
have under each situation. In every situation there must be six (6) letters encircled under Yes or
No.

1. At the party, you are unexpectedly asked to make a speech.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Palpitation b a
Nervousness b a
Amusement a b
Calm a b
Embarrassment b a
Blushing b a

2. You are stopped by a traffic control. The policeman, analyzing this, deliberately takes his
time in dealing with you.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Friendliness b a
Aggression b a
Trembling of hands b a
Calm a b
Uneasiness b a
Perspiring b a

3. You have been summoned to a government office, and the exact time has been clearly
stipulated. Although you arrived punctually, you are kept waiting for an hour.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Friendliness b a
Rage b a
Self-control a b
Palpitation a b
Amusement b a
Damp palms b a
4. You have knocked an almost full bottle of soft drinks in a restaurant.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Amusement b a
Embarrassment b a
Indifference a b
Stammering a b
Natural laughter b a
Brushing b a

5. You had lunch in a restaurant. As you are about to settle your bill, you discover that you left
your wallet at home.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Blushing b a
Calm b a
Trembling a b
Amusement a b
Embarrassment b a
Perspiring b a

6. You are caught traveling on a bus without a ticket.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Blushing b a
Calm b a
Trembling a b
Amusement a b
Embarrassment b a
Perspiring b a

7. You have a flat tire on a motorway. You manage to stop the car on a hard shoulder.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Calm b a
Rage b a
Perspiring a b
Self-control a b
Uncertainly b a
Palpitation b a
8. You return home from shopping. As you open the front door, you are met by a flood of water
coming from a kitchen faucet which was left open.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Calm b a
Trembling b a
Self-control a b
Rage a b
Amusement b a
Embarrassment b a

9. You are taking an examination. The examiner’s voice, as he summons you into the
examination room, is harsh and unfriendly.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Growing pale b a
Trembling b a
Calm a b
Confidence a b
Perspiring b a
Anxiety b a

10. You are alone in an elevator. Suddenly the elevator stops between 10th and 11th floors.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Amusement a b
Calm a b
Rage b a
Palpitation b a
Feeling unwell a b
Cool reflection a b

11. On returning from your trip from abroad you have brought back more items and luggage than
permitted. At the customs you are asked to open your suitcase.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Calm b a
Agitation b a
Confidence a b
Fear b a
Perspiring b a
Trembling b a
12. In a discussion, you are ridiculed by all because they think that your ideas both crazy and
wrong.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Blushing b a
Amusement a b
Calm a b
Rage b a
Self-control a b
Embarrassment b a

13. You have a heated argument with close friends which end with your saying, “I want nothing
more to do with you”.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Aggression b a
Calm a b
Amusement a b
Uncertainly b a
Palpitation a b
Self-control b a

14. You have applied in writing for a new job and have been called for an interview with the
personnel manager. He greets you with the words, ‘Your letter of application wasn’t exactly a
very good start’.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Uncertainly b a
Calm a b
Stammering a b
Blushing b a
Composure a b
Embarrassment b a

15. You are at a party, dancing. Your partner announces, “You’re not exactly a very good dancer,
aren’t you?”

Your Reaction: Yes No

Amusement b a
Embarrassment a b
Rage a b
Blushing b a
 Composure a b
Natural laughter b a

16. In the course of discussion somebody reproachfully says to you, “I wonder if you have
opinions of your own!”

Your Reaction: Yes No

Aggression b a
Self-control a b
Embarrassment a b
Perspiring b a
Composure a b
Stammering b a

17. In the course of conversation you said something against somebody. The people with whom
you are talking now realize that you have meant to acquire prestige by means of lies and false
statements.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Embarrassment b a
Blushing b a
Stammering b a
Composure a b
Amusement a b
Trembling of hands b a

18. Your superior is dissatisfied with your work and criticizes you.

Your Reaction: Yes No

Calm a b
Blushing b a
Self-control a b
Uncertainly b a
Stammering b a
Embarrassment b a

THANK YOU VERY MUCH …………….

MCRPsych