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Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Students have always been perceived as stressed individuals due to

the amount of academic workload they go through. This perception is stronger

when viewing students studying in medical-related fields. Academic-related

stressors refer to any academic activity such as examinations, co-curricular

activities, lifestyle, merit system (Saat et al, 2019), workload, time

management (Wahat et al, 2016), and others. The term workload can be

defined as the amount of work that is assigned to a person in a specified

period. In this case, assignments, extra-curricular activities, classes, tests or

examinations, quizzes, reports, and practical work are under academic

workloads where students, especially university students, need to fulfill in

order to graduate (Yusoff et al, 2018)

The negative effects of academic workload on students' mental health

and overall well-being have been the subject of an extensive research in the

educational sector (Smith & Jones, 2020). The problem has become even

more complex due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making it an international

issue (Gonzalez et al., 2021). Remote learning and disruption of traditional

educational systems have resulted in a situation where students are forced to

meet academic demands that they are not used to in a period of uncertainty

(Aucejo et al., 2020). Marginalized groups like low-income families and

minority communities are having hard times being disproportionately affected

by the increased barriers to education and mental health support. Studies

conducted in countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia revealed how tough it is for
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students to get resources and support systems during the pandemic

(Rwigema, 2021). Being aware of how much workload affects student mental

health during COVID-19 will aid in the development of targeted interventions

as well as support strategies to improve equitable educational outcomes (El-

Said, 2021).

As learners progress in their educational journey, the growing

academic load brings forward problems that result in a decrease of their

mental health. This pressure is seen in different forms such as stress,

depression and behavioural changes and eventually affects the performance

of the student academically and overall quality of life. Prior researches have

established the importance of student stress on academic success (Peer,

2015). However, the existing literature often fails to consider specific

experiences of marginalized communities or poverty as a factor contributing to

students’ mental health struggles. Understanding the complex relationship

between stress resulting from academic workloads and

poverty/marginalization becomes critical for developing holistic support

systems for diverse students. Appreciation of both mental and physical health

as factors in student success necessitates the provision of support for

workload-related stress experienced by students in both academic and

extracurricular contexts especially those from marginalized communities.

Our study aims to illuminate the challenges faced by students

overwhelmed with academic workload, hindering their enjoyment of

adolescence and impacting their mental health. Through mixed-methods, we

aim to understand the relationship between academic demands and student

stress, advocating for an approach that prioritizes both academic success and
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well-being. We explore the impacts of coursework and extracurricular

activities on students' physical and mental health, assessing stress effects

and coping mechanisms. Ultimately, our study aims to foster an educational

environment that balances academic excellence and holistic student well-

being.

Statement of the Problem

This research aims to study the impact of Academic Workload on the

Student's Mental Health and overall well-being. Specifically, this research

attempts to provide answers to the following questions:

1. What specific aspects of academic workload within educational

systems contribute to students' mental health challenges, such as

stress, anxiety, and overall well-being?

2. How do high academic standards, including heavy coursework

demands and rigorous grading criteria, affect students'

psychological well-being?

3. What practical strategies and interventions can educational

institutions implement to mitigate the negative impact of academic

workload on students' mental health and promote overall well-

being?

Objectives of the Study

This study will be guided by the following objectives:

1. To determine the specific aspects of academic workload within

educational systems contributing to students' mental health

challenges, such as stress, anxiety, and overall well-being

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2. To determine the high academic standards, including heavy

coursework demands and rigorous grading criteria, affecting

students' psychological well-being.

3. To determine the practical strategies and interventions that

educational institutions can implement to mitigate the negative

impact of academic workload on students' mental health and

promote overall well-being.

Significance of the Study

The following entities who will benefit from this study are students,

teacher, parents, mental health professionals and educational institutions:

For Students. Students can gain from learning more about the

consequences of academic work stress on their mental well-being. By

knowing this information, students can develop better stress management

methods and stay healthier. Furthermore, when aware of these effects,

students might become more likely to ask for support from teachers and

mental health experts, which could result in enhanced school performance

and higher quality of life.

For Teachers and Educators. Understanding how schools impact

students' mental health allows instructors to change their instructional

methods and assignment loads in helpful ways. When teachers foster a

caring atmosphere focused on wellness, they can deepen student

involvement, drive, and accomplishment even more. The learning

experience- should promote balance and self-Care so students can thrive.

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Educators can also more readily recognize signs of strain and swiftly offer

impactful help to any struggling learners. With compassion and flexibility,

schools can form a supportive- community that enriches lives.

For Parents and Guardians. It will be beneficial for parents and

guardians to know the problems that children face because of school

stress. This awareness will help them to give their children mental support,

guidance and resources for managing stress and maintaining a sense of

well-being. By promoting open channels of communication and supporting

school wellness initiatives, they can also support their children's success in

learning and leading productive lives.

For Educational Institutions. For educational organizations, a good

knowledge of how academic workload influences students' psychological

health and well-being is essential. Based on this information, institutions

can develop policies, programs and student support services that would be

focused at reducing stress and promoting the flexibility of learners. By

encouraging student safety alongside learning attainment, institutions can

build a considerate, supportive and inclusive environment for all learners.

For Mental Health Professionals. Assisted by our research findings,

mental health counselors may find it useful when dealing with students

going through stress from an overload of work. By identifying the actual

pressure experienced by these students and their mental health

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implications, professionals can plan appropriate interventions and support

services in a manner that is efficient for learners. Therefore, this will

enhance the learners’ well-being as well as academic performance.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study will focus on the impact of academic workload on

students’ mental health and well-being. The data will be collected in one of

the private institutions in Davao City, specifically from ten (10) participants

- five (5) teachers in Grade 11 and another eight (8) students who were

able to answer the needs analysis (target analysis) for the academic year

2023-2024, who represented the population. This study will only cover

other problems considered part of the existing scope of the study in the

impact of academic workload on students’ mental health and well-being.

We wanted to clarify this relationship, which involves looking at

several factors such as student’s engagements in extra-curricular

activities, homework, exams, coursework and time management skills.

These will include conducting interviews with students from different

sections and teachers whose job entails handling students’ affairs.

Resolving the intricate dynamics that reveal students’ anxiety levels and

cognitive health implications will involve investigating distinct components

of their school workloads like homework, tests, assignments, co-curricular

activities and time organization practices. This would be through a blend of

questionnaires and oral interviews targeting learners taking different

subjects at school plus lecturers who are active in students’ issues.

This study also investigates potential challenges in academic

workload and its outcome by looking at possible age differences or gender

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inequality among participants. Exploring these differences could offer

deeper insights into how academic workload impacts distinct student

cohorts thereby informing personalized preventions to support their mental

health needs. Even though limited by the focus on one private institution

only, this study adds significantly to the evolving literature on the

relationship between academic workload and student mental health. It

acknowledged that creating a balanced educational environment that gives

equal weight to both learning outcomes and student’s well-being is

critically important.

Method Used

This study will use a qualitative research design, which is a

scientific method of collecting nonnumerical data. The meanings,

concepts, definitions, qualities, metaphors, symbols, and descriptions of

things are the focus of this type of research. This research gathers

participants' experiences, perceptions, and behavior. It answers the how’s

and why's instead of how many or how much. It heavily depends on the

interpretations of the researcher, those who were studied, and those who

read the research reports. Our research is an essential approach in

various academic disciplines and professional fields, as it seeks to

understand and interpret the meanings, experiences, and social realities of

people in their natural setting. This focuses on human values, experiences,

and perceptions to illuminate social issues.

For this reason, our research design will be a Phenomenological

Research design that involves researchers and participants collaborating

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to understand students’ mental health and taking actions to bring attention

to the student's experience. The primary aim of phenomenological

research is to gain insight into the experiences and feelings of a specific

student in relation to the phenomenon we are studying. These narratives

are the reality in the students’ eyes. They allow us to draw conclusions

about the phenomenon that may add to or even contradict what we

thought we knew about it from an internal perspective (Parkin, 2017).

Definition of Terms

In order to attain clarity, uniformity, and objectivity in research, the

following terms are operationally defined as these terms will be used in the

paper. It allows for collecting data from several studies and researchers,

giving precise and reliable measurements, and laying the foundation for

empirical research.

Prevalence. The prevalence of constant stress among students

due to academic workload underscores the urgent need to assess its

impact on mental health and overall well-being. Understanding this

widespread occurrence informs the design of interventions and support

systems tailored to alleviate stress and enhance student well-being.

Prominent. The prominent role of high study workload in

contributing to students' stress highlights the necessity for targeted

interventions aimed at reducing stress levels and enhancing students'

capacity to cope effectively. Recognizing this pivotal factor guides efforts

to alleviate stress and promote mental health within educational settings.

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Multifaceted. The multifaceted relationship between academic

stress and students' mental health underscores the complex interplay of

various factors impacting their overall well-being. By examining these

multidimensional dynamics, we gain insights into how academic workload

influences students' psychological health and functioning, informing the

development of comprehensive support strategies.

Exacerbating. The exacerbation of stress due to academic

workload can result in adverse outcomes such as decreased academic

performance and heightened mental health issues. Identifying factors that

amplify stress and developing targeted interventions are essential for

mitigating these negative consequences and promoting student well-being.

Alleviate. Our research aims to identify effective strategies and

interventions to lessen the burden of academic workload on students,

thereby reducing stress and supporting their overall well-being. By

providing students with a supportive learning environment, we seek to

alleviate the pressure they experience both at home and school.

Coping Mechanisms. Understanding students' coping mechanisms

is crucial for developing tailored interventions that empower them to

manage academic stress effectively and support their mental health and

adaptability. By analyzing how students cope with stressful academic

situations, we aim to enhance their resilience and well-being within

educational contexts.

Cohorts Examining variations in workload and mental health

outcomes across different student cohorts allows us to understand how

factors such as age, gender, and academic majors influence their

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experiences. This analysis provides valuable insights into the diverse

needs and challenges faced by students within specific demographic

groups, guiding targeted support efforts.

Nuances. Recognizing the nuances of workload's impact on

students' mental health involves understanding subtle differences and

complexities in how workload influences individuals' well-being. By

acknowledging these nuanced dynamics, we can develop more nuanced

interventions and support strategies tailored to address the diverse needs

of students within educational settings.

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Chapter 2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Review of Related Literature

The impact of academic workload on students' mental health and well-

being has garnered significant attention in recent years and numerous studies

have delved into this multifaceted relationship, aiming to understand the

intricate interplay between academic demands and students' psychological

welfare (Chambers, 2015). Students are always expected to meet deadlines,

regardless of the learning mode, and the amount of work they must complete

is constantly piling up. This brought up the topic of mental workload, which is

defined as the difference between a person's maximum capacity for mental

load in a motivated state and the workload on the burnout demands of a task

(Hart & Staveland, 2022) and also an intervening variable such as attention,

which must be deduced from changes in performance. However, to perform

optimally, one must pay attention to whatever one does. This can be difficult

when severe workload burnout results in compromised performance quality,

and performance declines when mental and physical demands are excessive

(Kantowitz, 2023).

Excessive levels of academic stress can lead to an increased

prevalence of disorders related to psychological and physical problems such

as depression, anxiety, nervousness, and stress, which can in turn affect

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academic outcomes. Students ' mental health, particularly in terms of

academic stress and its impact, has become a serious problem for schools

and policymakers due to the increasing incidence of suicides among students

worldwide (Bowyer, 2016). It is found that academic and exam stress is

positively correlated with parental pressure and the recent global situation.

Since COVID-19 has made online classes suddenly available due to the

pandemic, children who have poor coping skills are therefore more likely to

experience anxiety, depression, and fear of failing their academic courses.

This illustrates the idea that no student should be treated differently from

another. (Whitelock et al., 2015).

During the COVID-19 outbreak, Lederer et al. (2020) cited in the study

of Acheampong (2021), have discovered that High School students in the

United States face increasing housing and food insecurity, financial hardships,

lack of social connectedness and a sense of belonging, uncertainty about the

future, and access issues that impede their academic performance and

wellbeing. The study, however, did not address racial and socioeconomic

status disparities. According to Rwigema (2021), disruptions in learning,

decreased access to education and research facilities, lack of digital skills,

insufficient infrastructure, poor network connectivity, power outages,

inaccessibility, and unavailability have hampered students’ academic

performance in Rwanda during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the study

ignores the class size and mode of course delivery and how they influenced

students’ academic achievement. Furthermore, in accordance to El-Said

(2021) posited that the unplanned and rapid transition from face-to-face to

online learning resulted in a better learning experience than expected.

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Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this research aims to fill

the gaps left by previous studies by looking into how academic workload

affects students’ mental health. According to UNESCO (2020), there has been

a shift from traditional classrooms to remote learning which has led to

increased screen time and decreased social interactions among students.

This study can bring in new knowledge and build on previous findings by

investigating particular impacts of academic workload within such a

framework as this. Whereas earlier studies have focused on the general

connection between academic workload and mental health, our project will

examine how the experience of students may be connected with these

variables.

Stressors related to low-income families or limited resources may add

to school work stress for vulnerable student groups (Cassar et al., 2021). In

summary, this research paper provides information regarding diverse

populations of students by showing how their experiences are shaped by their

economic conditions, environmental surroundings and social networks

towards education. Educational literature has, in recent times, paid a lot of

attention to students’ mental health and well-being concerning their academic

workloads within low-income communities during COVID-19. This is an

important link because academic stressors have been identified as an

important determinant of psychological distress in students (Liu & Lu, 2019).

Consequently, the shift to online learning that came out of nowhere and the

higher uncertainty occasioned by this pandemic made these stressors even

worse thereby exacerbating the mental health challenges experienced by

students primarily those from low-income backgrounds (Smith & Lim, 2020. A
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new study shows how the pandemic has disproportionately affected low-

income students’ mental well-being thereby exposing the intricate interplay

between societal factors of economy and education pressure (Gonzalez et al.,

2021).

To go deeper into the subject at hand, it is of essence to give a clear

explanation of the technical terms involved in the research. For example,

academic workload is not just about the number of tasks given but also

includes the perceived difficulty and time pressure associated with them. Also,

some other important concepts such as mental load, burnout and coping

mechanisms are crucial in understanding how academic workload affects

students’ mental health. Mental load is the cognitive effort required to

complete a task, while burnout is characterized by exhaustion and

disengagement resulting from prolonged exposure to stressors (Hart &

Staveland, 2022). Moreover, investigating how students handle stress through

time management skills, seeking social support or relaxation techniques gives

valuable information on how they mitigate these negative effects on their well-

being caused by academic workload.

Through an analysis of the previous research studies, scholars aim to

expand the current knowledge, either by confirming already established

findings or challenging them with new evidence. For instance, recent studies

have shown that academic workload has a disproportionate effect on students

from marginalized communities. This brings to light the need for personalized

interventions for these students (Smith & Lim, 2020). Also, this issue has

become more complex due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where there was an

abrupt transition to online learning that resulted in more stressors for students
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and highlights the importance of further research in this area (Aucejo et al.,

2020). Using critically examining and synthesizing these studies researchers

hope to add something to effective strategies and interventions that can be

used to improve student’s mental health and well-being while studying under

pressure.

These learners also suffer other problems such as limited access to e-

learning tools or the absence of home-based supportive learning

environments leading to increased academic strain (Brown & Jones, 2020).

This underscores the necessity for personalizing tailoring interventions to suit

the particular requirements of low-income students, to provide ground for

rationalized approaches to future studies in this domain. In conclusion, data

collected showed that academic stress had a huge impact on student’s mental

health and well-being especially in disadvantaged communities during the

COVID-19 pandemic which justifies why this study is important. This involves

understanding different experiences that students have and identifying

important areas where intervention is necessary. Therefore, more research

needs to be conducted to come up with effective ways of lessening the

negative effects of academic pressure on their mental health especially now

when times call for it like the COVID-19 outbreak (pandemic). All these

activities are aimed at not only improving students’ educational performance

but also ensuring that they can withstand difficulties that will emerge later on

(Zhao et al., 2022).).

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Theory Base

This study anchors the Theory of Academic Performance (ToP)

emanates from Elger (2007) who defined ‘perform’ as an ability to produce a

valued result and ‘performer’ as an individual or a group that engages in

collaboration while the level of performance as the point in an academic

journey. According to Elger (2007), there are six components of performance

levels, and they are: level of knowledge, levels of skills, level of identity,

personal factors, and fixed factors and proposed three axioms for effective

performance as a performer’s mindset, immersion in an enriching

environment, and engagement in reflective practice.

This type of learning will promote rapid success and create knowledge

that impacts society. By applying the learning outcomes theory to the

outcomes of private universities, practitioners will need to stabilize students at

the top and motivate students to support them in making significant progress.

Implementers can set challenging goals for students at the beginning of the

semester and allow for failure on assessment criteria to promote high

performance. This intervention must be a gradual process.

According to Wiske's (1998) theory, as cited in the study of Bologun

and Olaleye (2017), academic performance represents learning to

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understand. Higher learning outcomes increase the quality of learning. This

process creates an environment where performance exceeds the

expectations of those in the university community. Costs will also decrease;

meaning that the financial resources involved in producing the desired

outcome will be reduced. Higher academic achievement will also enhance

abilities, knowledge, skills and motivation. This development bodes well for

the university's publicity and acceptance. Students can achieve excellent

academic results in a university environment.

This suggestion was made by different students. Real-life

achievements happen in everyday practice in academia. At the beginning of

the semester, teachers and administrators took turns encouraging students to

pursue their dreams to graduate with excellent results at the end of their

studies. Because performance is a vision shared by the entire academic

community, performance theory is applicable in many learning contexts.

Performance theory challenges educators to improve their performance by

empowering them to help others learn effectively and grow.

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Conceptual Framework

Based on the literature and studies reviewed, this study adopted the

following dimensions of the academic stress scale as depicted in Figure 1.

The dependent variable is Academic Stress with the indicators: Personal

Inadequacy, Fear of Failure, Interpersonal Difficulties with Teachers,

Academic Workload and Inadequate Learning Resources. Despite the early

stage in implementing the blended learning modality, there is still a need for a

systematic investigation and theorizing of the prominent factors that will serve

as the basis for intervention program or policy enhancement that the

institution will implement at times Covid-19 Pandemic.

These dimensions need refinement that is centered on how students

correspond to the situation. Various researchers identified sex, year level,

students’ mental and well-being and course as the most influential variables

influencing academic stress as the mode of delivery shifted from face-to-face

to blended learning. Moreover, monthly family income based on the

classification of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and the

internet allowance per week will identify socio-economic-related factors that

will support the investigation of this study. However, the researcher analyzed

only sex, year level, course, students’ mental health and well-being and the
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number of hours spent in modular learning per day for comparative analysis in

this study.

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram of the Study

Research Assumption

In our study on the impact of academic workload on students' mental

health and well-being, we posit that there exists a significant correlation

between the intensity of academic demands and the mental health outcomes

experienced by students. By engaging with respondents, we anticipate

gaining firsthand perspectives on how students perceive the effectiveness of

different learning styles in managing their academic workload and overall

performance. Furthermore, we expect to gather valid and reliable data from

participants, allowing us to analyze the correlations between academic

workload, stress levels, and mental health outcomes. It is anticipated that

students would experience raised levels of stress, anxiety, and emotional

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tiredness as a result of heavier academic responsibilities, which are defined

by more coursework, assignments, and examination pressure.

Furthermore, we speculate that the current COVID-19 pandemic has

complicated this relationship even more, making many kids feel even more

alone, insecure, and under pressure to perform well academically as a result

of the abrupt switch to remote learning. Furthermore, we anticipate that

students from historically marginalized communities or those with low incomes

may be more vulnerable because of differences in their access to resources,

support networks, and other services. We project that the difference in

resource accessibility, support systems and technology infrastructure may

place at risk some marginalized students - e.g. those from low-income

families or historically underprivileged communities. Our research is to verify

these assumptions by looking at how a number of variables - learning

environments, socioeconomic status, and amount of academic work involved-

intersect to determine mental health outcomes of students during this difficult

period. By making these relationships clear, we are looking for help in creating

focused interventions and safety nets which would decrease the negative

effects of academic pressures on the students' well-being and promote a

more friendly and motivating environment for all.

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Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

Sources of Data

There are a total of five (5) first-year College students who were able to

enroll in Purposive Communication from the selected institution participating

in the study. The five (5) participants will be selected based on the following

criteria: (1) earned the subject purposive communication; (2) has experienced

participating and answering modules during a pandemic; (3) has successfully

completed a school year in the new normal system; (4) can undergo one-on-

one actual in-depth interview and focus group discussion.

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Data Gathering Instrument

According to Maxwell (2008), interviews are used in all qualitative research

types to collect some or all of the data. An interview can be viewed as a

conversation with a specific objective. Interviews are necessary when people

cannot be observed to determine how they act, feel, or perceive the world.

The primary data collection tool for the research study will be semistructured

interviews and focus group discussions via call and video conference. Both

methods are vital in achieving the study's objectives.

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Sampling Technique (SAMPLE)

This study will use non-probability sampling; more precisely, purposive

sampling. It is a sampling design that is focused on the researcher's judgment

of who will provide the best information to accomplish the case study's

objectives (Etikan & Bala, 2017). The researcher must concentrate of who

had the same view to obtain the necessary information and be able to share

it.

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Procedure of the Study

First, the researcher will ask permission through written communication

to the local college research director to conduct a study relating to the specific

field of the researcher.

Afterward, the researcher will construct interview guide questions as

supported by the chosen theory and link them to the general research

questions. It will be submitted for face and content validation by experts; the

dry run will follow. After that, the researcher will revise the questions based on

the validations’ corrections.

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Next, a letter of permission was secured from the researcher’s adviser

and research director of Makilala Institute of Science and Technology (MIST)

before proceeding in administering the interview from the chosen participants.

To secure the confidentiality and agreement between the researcher and the

participants, the participants were made to acknowledge the informed

consent.

Lastly, the researcher interpreted the data gathered using a thematic

analysis, which was used set as a guide for interpretation.

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Data Analysis

Thematic analysis will be used to analyze the interview transcriptions

gathered from semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to

recognize and code the emergent trends related to the alternative pedagogies

used in modular distance learning to develop the Grade 7 students’ writing

skills. The analysis will be carefully analyzed using the model of

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.
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Ethical Considerations

The researcher guarantees that ethical considerations will take

precedence over all other factors in this study. According to Gajjar (2013),

emphasizing ethical considerations in the study advances the research

objectives of information, fact, and avoidance of error. Ethics have become

increasingly important as a result of society's demand for greater

accountability, and in addition to the importance of selecting an appropriate

research methodology, the importance of ethical considerations surrounding

conducting the research cannot be overstated (Gajjar, 2013).

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Trustworthiness of the Study

The researcher will observe and practice rigorously throughout the

conduct of the study to minimize, if not avoid, possible bias or distortion of the

result. Trustworthiness of the study consists of the following factors:

credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability.

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