Stress, Coping Strategies, and Academic Performance of ...

1 AUP Research Journal | ISSN 1655-5619 36. Stress, Coping Strategies, and Academic Performance of Dentistry Students Doreen Leigh Bello, Mylene Gumarao Abstract T. he purpose of the study was to determine dentistry students' stress level and Coping mechanisms and their relationship to Academic Performance . The study used descriptive-correlational design and purposive sampling technique. The respondents were 120 Dental Proper students from Adventist University of the Philippines; 75 (63%) of which are female and 45 (37%) are males. Adapted survey questionnaires that measure the stress variable by Gumarao (2011) and COPE.

2 Questionnaire by De Leon (2013) for the Coping strategies were used. The Academic Performance was measured by determining the overall GPA of the respondents. The questionnaires were distributed and retrieved. The data were encoded, treated, and analyzed by the statistician. The results show that the respondents have average stress level. Most of the respondents experienced high physical stress, moderately high behavioral stress, and average emotional stress in general. Among the Coping strategies, emotion-focused Coping and problem-focused Coping were often exhibited by the respondents while avoidant Coping was rarely exhibited.

3 In general, the respondents used Coping strategies in an average level. The overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of the respondents was good. There is no significant relationship between stress and Academic Performance but there is a significant negative relationship between avoidant Coping strategy used and Academic Performance implying that the more avoidant Coping strategy is used, the lower is the Academic Performance of the respondents. Keywords: stress, Academic Performance , Coping strategies Students' Academic Performance plays an import- factors like extracurricular activities, family prob- ant role in producing the best quality graduates lems, financial problems, social problems, and who will become great leaders and manpower for other factors.

4 According to Mushtaq and Khan the country and be responsible for the country's (2012), students' Performance depends on many economic and social development. Even the social factors such as learning facilities, gender , age and economic development of the country is di- differences, etc. that can affect student perfor- rectly linked with student Academic Performance . mance. Being a student is a challenge to perform at full In comparison, in the study of Kibuuka potential to be able to have the best grades. Col- (2011) in the Adventist University of the Philip- lege transcript of records that reflects Academic pines, stress levels of students and each of the Performance is most valued when applying for a dentistry students are different.

5 The previous job. Therefore, having good Academic standing is study showed that those who are in the high- essential for satisfying the employer. er level of learning experienced bigger amount Academic Performance is dependent on of stress and poorer Academic Performance as multiple factors whether internal, such as class shown in their GPA. schedules, learning facilities, complexity of sub- In the survey of college students, one jects, technology used, and systems or external greatest obstacle to college students' Academic July 2016 | Vol. 19 No.

6 2. 37 Stress, Coping Stategies, and Academic Performance of Dentistry Student Performance was Academic stress which had re- which may lead to the lowering of student's GPA. sulted in an incomplete grade, a dropped course, Management of stress levels by achieving emo- or a lower grade. Stress can be the ultimate ca- tional state of equilibrium and right way of Coping reer stopper. with stress becomes important as students aspire Some of the signs of stress, according to to become professional dentists in the near fu- Gumarao and Fabella (2011), are as follows: phys- ture.

7 Ical stress whose signs include muscle tension, myalgias, neck pain, cold/sweaty hands, facial Research Objective tics, fatigue, tension headaches, indigestion, high This research aimed to determine the ex- blood pressure, ulcers, heart palpitations, back or tent undergraduate dental students experience joint pain; emotional stress manifested by anx- stress throughout their studies, identify their iety, fear, irritability, hopelessness, helplessness, Coping strategies, and discover how it affects impatience, depression, nervousness, and guilt; their Academic Performance .

8 And behavioral stress whose signs are change in appetite, sleep disturbance, forgetfulness, an- METHODS. gry outbursts, aggression, decline in productiv- The study used descriptive-correlation ity, social withdrawal, change in sexual interest, design to determine the correlation between increased use of caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, or stress and the Coping strategies applied to the ac- drugs, indecisiveness and loss of concentration. ademic Performance of dentistry students. The Students describe stress as a phenome- study utilized a purposive sampling technique.

9 Non accepted as a norm among dentistry students, The respondents were 120 Dental Proper stu- seen as an indicator of hard work and efficiency dents from the College of Dentistry (COD) of the (Zajacova, Lynch, & Espenshade, 2005). The stu- Adventist University of the Philippines, 75 (63%). dents' stress levels are described as increasing as of whom are female and 45 (37%) are male. students progress through their degree, accord- Adapted survey questionnaires that mea- ing to Zajacoya et al. (2005). The same authors sure the stress variable by Gumarao (2010), and identified six categories of potential stressors of COPE questionnaire by De Leon (2013) for the dental students: Academic Performance , faculty Coping strategies were used as instruments to relations, patient and clinic responsibilities, per- gather the data.

10 The Academic Performance was sonal life issues, professional identity, and finan- measured through the determination of overall cial obligations. They also said that high levels GPA by getting the names of the respondents and of stress and burnout have been documented matching the designated overall GPA for each stu- among dental and medical students and stress dent. The questionnaires were distributed and af- has generally been found to have a negative influ- ter the data were retrieved, they were encoded, ence on their Academic Performance . treated, and analyzed by the statistician.