Examining the Impact of Family Structure on Stress Levels among Students: A Quantitative Analysis
Main Article Content
Abstract
In recent years, researchers have shown an increasing interest in investigating the relationship between family structure and its potential impact on the stress levels and academic performance of students. This descriptive study aims to determine the impact of family structure on stress levels among the 173 students from the College of Education at STI West Negros University using a stratified random sampling technique. The data were analyzed using statistical tools such as frequency count, percentage distribution, mean, and the Mann Whitney U test. Findings revealed that the level of stress related to family structure and academic stress suggests a need for comprehensive support mechanisms that consider the diverse experiences of students within the family context and the various stressors they face in their academic journey. Furthermore, the difference analysis showed that age, sex, and specialization did not emerge as significant differentiators of stress levels among 2nd-year education students in terms of family structure or academic stress. While overall satisfaction with family structure, emotional support, and material provision positively contributes to students' well-being and academic success, areas such as open communication and conflict resolution present opportunities for targeted interventions. Thus, the researchers recommend that educational institutions implement family-oriented support programs, develop targeted interventions, implement holistic support initiatives, develop specialized interventions, and make ongoing efforts to refine and expand support mechanisms.
Article Details
Section
How to Cite
References
Afifi, T. D., & Guerrero, L. K. (2015). Close encounters: Communication in relationships. In M. L. Knapp & J. A. Daly (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Interpersonal Communication (4th ed., pp. 287–314). Sage Publications.
Afifi, T. D., & Olson, L. N. (2015). The chilling effect in families and the pressure to conceal secrets. Communication Monographs, 82(1), 51–74. doi:10.1080/03637751.2014.969723
Amato, P. R. (2014). The impact of family formation change on the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of the next generation. The Future of Children, 15-42. doi:10.2307/1602666
Brown, L. K., & Davis, R. E. (2016). "The Impact of Family Communication on Emotional Well-being in Adolescents." Journal of Family Psychology, 30(4), 492-501.
Bowen, M. & Barbara G. A “ Family Systems Theory of Human Behavior”.
Chen, Y., Li, J., & Zhao, L. (2021). Family structure, socioeconomic status, and mental health among adolescents in China. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(6), 1019-1031. [DOI: 10.1007/s10834-020-09927-w]
Choi, J. Y., & Jao, Y. Y. (2018). Family structure and adolescent stress: Examining the moderating role of cultural capital and social support in an East Asian context. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(11), 2421-2433.
Dundar, H., & Lewis, D. R. (1998). Determinants of faculty departures from higher education: An exploratory analysis by gender. The Journal of Higher Education, 69(6), 669–700. doi:10.1080/00221546.1998.11780803
El Ansari, W., Oskrochi, R., & Haghgoo, G. (2013). Are students’ symptoms and health complaints associated with perceived stress at university? Perspectives from the United Kingdom and Egypt. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10(12), 5199–5212. doi:10.3390/ijerph10105199
Fletcher, A. C., & Fagot, B. I. (2015). The nature and stability of adolescent depressive symptoms, parental warmth, and parental conflict: A longitudinal study. Child Development, 86(5), 1305-1317.
Gilbertson, S. & Graves, B. A. (2018). The System as a Whole rather than as individual elements. Family members interconnect.
Hardie, J. H., Landale, N. S., Oropesa, R. S., & Hillemeier, M. M. (2018). The integration of im/migrant status and family structures: A demographic examination of children of immigrants. Demography, 55(6), 2293–2319. doi:10.1007/s13524-018-0712-y
Huang, L. (2017). Financial Stress, Academic Performance, and University Drop Out: A Mediation Analysis. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 41(5), 665–686. doi:10.1080/0309877X.2016.1149571
Jaffee, S. R., Gibbons, R. D., & Thompson, L. A. (2019). Family structure, parental conflict, and academic stress in college students. College Quarterly, 18(2), 17-26. [DOI: 10.1525/cdq.2019.18.2.17]
Jones, M. B., et al. (2019). "Financial Stability and Its Impact on Student Stress Levels: An Empirical Analysis." Journal of Student Well-being, 25(2), 215-228.
Kim, E. S. (2016). "Intersectionality and Financial Support: An Overlooked Perspective." Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 9(4), 387-402.
Levecque, K., Anseel, F., De Beuckelaer, A., Van der Heyden, J., & Gisle, L. (2017). Work organization and mental health problems in PhD students. Research Policy, 46(4), 868–879. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2017.02.008
Liu, H., Brown, S. L., & Hammersmith, A. M. (2014). Relationship conflict, emotion, and health: An analysis of older couples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 31(3), 372–392. doi:10.1177/0265407513497231
Liu, Y., & Chen, X. (2020). Mediating role of coping strategies in the relationship between family structure and academic stress among adolescents. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(11), 2008-2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10826-020-01608-1]
Lichter et.al., (2016). “Students may develop coping mechanisms to navigate various family dynamics”.
McCombes (2019). “Descriptive research design aims to accurately and systematically describe a population, situation, or phenomenon”.
Matud, M. P. (2004). Gender differences in stress and coping styles. Personality and Individual Differences, 37(7), 1401–1415. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2004.01.010
McNeely & Wu (2017). “Social support systems also play significant roles”.
O'Connor, R. C., Pirkis, J., & Cox, G. R. (2020). The International Handbook of Suicide Prevention (2nd ed.). Wiley.
Pinquart, M., & Sörensen, S. (2011). Influences of socioeconomic status, social network, and competence on subjective well-being in later life: A meta-analysis. Psychology and Aging, 26(1), 187–199. doi:10.1037/a0021890
Reczek, C., Pudrovska, T., Carr, D., Cornwell, B., & Thomeer, M. B. (2018). Making sense of ambiguous ties: Older adults' descriptions of social network members. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 73(3), 419–429. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbw082
Riggio & Delongis (2017). “Significant link between family structure and academic performance”.
Silverstein, M., Gans, D., & Yang, F. M. (2019). Intergenerational support and life satisfaction of young-old and old-old in Hong Kong. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 88(3), 271–297. doi:10.1177/0091415018757840
Smith, J. A. (2018). "The Role of Family Structure in Academic Achievement: A Comprehensive Review." Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(3), 489-501.
Soderberg, E., Gustavsson, P., & Runeson, B. (2022). Does family cohesion moderate the association between family structure and emotional distress in adolescents? Journal of Family Psychology, 36(2), 239-251. [DOI: 10.1037/fam0001638]
Sroufe, L. A., Kessler, R. C., & Egeland, B. (2017). The relationship between family structure and adolescent adjustment: A developmental perspective. In J. T. Barefoot & T. L. Neuberg (Eds.), Stress and the developing child (pp. 221-248). The Guilford Press.
Sun & Sun (2019). “Higher stress in girls from single-parent families”.
Wang, L., & Chang, Y. (2018). "Technology-Mediated Family Communication: A Comprehensive Review." Journal of Communication, 68(3), 415-432.
Williams, A. B., & Smith, D. R. (2016). "Longitudinal Analysis of Financial Stability and Student Stress: A Prospective Study." Journal of Educational Research, 40(2), 215-230.