Journal of Critical Reviews

ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 12, 2020

SOURCE OF STRESS AND COPE UP MECHANISM OF COLLEGE STUDENTS DURING THE

LOCKDOWN AND EXTREME COMMUNITY QUARANTINE DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
1Ma Jasmine J. De Guzman, 2Cherish Kay L. Pastor, 3Karen Lea A. Estira, 4Randy Joy M. Ventayen,
5Cliff Ervin V. David

Chair, Business Administration Department Pangasinan State University, Lingayen Campus

1

[email protected]
2Core Faculty, Business Administration Department Pangasinan State University, Lingayen Campus

[email protected]
3Core Faculty, Business Administration Department Pangasinan State University, Lingayen Campus

[email protected]
4Dean, College of Business and Public Administration Pangasinan State University, Lingayen Campus

[email protected]
5Core Faculty, Business Administration Department Pangasinan State University, Lingayen Campus

[email protected]

Received: 17.03.2020 Revised: 19.04.2020 Accepted: 20.05.2020

Abstract
This qualitative study is an eye-opener for everyone that we should not overlook teenagers, such as students in helping them to avoid
psychological disturbances. It is expected that emotions continue to run high as the number of COVID-19 cases steadily increases in the
Philippines, with the people of Luzon divided in terms of their response towards the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) measures.
Researches suggest to focus on students so that we can save lives by avoiding too much stress that leads to depression if we listen to the
voice of our students and assure them that an experienced individual provides genuine help and love. This paper tackles about the source
of stress, the cope up mechanism and a recommendation.

Keywords: qualitative study, enhanced community quarantine

© 2020 by Advance Scientific Research. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.12.145

INTRODUCTION aired that the practice of attending classes was realized as an

Coronavirus, which is known as COVID-19, was disrupting essential activity from them. One of the worst cases was a
operations around the world (Heymann & Shindo, 2020; Velavan situation of one student where he was stranded in the institution’s
& Meyer, 2020). It threatens most of the citizens to experience a town far away from his home, and he said that being alone and
challenge that can only be experienced once in a lifetime. Students away from family is a big challenge since isolation and loneliness
from one institution in the Philippines were asked how they feel exist as other families from other countries like China and Italy
about the current situation. Luzon in the Philippines imposes an experiences (Li et al., 2020; Pancani et al., 2020). Despite there are
extreme community quarantine all over the area that creates willing to provide support to the stranded student, situations will
considerable adjustments to the constituents of the country. Most not allow due to complete lockdown due to the presence of a
of the students, together with their families, are not prepared for confirmed COVID-19 case in the barangay.
the situation, and it is an eye-opener government to generate
global preparedness for future pandemics (Jacobsen, 2020). The primary cause of stress is due to financial instability, where
most families of the students believe that Peoples might die of
Community quarantine or so-called lockdown, which was hunger and not with the virus (Reynaldo Paulin, 2020). In the
imposed in different areas around the world, was not expected, Philippines, which is classified as a low middle-income country
and unready citizens face huge adjustments. Initially, a close (Briones et al., 2017), the majority of the respondent’s household
group of students with almost a thousand population was asked income becomes unstable and low, and this is due to changes in
on their readiness on the synchronous and asynchronous mode of the working environment. Many operations of the business have
instructional delivery (De Guzman & Pastor, 2020), while the been disrupted that direct cause stress to the students and cause
topic is about the current situation in education, students aired depression to the family due to a lack of financial stability (de
their family’s situation that causes them to encounter a situation Walque et al., 2020).
such as stress and depression. The students were also asking how
they cope with stress and depression in the current situation. Relationship issues have also affected to stress and depression.
College students who are still in the age range of 18 to 21 years
While the expected answers of students are about problems old experience issues about lack of trust from their special
encountered regarding studies (C. K. Pastor, 2020), students also someone due to no physical interaction. Several conflicts in the
raised other personal problems that cause them stressful and families were also raised as one of the major problems that could
depressing situations. Students and mentors believed that there lead to a stressful situation and depression. Some students frankly
is a psychological impact, anxiety, depression, and stress that admitted that they are currently encountering depressing
could lead to the worst situation (Wang et al., 2020). moments that could lead to a tragic situation. While most of the
family members are at home, it is expected that communication
Source of Stress and conflicts among family members arise, personal differences
Despite being online on a social media platform, most of them are and stress of other members of the family might also trigger
stressed about problems caused by community quarantine. Some depression of other members of the household.
students informed us that stressful situations experienced due to
being idle in terms of educational work and socialization. It was

Journal of critical reviews 824

 SOURCE OF STRESS AND COPE UP MECHANISM OF COLLEGE STUDENTS DURING THE LOCKDOWN AND EXTREME
COMMUNITY QUARANTINE DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Students also feel anxious about what will happen in the future. if we listen to the voice of our students and assure them that an
The trend in education that is an online education and blended experienced individual provides genuine help and love.
education gives them stress that may not be able to finish their
studies. Some graduating students also air their concerns about Acknowledgement
finding a job to help their family be hard due to new situations. The authors would like to thank the students and faculty members
of the College of Business and Public Administration at
Another concern of the students, together with their families, is Pangasinan State University, Lingayen Campus.
the lack of support from the Government and witnessing the
improper and unjust use of government funds, particularly the
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