NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE AND LOW ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF NURSING STUDENTS OF CALAMBA DOCTORS’ COLLEGE

In Partial fulfillment

Of the requirement in Nursing Research

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Dela Cruz, Alyssa Jean D.

Mirano, Joana Marie G.

Par, Divine Grace S.

Orbiso, Tristam James Michael

Tubillo, Ma. Teresa R.

Parian, Calamba City, Laguna

March 2011

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

As career competition grows rapidly vicious in the working world, the importance

of being able to do well in school provide one greater opportunity in ones chosen career

in the future. Being a college student has many obstacles to overcome in order to

achieve their optimal academic performance. It takes a lot more than just studying to

achieve a successful college career. Different social factors may affect students

academic performance, one of this is influence of peers. Peers as defined are the

people whom do you identify and spend most of the time. In children and teens, they

are usually, but not always, of the same group. In adults, peers may be determined less

by age and more of by shared interests or profession. Peer pressure occurs when an

individual experiences implied or expressed persuasion to adopt similar values, beliefs,

and goals in order to participate actively as those in the peer group.

Involving in a peer group may result either positively or negatively. Peer pressure

by itself is ca either be positive or negative, for example, both high and low academic

achievements are closely linked to peer influences. Several studies confirm research

findings that value of the peer group with whom the students spends most time and a

stronger factor in students level of academic success than the values, attitudes, and

support provided by the family compared to others who started with the same grades,

students whose families were not especially supportive, but who spent time with an

academically oriented peer group go better grades. Those students whose families

stressed academics but who spent time with peers and whose orientation was not

toward academic excellence performed less well.

In study, after study, peer pressure is associated in adolescents of all ethnic and

racial backgrounds with at risk behaviors such as cigarette smoking, truancy, drug use,

social activity, fighting, and shop lifting and daredevil stunts. Again, peer group values

and attitudes influence more strongly than do family values the level of teenagers’

alcohol use. The more accepting peers are of risky behavior and the more they

participate in that behavior, the more likely a person is to do the same thing.

Regardless of parenting style, peer pressures also influence the degree to which

children conform to expected gender roles. For example, up until about grade six girls’

performance as well in science and math as boys but during adolescence girls test

scores and level of expressed interest in there subject declines. The tendency is to

abandon competition with boys favor or placing more emphasis on relation and on

physical appearance.

Physical appearance is extremely important to teenagers. Young people are all

too well aware that the group may reject them simply because they work different or

dress different. Jeff who wanted to have the “perfect” male body is no more immune to

peer pressure than a girl who develops anorexia or other eating disorders in an effort to

have the “perfect” female body.

Peer pressure can either be expressed or implied. In expressed peer pressure a

boy may be challenged by the group to “prove your manhood” by having sex or

performing a risky stunt such as riding roof. Girls may be told that if they want to be part

of a group they must do something illegal such as shoplift.

Studies show that both girls and boys are inclined to take risk that they do not

want to take because they believe the risky behavior will increase their standing in the

ego of their peers and assure their acceptance in the group.

Implied peer pressure is more subtle and can be harder to combat. For example,

a group of girls may make fun of the way another girl is dressed, pressuring members of

their group to dress only in one acceptable style often young people who look, dress,

act differently who have significant interests that differ from those of their age group

become outcasts because of the pressure groups place on their members not to

associate with anyone unlike themselves. This can lead the reject person to feel

desperate and depressed.

Peer groups have so much influence especially with adolescents, because no

matters inappropriate it seems to adults, belonging to a group really does give

something significant to the young person. Peer groups provide a place where an

individual feels accepted, themselves, and where their self-esteem is enhanced. Some

psychologists who point but that life become simpler when we conform to expectations.

Young people with same problem and on the same situations as themselves and where

they feel they will be understood and accepted. There is a very strong need to satisfy

that thirst for unity and for acceptance the feeling of belonging is a very powerful force

that can outweigh ties to church, school, family and community.

However, peer pressure effect depends on the group you belong. There are

many risks, as mentioned above, especially when your friends results to negative peer

pressure. With these vices from negative peer pressure, it deprives the concentration

and motivation of an individual to excel in his academic performance in school. Peer

pressure is very powerful because of everyday accompaniment with your friends; you

will be able to cope and adopt their habits either bad or good, only to have the essence

of “belongingness”. Dependency to your peers gives a great impact of their influence,

especially when your parents are away or out of town. Great supervision must be given

in choosing who to be friends of.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study sought to examine the relationship between negative peer pressure

and low academic performance of nursing students of Calamba Doctors’ College.

Specifically this study is seeking to answer the ff:

1. What is the socio-demographic characteristics of student-respondents in

terms of:

1.1Age,

1.2Gender, and

1.3Year level?

2. What is the level of significance of the negative peer pressure and academic

performance of nursing students in terms of:

2.1. Truancy

2.2. Vices

2.2.1. Alcoholism

2.2.2. Techi-gadgets addiction

3. Is there a significant relationship between the socio-demographic

characteristics of the student-respondents and their level of academic

performance?

4. Did the independent variables significantly influence students’ academic

performance?

HYPOTHESIS

There is no significant relationship between the negative peer pressure and the

academic performance of the nursing students.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

The study determines the negative peer pressure and academic performance of

nursing students of Calamba Doctors’ College.

The scope of the study are the incoming nursing student of all year levels who

will enroll in Calamba Doctors’ College for the first semester of school year 2011-2012.

The study will use the grade-point average (GPA) of all the subjects of the students in

theoretical and clinical area and the utilization of the survey questionnaire on negative

peer pressure effect. The students were also requested to answer the a survey-type

questionnaire on the possible measures on how to improve the level of academic

performance of the students.

The limitations of this research are only the students who will have a regular

subject load for a given semester. The study will also be limited only on the participation

of undergraduate nursing students.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will determine the relationship of negative peer pressure and

academic performance of nursing students of Calamba Doctors’ College. The following

sectors of the society will be benefited by the result of this study:

Trustees, Administrators and Foundation of CDC. Anything that benefits the

students and the teachers of this college eventually benefits the institution itself. Aside

from enhancing the learning environment within the institution, the increased quality of

its graduates would benefit the institution.

The Faculty. The result of the study may objectively get into their awareness in

catering the need of the students and exhaust all efforts for the betterment of the whole

institution in meeting quality education for the young.

College students of CDC. The result of the assessment on the level of academic

performance of the college students will lead the academic department to enhance and

give more focused instruction that would eventually benefit the students.

The Researcher. The result of this study will help the Researchers identify the

probable solutions to current problems to improve the acquisition of academic

performance of students. Furthermore, this study will also help the researchers to be

cognizant of the negative peer pressure effects.

The Future Researchers. In this light additional data will be opened to other studies

and therefore shed a bit of concern on the problems usually encountered by the nursing

students especially on the level of their academic performance in school.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

We are going to adopt two theoretical framework which are Bandura’s Social

Cognitive theory and Erikson’s psychosocial development; identity vs. role confusion.

Social Cognitive theory of Bandura

There are general principles of Social Cognitive theory; First, People can learn by observing the behavior is of others and the outcomes of those behaviors. Second, Learning can occur without a change in behavior. Behaviorists say that learning has to be represented by a permanent change in behavior, in contrast social learning theorists say that because people can learn through observation alone, their learning may not necessarily be shown in their performance. Learning may or may not result in a behavior change. Third, Cognition plays a role in learning. Over the last 30 years social learning theory has become increasingly cognitive in its interpretation of human learning. Awareness and expectations of future reinforcements or punishments can have a major effect on the behaviors that people exhibit. Fourth, Social learning theory can be considered a bridge or a transition between behaviorist learning theories and cognitive learning theories.

Self-efficacy is a model of motivation which focuses on the role of perceptions in social and cognitive development. This includes ideas of optimistic beliefs about one’s own ability to handle variety of stressors. This determines how peoples think, feel, behave, and are motivated.

Locus of control is understood as an important aspect of personality development. (Covington, 2000). Within this construct, control originates from either an internal or external position. Julian Rotter believed that in order to understand human behavior, both individual and the environment must be considered and examined.

Erikson’s psychosocial development

Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescents, 12 to 19 years)

This theory tries in integrating many roles (child, sibling, student, athlete,worker) into a self-image under role model and peer pressure. As they make the transition from childhood to adulthood, adolescents ponder the roles they will play in the adult

world. Initially, they are apt to experience some role confusion- mixed ideas and feelings about the specific ways in which they will fit into society- and may experiment with a variety of behaviors and activities (e.g. tinkering with cars, baby-sitting for neighbors, affiliating with certain political or religious groups). Eventually, Erikson proposed, most adolescents achieve a sense of identity regarding who they are and where their lives are headed. The adolescent is newly concerned with how they appear to others. Ego identity is the accrued confidence that the inner sameness and continuity prepared in the past are matched by the sameness and continuity of one's meaning for others, as evidenced in the promise of a career.The inability to settle on a school or occupational identity is disturbing.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

CONCETUAL PARADIGM

DEFINITION OF TERMS

For understanding the study better, the terms used by the researcher were operationally

defined as enumerated below. This is expected to enlighten and make this study

comprehensible to the readers.

DEFINITION OF TERMS.

Alcoholism- this refers to the excessive use of alcohol that may deteriorate student’s

learning.

Low Academic performance – this refers to the decreased engagement of a student in

classes that may result to low grades

INPUT

Negative peer pressure Truancy Vices Alcoholism Techi-

gadget addiction

PROCESS

Administration of the adopted

questionnaire to the respondents and

conduct a survey on the possible measures to improve the academic

performance of the nursing students.

OUTPUT

1. Assessed level of academic performance of respondents in terms of their:

GPA Result of

questionnaire

2. Action plan to improve the academic performance of nursing students.

Negative peer pressure- this refers to the bad consequences to academic

performance due to accompaniment with peers.

Peer- this refers to a group of people whom you identify and spend most of the time in

school.

Peer pressure- this refers to individual’s experiences implied or expressed persuasion

to adopt similar values, beliefs, and goals in order to participate actively as those

in peer group.

Techi-gadget addiction- this refers to the usage of technologies like PSP, laptop, cell

phones, IPods, etc... during class hours.

Truancy- this refers to the circumstances that student does not anymore attend

classes.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter explains the research design used in the study, the respondents

and location of the study, the instrumentation used in data gathering to include its

validation, data gathering procedure, and the statistical treatment that applied to the

hypothesis raised in this study.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This study will utilize descriptive research method. Descriptive method of

research is intended to give more information about a particular characteristic within a

particular field of study. The purpose of which was used to identify problems with

current practice, justify current practice, make judgments, or identify what others in

similar situations maybe responding or doing.

A descriptive correlation design is a form of a descriptive research study that

examines relationships among the variables. According to Burns & Grove (2007), this

study facilitates the identification of many interrelationships in a situation without testing

the cause-and-effect relationship. Vizcarra (2003) stated that the major purpose of the

study is to compare two important variables and understand the relationship among

each variable.

RESEARCH LOCALE

The study will be conducted at Calamba Doctors’ College, Parian, Calamba City.

The school was established in 2002 through a vision of community service which aimed

to cater the needs of students who were about to enter their tertiary education. Depicted

as proudly positioned along with Calamba Doctors’ Hospital, the school is nearby the

national highway at Barangay Parian, Calamba City, thus made it very accessible and

very convenient for students in terms of transportation. It was granted by the

Commission on Higher Education through Government Recognition No. 094, Series of

2005, allowing it to offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing. However, upon the operation

of the institution it was not only the Calambeños who benefited but also the neighboring

towns and far places.

INSTRUMENTATION

An adopted survey-type questionnaire will be used in collecting data. The

questionnaire maybe defined as a specific type of measuring tool whose general

characteristics is that, it forces responses from the students and the responses are

considered to be indicative of the students’ skills, knowledge and attitudes.

The academic performance of each year level will be measured through the

grade-point average of all the subjects of the students as well as the results of the test

questionnaire. The questions were taken from various research studies. It will be

pretested in Pamantasan ng Cabuyao for its refinement and evaluation of its sensibility.

DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE

The researchers will ask permission from the dean of college of nursing of

Calamba Doctors’ College to allow the nursing students to answer the questionnaire.

The answering of the questionnaire will be done in the respective classrooms of each

year level along with it is a letter of consent that will be presented to the instructors to

ask for 10-15mins of his/her class to answer the revised adopted questionnaire.

Answered questionnaires then, will be gather, responses coded and will be subject to

the appropriate statistical computation for reliability.

STATISTICAL TREATMENT

In order to determine the level of significance of negative peer pressure and

academic performance of nursing students of Calamba Doctors’ College the following

statistical tools will be utilize to analyze and interpret the data:

1. The researchers will use percentage and frequency of the demographic

profile.

Where, P% = Distribution

F = frequency

n = total frequency

%= fnx 100

2. The researchers will use weighted mean to know the overall average of the

responses of the respondents.

Where, WM = weighted mean

TWF = total weight frequency

N = total number of respondents

WM=TWFN

3. The researchers will use point scale to interpret the points gathered (WM) as

to range interval and verbal interpretation.

4. The researchers will use pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. It is

a correlational tool that measure the association of two or more quantitative

variable. It is concerned with the relationship in the changes and movement of

two variables.

Where, r = the relationship between variables x and y

∑ d2 x∑ d2 y = sum total of the product of the difference of the variables x

and y

√ (∑ d2 x ) (∑ d2 y ) = product of the sum of the square of the square of the difference of

the variables x and y

r=∑ dxdy

√ (∑ d2 x ) (∑ d2 y )

5. The researchers will use the Analysis of covariance (ANOVA) to determine if

there is a significant difference that exists between the means when there are

two or more groups.

Where, SSt = Sum of the squares of the total

∑ x2=¿Sum of the squares of all scores

(∑ Tr )=¿Square of the grand total

r = number of rows

c = number of columns

SSt=∑ x2−(∑ Tr )

ℜ