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Factors contributing to stress and its effect on the achievement and self-concept of secondary school pupils
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Type
Thesis
Author
Tien, Sin Tay
Supervisor
Soh, Kay Cheng
Abstract
This study investigates the factors that contribute to stress and the effect of stress on the self-concept and academic achievement of secondary school pupils. Secondary Two pupils were selected for this study because of the important academic streaming examinations they were required to take at the end of the academic year.
Subjects consisted of 600 pupils (300 boys and 300 girls) from five secondary schools. Only ethnic Chinese pupils were included in the study as they represent the majority of pupils in these schools.
Instruments used in the study included : (a) the school Stress Questionnaire (SCHQ), for measuring the pupils' level of academic and social stress; (b) the Type A Personality Questionnaire (TAPQ), for measuring the degree of Type A behaviour of the pupil; (c) the Locus of Control Questionnaire (LOCQ), for measuring the externality of the pupil; and, (d) the Self-esteem Checklist (SEC), for measuring the self-concept.
The individual pupils' scores for English Language, Mathematics and Science at the end of the previous year were used as measures of their academic achievement.
The data was analysed using t-test, Pearson's product-moment correlations and regression analysis. The level of significance for accepting or rejecting the hypotheses was set at the 0.05 level.
Analysis of data revealed the following:
● Pupils in the Express Stream have higher academic and social stress when compared with those in the Normal Stream,.
● Female pupils have higher academic and social stress when compared with male pupils.
● There was a positive relationship between pupils' Type A personality and their level of academic and social stress.
● There was a negative relationship between pupils' locus of control and level of academic and social stress.
● There was a positive relationship between pupils' academic and social stress and their academe achievement.
● There was a negative relationship between pupils' academic and social stress and their self-concept.
● Academic stress may be a better predictor of academic achievement than locus of control, social stress or Type A personality.
● Social stress may be a better predictor of self-concept than Type A personality, academic stress or locus of control.
In sum, this study shows that pupils' higher stress were related to Type A personality, external locus of control and academic streaming. It was also observed that females had higher stress than males. Pupils' stress had a positive effect on their academic achievement but a negative effect on their self-concept. However, the findings should be treated with caution due to low correlation among the variables.
Subjects consisted of 600 pupils (300 boys and 300 girls) from five secondary schools. Only ethnic Chinese pupils were included in the study as they represent the majority of pupils in these schools.
Instruments used in the study included : (a) the school Stress Questionnaire (SCHQ), for measuring the pupils' level of academic and social stress; (b) the Type A Personality Questionnaire (TAPQ), for measuring the degree of Type A behaviour of the pupil; (c) the Locus of Control Questionnaire (LOCQ), for measuring the externality of the pupil; and, (d) the Self-esteem Checklist (SEC), for measuring the self-concept.
The individual pupils' scores for English Language, Mathematics and Science at the end of the previous year were used as measures of their academic achievement.
The data was analysed using t-test, Pearson's product-moment correlations and regression analysis. The level of significance for accepting or rejecting the hypotheses was set at the 0.05 level.
Analysis of data revealed the following:
● Pupils in the Express Stream have higher academic and social stress when compared with those in the Normal Stream,.
● Female pupils have higher academic and social stress when compared with male pupils.
● There was a positive relationship between pupils' Type A personality and their level of academic and social stress.
● There was a negative relationship between pupils' locus of control and level of academic and social stress.
● There was a positive relationship between pupils' academic and social stress and their academe achievement.
● There was a negative relationship between pupils' academic and social stress and their self-concept.
● Academic stress may be a better predictor of academic achievement than locus of control, social stress or Type A personality.
● Social stress may be a better predictor of self-concept than Type A personality, academic stress or locus of control.
In sum, this study shows that pupils' higher stress were related to Type A personality, external locus of control and academic streaming. It was also observed that females had higher stress than males. Pupils' stress had a positive effect on their academic achievement but a negative effect on their self-concept. However, the findings should be treated with caution due to low correlation among the variables.
Date Issued
1993
Call Number
BF723.S75 Tie
Date Submitted
1993