Chapter 1

Background of the Study

Leadership is one of the most defined words in all sorts of

organizations. This word is not new to students as they are

exposed in leading With this, it is important to introduce

students to leadership at a young age (Evans, 2014). In the

school, long it has been a culture leadership as part of the

curriculum making student to develop leaders among students.

Thus, it means providing a vehicle for them to perform their

tasks through electing their own officers and managing their

organizations. It is actually considered as the best way to

prepare students for their future job (Nelson, 2017). This is

also true to Ravasini (2017) that it is important for students to

experience leadership opportunities during their schooling to

learn the art of building relationships within teams, defining

identities and achieving tasks effectively.

However, many students nowadays are having a hard time when

it comes to leading. Most of the time student leaders were

distracted by their responsibility to perform well in the class

thus, school leadership has an average but significant indirect

impact on academic performance (Mwangi, 2016). On the other hand,

there are also students who are incapable of leading even though

they have the potentials of a leader due to lack of experience.

According to Allegheny College, student leaders leave a lasting

impression on the members of their organization therefore,

student leaders should have the qualities and skills to be able

to handle a team.

The Supreme Student Government (SSG) is the foremost co-

curricular student organization authorized to operate and

implement pertinent programs, projects and activities in schools

nationwide. It lays the groundwork for good governance,

volunteerism, unity and cooperation by providing the students

various venues where they can improve their leadership knowledge,

skills and attitudes. It trains students to become better members

of society in accordance with the ideals and principles of

participatory democracy and good citizenship. More importantly,

it helps the Department of Education(DepEd) achieve its thrusts

as indicated in the Education For All (EFA) Goals, Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs) and the Basic Education Social Reform

Agenda (BESRA) (Maravilla, 2019).

The formation of a student council, such as SSLG In the

Philippines, gives students the opportunity to acquire the kind

of communication, planning, and structural skills that will be

useful to them in their future lives (Department of Education and

Science, 2002). A student government that appears in all

secondary schools is essentially organized and set up to help

the government develop a student’s leadership qualities and

improve the quality of life, relationships between students

and institutions, and education through its participants in

campus topics, programs and services Philadelphia University

Student Government Associations (2017).

While student-leaders are expected to achieve

academically which pets pressure on them to do well (Wjaramba et

al., 2023).

Students leaders cannot perform their duties to the best of

their abilities without the support or the administration.

So they felt stressed act due to their inability to make

any sort of decision . Pressure is defined as doing a lot of task

a making a lot of decisions in every little time, a that

people expect a lot from you (Collins, 2022). Some of student’s

leader are new to being chairpersons, so the demand to live up

the expectations of their peers was rather high. Therefore,

leadership positions can be difficult, which any make a tunnel

leader feel worried.

In Haguilanan High School, the SSLG organization initiates

programs, such as Acquaintance Party, Teachers Day Celebration,

Foundation Day, United Nations Day, Christmas Party and

Valentine’s Day Program, Intramurals. The SSLG takes part in the

students – leaders also have their responsibilities in the

class, such as catch up in activities and performances that

were missed due to the preparations for the events.

There is a need to explore the challenges of the student-

leaders in SSLG Organization in Haguilanan High School, to know

how they deal the situation when their activities in class and in

the organization overlaps. The results could contribute insights

to others about how to handle situations including multitasking

and pressure.

Considering this, the researchers will conduct a

phenomenological study about the students-leaders experiences

in Haguilanan High School during the academic year 2023-2024

Who are part of the organization. It is necessary to gain a

better understanding on how these students-leaders cope with the

pressure of balancing their curriculum and co-curriculum

responsibilities.

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges and coping

mechanisms of student-leaders in the SSLG organization in

Haguilanan High School for the academic year 2023-2024.

Specifically, the study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What reasons do students have to join in the Supreme Secondary

Learner Government organization (SSLG)?

2. How do SSLG Officers deal with the overlapping activities in

the school?

2. What are the challenges of the student-leaders in the SSLG

organization?

3. What are the coping strategies of students involved in the

SSLG organization who face challenges?

Significance of the Study

This section presents the significance of conducting the

study. The challenges and coping mechanisms of student-leaders in

the SSLG organization in Haguilanan High School is recognized.

The outcome of the study is relevant to the following:

Learners. They can gain a clearer understanding of the

challenges associated with participation in the SSLG

organization. This can give knowledge on what coping strategies

could be fine to surpass the challenges. This can motivate and

encourage learners to serve the school through joining in this

organization.

Teachers. Aimed with the knowledge, teachers can encourage

their students to develop their character through running for a

position in the organization. They gain awareness about the

academic situation of the student-leaders and create a more

considerate approach towards their learning experience, knowing

that these students have other roles and responsibilities as

well.

Administrators. They can gain insights about the

situation of the student-leaders in the school, and result to

allocate resources more effectively, support and promote the SSLG

organization, to contribute positively to the school community,

and develop initiatives that encourage broader student

participation.

Researchers. The study on student involvement in

organizations provide a foundation upon the future studies to be

conducted. This body of work identifies gaps in knowledge and

allow to investigate new questions that will be discovered in the

results.

SCOPE AND DELIMITTION

Scope

The study focused on the challenges and coping mechanisms

of student-leaders in the SSLG organization in Haguilanan High

School during the academic year 2023-2024.

Delimitation

The research will be exclusive to Haguilanan High School

students and will not include students from other high schools in

Catigbian District and will specifically focus on student-leaders

in the SSLG organization of the school. However, it will not

explore the opinions and experiences of the non-student-leaders

in relation to the SSLG organization. Lastly, the research will

be conducted within the timeframe of the academic year 2023-2024.

This time limitation ensures the relevance and specificity of the

data collected.

BENEFITS AND BENEFICIARIES

Benefits

The results of this study can give awareness on the roles

and responsibilities of the student-leaders in the SSLG

organization in Haguilanan High School. It also gives a better

understanding of the side of the student-leaders and may

influence and convince students to consider joining

organizations. It can also inform decision- making and be a basic

for the development of initiatives that promote student

engagement. Lastly it serves as additional literature for future

researchers relating to student councils.

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries of the study are the students, as it

provides than with a better understanding of the challenges and

coping mechanisms of student-leaders in the SSLG organization in

Haguilanan High School. Students can use this information to make

informed decisions about their involvement opportunity.

Additionally, Moreover, the school can use the results of this

study to improve the learning experience and allocate resources

related to school organizations. Furthermore, teachers can

benefit from the study by understanding the role that student-

leaders play in supporting and encouraging student involvement in

school activities, which help them integrate organization-

related activities and projects into their school calendar,

further enhancing student engagement and academic achievement.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Student. An individual who is enrolled in Haguilanan High School

Organization. A group formed by individuals with a common purpose

or goal.

Student-leader. A student in Haguilanan High School who is a

leader that initiates activties for the whole school.

Haguilanan High School. A public school that opened in 2008,

located in Haguilanan, Catigbian, Bohol. It is one of the

four (4) public high schools in the district.

Supreme Secondary Learner Government. It is the highest student

organization in a high school. It is the student body

representative of the school. It initiates activities and

programs to be participated by all the students.

Student council. A body of students who are elected by the

students to address school issues and organize school

activities and events.

Department of Education. It is the government agency responsible

for ensuring quality education in the Philippines.

Leadership. It is having the skills to lead an organization.

CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This section presents the review of existing literature about

the challenges and coping mechanisms of student-leaders in the

SSLG organization. There are two themes generated, namely:

Academic Stress as Main Challenge; and Coping Mechanisms of

Student-Leaders.

Student leaders are an important part of any academic

institution, as they are the ones responsible for representing

the students under them and serving as their voice in the upper

echelons of the bureaucracy. Their responsibilities don’t end

with their organizations, but they also must fulfill their

academic requirements to maintain their standing as students. So,

it is no surprise that these student leaders have their own set

of challenges that have varying effects on their mental and

physical well-being. Because of these challenges, student leaders

have various coping strategies that are unique to each one’s

needs to deal with their academic and leadership burdens (Pedroso

et al., 2023).
Academic Stress as Main Challenge

Mental health may be impacted by a variety of stress

factors, but academic stress may be the most significant one

(Barbayannis et al., 2022). Student leaders are students first

and foremost. They are no different from the average student when

it comes to what school-related activities are given to them. As

such it can be quite difficult to balance their role as a leader

and a student. This would be one of their biggest challenges as

they need to maintain their grades to continue their studies

(Pedroso et al., 2023). Student leaders organize numerous

activities that generate learning in support of strategic efforts

and provide long- term programs that help to shape school

policies. Consequently, it sometimes results in tiresome

situations that could lead to academic burnout (Baxa, 2022).

Stress is a common problem among student-leaders because of

their busy schedules (McKiernan et al., 2021). As stress becomes

disturbingly high among students (Asif et al., 2018), they become

more irritable and angrier towards other students (Brobbey,

2020).

Unreliable individuals are unavoidable in any organization.

They are regarded as unresponsive, unprincipled, and ineffective

(Sonnenberg, 2021). As a result, they become a source of stress

for leaders, because these leaders require the support of all

their officers to effectively lead the organization. Furthermore,

the participation of all officers is required for an

organization’s day-to-day operations. Unresponsive or unreliable

coworkers are cited as a source of stress. Similarly, stress is

caused by coworker competition, a lack of trust, and a difficult

working relationship with a coworker or colleague (Faisal, 2019).

While student leaders are expected to achieve academically,

which puts pressure on them to do well (Njaramba et al.,2022),

student leaders cannot perform their duties to the best of their

abilities without the support of the administration. So, they

felt stressed out due to their inability to make any sort of

decision. Pressure is defined as doing a lot of tasks or making a

lot of decisions in very little time, or that people expect a lot

from you (Collins, 2022). Some of the student leaders are new to

being chairpersons, so the demand to live up to the expectations

of their peers was rather high. Therefore, leadership positions

can be difficult, which may make a student leader feel worried.

Stress is a very familiar condition faced by the students

when they are unable to bear the risks involved in higher

education. The main sources of stress are academic and time

concerns, fear of failure. The impact is a number of students

reporting emotional problems, anxiety, stress, and other neurotic

problems. They are often found in frightening, abusive,

depressing, threatening, competitive, unpredictable, and

confusing situations (Ramya & Parthasarathy, 2009)

Coping Mechanisms of Student-Leaders

Having coping mechanisms are crucial for student leaders

as it enables them to manage stress, regulate emotions, build

resilience, increase self-awareness, and improve their overall

well- being. Being a student leader can be overwhelming, and it’s

easy to prioritize the demands of leadership over one’s own

emotional needs. Nevertheless, it’s essential to prioritize self-

compassion and provide emotional support for oneself to maintain

good mental health and prevent burnout (Pedroso et al.,2023).

Thus, students would devise coping strategies to combat stress

and cope with its effect by engaging in physical activities such

as sports, developing social skills, and relaxing (Hatunoglu,

2020).

Student leaders face unique challenges and

responsibilities that can negatively impact their mental health.

Emotional support is an essential coping strategy for them to

manage stress and promote their overall well-being. It helps

student leaders regulate their emotions, reduce stress levels,

and improve their mental health. Accessing emotional support also

provides a sense of connection and belonging with others who

understand their leadership challenges, allowing them to better

manage their responsibilities and make effective decisions

(Pedroso et al., 2023).

According to Caccamo (2019), many student leaders rely on

maladaptive coping mechanisms because of the vicarious trauma

certain groups bring. Maladaptive Coping provides temporary

relief and doesn’t address the problem; it is also usually

associated as distraction and might involve substances such as

alcohol (Peterson, 2021). Furthermore, according to Cork’s book

review (2014), focusing on student achievement, emotional

intelligence, and the right mentality can help student leaders

overcome barriers to professional learning. .

The involvement of students in organizations allow to develop

higher levels of satisfaction with their school experience and

are more likely to persist and graduate (Kuh and Hu, 2001)

Additionally, Pascarella and Terenzini (2005) highlighted the

positive impact of student engagement on cognitive development,

critical thinking skills, and leadership ability.

Homever, the researchers observed a lack of emphasis on

challenges and types of coping mechanisms of student-leaders in

the SSLG organization in the Philippine setting.

 Gaining a better understanding on the challenges that the

student-leaders experienced can give awareness to other students

about the obstacles they will experience and play as an

instrument to motivate and inspire students to join in the

organization.

To address this gap, the researchers will conduct a

phenomenological study of the student from Haguilanan High School

for the school year 2023-2024, who are involved in the SSLG

organization.
 CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the researchers intend to provide a

thorough overview of the research methodology that was employed

in the study. The purpose is to detail the systematic approach

that was taken to gather and analyze data that coordinates to the

goals of the study.

Research Design

In the context of this study, a qualitative

phenomenological research design was used as this is appropriate

to achieve ultimate goals to gain knowledge and understanding on

the challenges and coping mechanisms of the student-leaders in

the SSLG organization.

Population

The participants are the SSLG officers in Haguilanan High

School, officially enrolled in the academic year 2023-2024, which

compromise of four (4) Junior and (11) Senior High School

students.

Environment

The locale of this study is in the premises of Haguilanan

High School, which is a public school, located in Haguilanan,

Catigbian, Bohol. The campus has an area of one (1) hectare and

has two hundred thirty-five (235) students who are officially

enrolled in the school year 2023-2024.

Sampling Method

The study used purposive sampling in identifying the

participants, which provided specific criteria as basis for

selection of the participants in the study. This is to ensure

that the data obtained aligns with the purpose of conducting the

study. As in the criteria, a participant must be a current

officer in the SSLG organization.

Instrument

This study utilized a self-made interview guide with

questions based on the stated research questions. The interview

guide was designed to gather qualitative data from the student

participants to explore the challenges and coping mechanisms of

students involved in the SSLG organization.

Data Collection Procedure

 In obtaining the data, the researchers conducted face-to-

face interviews with the selected participants. Before the

question portion started, they were carefully informed of their

rights in the study namely: voluntary participation, risk of

harm, confidentiality and anonymity. They were provided with a

consent of participation stating that they agree on being part of

the study. The tools used in gathering data were pen and paper.

Moreover, they were asked for permission to use a recording

device, such as cellphone, as a back up in case the researchers

missed any details. After answering every question, the responses

were recorded by the researchers to ensure no details were

forgotten.

Data Analysis

In analyzing the data, the researchers used a variety of

techniques such as careful examination and evaluation to reveal

the underlying themes, patterns and common categories of the data

gathered. There was a decoding process to translate the Cebuano-

Bisaya dialect that the participants used into the English

language. The data were closely analyzed through Colaizzi’s

Method of thematic analysis, which involves a systematic process

from extracting significant statements out of the data and

formulating meanings to develop themes. The results were

presented in narrative form, with direct quotes from the

participants and the researchers’ interpretations below. The

researchers ensured that the results are accurate, complete and

reliable.

Ethical Considerations

As part of the study, ethical considerations had to be

observed to ensure the integrity of the study and protect the

participants' rights. During the data collection, the

participants were given awareness of their rights in

participation. They were not forced to participate. Also, they

were informed about the procedures and risks involved in the

research. Moreover, they were protected from physical, financial

or psychological harm. In addition, confidentiality was

maintained to safeguard participants' privacy. Furthermore,

anonymity was maintained to protect participants' identities and

prevent any potential harm that may have arisen from the study's

findings. Equally, honesty and objectivity were crucial in

presenting accurate and unbiased results, and researchers

maintained their integrity by avoiding any form of deception or

misrepresentation. Alongside, carefulness was also essential to

prevent harm to participants or the environment.

As a final point, this chapter served as a foundation for

the researchers to effectively conduct the data gathering and

analysis of the study. Through this, they were able to conduct

research that is reliable and accurate.