Stressors and Coping Mechanisms of Children of Overseas Filipino Workers in Higher Education Institutions of Ilocos Sur

Abstract

A study on the stressors and coping mechanisms was conducted among the children of overseas Filipino workers in Higher Education Institutions. Respondents were children of OFWs who are enrolled in the HEIs of Ilocos Sur. The descriptive-correlational research design was employed in the study. Further, the researchers adopted the questionnaire of Podaan (2009) to assess the stressors of the respondents and Mata (2005) to look into the coping mechanisms and symptoms of stress. Frequency counts, percentage, mean and bivariate correlation analysis were used in the data analysis. The respondents were mostly female, Roman Catholics, have a nuclear family type of five members. The children of OFWs in HEIs exhibited boredom, headache, and under-eating symptoms of stress, showed a “Low” level of stress along personal experience, physical health, family and home, school, and a “Very low” level with their peers and tend to adopt more of the negative coping strategies when they are stressed. The respondents manifested a healthy coping mechanism as shown by their “Average” level of positive management and “Low” level of negative management. Though inversely related, religion has a bearing on the level of stress of the respondents. The researchers recommend the following: a) to help the students cope with their stress, the guidance center should conduct and orient the students on activities such as seminar-workshops on managing stress; b) since the respondents tend to adopt more of the positive coping strategies, the guidance center should plan and spearhead stress management programs, in order to improve their adaptive and active coping management strategies among all children of OFWs.