FAMILY SUPPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH OF CASE STUDENTS

Abstract

Family support encompasses financial and moral support provided by parents or guardians to their children. The financial and moral support can  help students against the stressors and challenges they face during their educational journey. Some students travel to the city for academic advancement. They need to leave the comfort of their homes, and be separated from their families, but they must do so in order to fulfill their dreams. There are also students who do not need to stay in boarding houses since they live close to the school. The mental well-being of students is also significantly impacted by family support.  Strong family support and positive relationships connects to better mental health state. However, a lack of family support may leave students feeling excluded and frustrated. They cannot focus on their studies, and it may lower their self-acceptance, and makes them feel uncomfortable working with others or having negative connections with others. The central focus of this study was to determine the extent of family support and mental health of CASE students of Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion for the school year 2023-2024. The specific purpose of the study was to find answers to the following: extent of family support of the respondents  in terms of financial and moral support when they are taken as a whole; level of mental health of the respondents in terms of self-acceptance and relationship with others when they are taken as a whole; significant difference in the extent of family support of the respondents who reside at home and those who reside in boarding houses and course enrolled; significant difference in the level of mental health of the respondents who reside at home and those who reside in boarding houses and course enrolled; and to determine the  relationship between family support and mental health of the respondents. The participants of the study were identified as the officially enrolled College of Arts, Sciences and Education (CASE) students of Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion in the first semester of academic year 2023-2024. The respondents of the study were the identified fifty-six (56) out of one hundred eleven (111) CASE students. The research team employed a descriptive correlational method along with the researcher-made questionnaire for this investigation.  The questionnaire was made up of three parts: Part 1 – information on the respondents’ home location which was limited to reside at home and reside in a boarding house; Part 2 - statement on the extent of family support; and Part 3 - statement on the level of mental health. The questionnaire was validated by a panel of experts and was tested for reliability before it was distributed to the respondents. The gathered data were tabulated and analyzed using non parametric statistical methods, such as descriptive statistics, Wilconxon test correlation coefficient and one sample t-test for differences, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney U Test. The findings of the study show that the respondents have a high level of family support in terms of financial and moral aspects. The result on financial support indicates that students are well supported in their tuition fees;  they are provided with their daily allowance;  their family ensures that they have enough money for their school projects; and they are provided with extra allowances for extracurricular activities. The result on moral support indicates that students received encouragements from family members to study well and to achieve their set goals; family members help them solve problems encountered at school; family members compliment them for good performance at school; they are given  full support when they join in school activities. Findings of the study in relation to the level of mental health of the respondents in terms of self-acceptance and relationship with others reveal a high result. The result on self-acceptance reveals that the respondents  are proud of their  achievements; they accept their mistakes; they are aware of their strengths and weaknesses;  they follow their passion with determination; and they hold on to their values and principles. In terms of relationship with others the respondents stressed that they care and are willing to help others in need; respect others’ opinions; value their relationships with others; can work with others; and collaborate with others. The results on the extent of family support considering the home location and course enrolled by the respondents fail to establish a significant difference. Furthermore, the analysis of data on the level of mental health considering the home location and course enrolled by the respondents indicates a no significant difference result. Furthermore, there is no significant relationship between the extent of family support and level of mental health of the respondents.