SCHOOL CONNECTEDNESS AND ACADEMIC BUOYANCY: INSIGHTS INTO FILIPINO COLLEGE STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCE OF ACADEMIC STRESS

The primary purpose of this research was to look into college students’ academic stress as regressed from connectedness and academic buoyancy. Participants involved included 186 (male = 61, female = 125) undergraduates from a Philippine university. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between connectedness and academic stress in model 1 (β = -.277, p < .01). This relationship remained significant in model 2 (β = -.186, p < .01) when academic buoyancy and other demographic variables were added, indicating the value of connectedness in situations that could trigger stress among students. Likewise, academic buoyancy was revealed to be a significant predictor of academic stress (β = -.294, p < .001). Findings suggest the utilization of an endogenous resource and an exogenous resource to cope with stress. Implications of the findings on school outcomes such as learning and motivation, and counseling psychology are discussed.