ACADEMIC OVERLOAD AND WELL-BEING OF GRADE 11 ARTS, SOCIAL

SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES STUDENTS IN THE STRENGTHENED

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM AT ESPERANZA
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Masendo, Princess Clouie A.

Acosta, Ryza Mae Angela P.
Puerto, Seth Angelie P.
Sayson, Sheen Ley B.
Gayosa, Emerald F.
Estimo, Rhealyn G.
Ulimpen, Faizal A.
Gamboa, Mefer L.
Kadon, Alibay A.
Rigo, Evril A.
Researchers

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ESPERANZA

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL – SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, ESPERANZA,
SULTAN KUDARAT, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS IN PRACTICAL RESEARCH II

HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

April 2026
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Academic overload is a globally recognized challenge impacting student

well-being as school systems across the world increase curriculum complexity

and competitive assessment loads. Pérez-Jorge et al. (2025) demonstrate that

academic overload and intense schedules contribute to stress and burnout

among secondary students worldwide. In the Philippines, the shift to the

Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum has greatly amplified academic

expectations and demands, especially for Grade 11 students in the Arts, Social

Sciences, and Humanities strands. Cruz (2024) found that overloaded school

events—combined with curricular tasks—exacerbate student exhaustion and

stress, affecting both physical health and academic motivation in local senior

high schools. This mirrors global trends and exposes the need for reforms

prioritizing learners’ well-being.

According to Ismail 2022, Academic Overload includes excessive

schoolwork, time pressure, and cognitive burden. Shahmohammadi (2011)

identified heavy workloads as a major stressor, while Subramani et al. (2017)

linked academic overload to anxiety and reduced motivation. Acosta-Gómez et

al. (2018) also found that academic stress affects students’ mental and physical

health. These studies show that academic overload impacts more than workload

—it affects overall well-being. Academic overload refers to excessive educational

demands that exceed a student’s coping capacity. It has been conceptualized as

a feeling of being overwhelmed by one’s academic requirements. In practical

terms, overload may result from heavy course loads, frequent exams, and

abundant assignments. These conditions can trigger stress, anxiety, and burnout

when students struggle to manage their workload effectively.

Student well-being, In educational contexts, Li (2025) notes it typically

includes emotional well-being (positive feelings and life satisfaction),

psychological well-being (sense of meaning and personal growth), and social

well-being (quality of relationships and sense of belonging). This framing

emphasizes that well-being is more than just the absence of illness; it involves

the presence of positive functioning and flourishing in students’ lives. In other

words, healthy student well-being means students feel good about themselves,

are resilient, and have supportive social connections.

Research has consistently shown that excessive academic demands can

negatively impact students' well-being. Steare et al. (2023) found that most of the

52 studies they reviewed linked increased academic pressure to higher rates of

stress, anxiety, and depression among adolescents. Likewise, Ismail (2022)

identified curriculum overload as a major source of academic stress that

adversely affects both mental and physical health. Rivera Gómez et al. (2024)

also noted that academic overload and exam-related stress significantly

contribute to student fatigue and heightened stress levels. These findings

collectively highlight that greater academic pressure is strongly associated with

declining emotional and psychological well-being in students.

 This study looks at how too much schoolwork affects the well-being of

Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities (ASSH) students at Esperanza

National High School, especially as they get ready for the new Grade 11 classes.

Unlike most studies that focus on older students, this one looks at younger

students who have more schoolwork to do. It is special because it considers local

problems and challenges from the pandemic, like online learning and changes in

what they are learning. The study not only checks grades but also looks at how

students feel and how they are doing mentally and physically as they prepare for

the new classes. The goal is to help teachers and school leaders create

programs that support students and make school a healthier and happier place,

helping them feel strong and well as they learn.

Conceptual Framework

This study examines how academic overload relates to the well-being of

Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities (ASSH) students under the new

Senior High School curriculum at Esperanza National High School. Academic

overload is conceptualized as an excessive accumulation of educational

demands that exceed a student’s capacity to manage them. In upper secondary

levels, this overload often manifests as intensive information intake and an

abundance of tasks (e.g., numerous homework assignments, projects, and

examinations) coupled with limited time to complete them. As noted by Ismail

(2022), such overload “can take different aspects starting from information

overload, many assignments, and limited time” for tasks. These aspects of

academic overload are recognized stressors that place heavy cognitive and time

pressures on students.

Student well-being is treated as a multidimensional construct

encompassing emotional, psychological, and social dimensions. Drawing on Li

(2025), emotional well-being involves experiencing positive feelings and

satisfaction with life; psychological well-being encompasses a sense of purpose,

personal growth, and self-fulfillment; and social well-being relates to the quality of

relationships and a sense of belonging. Ismail (2022) Observed that severe

information overload creates distress in students, negatively impacting their

quality of life and psychological well-being. In practice, overwhelmed students

often exhibit anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbance, or social withdrawal, illustrating

how heavy workload can harm emotional equilibrium, cognitive health, and social

interactions.

In the conceptual model for this study, academic overload is treated as the

independent variable and student well-being as the dependent variable. The

Academic overload is operationalized through indicators such as excessive

schoolwork (long hours of homework and projects), chronic time pressure (tight

schedules and deadlines), and high cognitive burden (mental effort of processing

heavy content). The Well-being is defined by its three indicators of emotional

well-being, psychological well-being, and social well-being, following the

multidimensional framework of Li (2025). Figure 1 illustrates this relationship in

the context of Esperanza National High School: it depicts how heightened

academic overload may relate to each aspect of student well-being. This figure

thus situates the general theory within the local setting, highlighting that

managing excessive academic demands is critical to safeguarding students’

overall well-being in the school’s senior high program .

Academic Overload: Well-being:

1. Excessive Schoolwork 1. Emotional well-being
2. Time Pressure 2. Psychological Well-
being
3. Cognitive Burden
3. Social Well-being

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of the study

Statement of the Problem

This study generally aims to determine the relationship of Academic

Overload and Well-being of Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities

(ASSH) Students at Esperanza National Highschool.

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following research questions:

1. To what extent of Academic Overload in Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And

Humanities students of Esperanza National High School in terms of:

1.1 Excessive Schoolwork.

1.2 Time Pressure; and

1.3 Cognitive Burden?

2. To what extent of Well-being in Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities

students Esperanza National High School in terms of:

2.1 Emotional Well-being.

2.2 Psychological Well-being; and

2.3 Social Well-being?

3. Is there a significant relationship between Academic Overload and Well-being

of Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities Students in Strengthened

Senior High School Curriculum at Esperanza National High School?

Hypothesis of the study

H o : There is no significant relationship between Academic Overload and

Well-being of Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities students in the

Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum at Esperanza National High

School.

H a : There is a significant relationship between Academic Overload and

Well-being of Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities students in the

Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum at Esperanza National High

School.

Significance of the Study

This research on Academic Overload and the Well-Being of Grade 11 Arts, Social

Sciences And Humanities Students at Esperanza National High School is

essential in understanding how excessive academic demands affect students’

well-being. The study will benefit several key groups by offering insights that

promote awareness, guide decisions, and inspire meaningful behavioral changes

to the following benefactors:

To the Students. This study helps students recognize how academic

overload affects their well-being. With this awareness, they can develop better

time management, practice self-care, and seek support when overwhelmed.

To the Parents. Parents will gain insight into the academic pressures their

children face and learn to identify signs of stress. This can lead to more

supportive communication and healthier parent-child relationships.

To the Teachers and School Administrators. Educators will understand

how overload impacts student focus and performance. They can use this

knowledge to adjust teaching strategies and reduce unnecessary academic

pressure.
 To the Policymakers and Curriculum Developer. The findings can

guide policymakers in creating more balanced curricula that prioritize student

well-being. This could lead to reforms promoting manageable workloads and

mental health integration in education.

To the Future Researchers. This study offers a foundation for further

research on academic stress and student wellness. It can inspire studies on

coping strategies, school comparisons, or long-term effects of overload.

Scope and Limitations

This study aims to develop new knowledge to understand the relationship

between academic overload and the well-being of Grade 11 Arts, Social

Sciences And Humanities students in the Strengthened Senior High School

Curriculum at Esperanza National High School. Additionally, the researchers will

explore how heavy academic requirements significantly relate to the physical,

mental, emotional, and social aspects of students’ well-being. Therefore, this

research paper examines two variables: academic overload and student well-

being. The research study was conducted at Esperanza National High School,

particularly among Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities students

enrolled in the Strengthened High School Curriculum, with a timeframe set for the

academic year 2024–2025. However, necessary documents, articles, and data

from previous years up to the present were also considered and accepted by the

researchers. The respondents of the study were the Grade 11 Arts, Social
Sciences And Humanities students, who are officially enrolled in the said

curriculum. This quantitative research paper will employ a descriptive -

correlational approach. The researchers-made survey questionnaire as a data-

gathering instrument to arrive at a conclusion. Any irrelevant information and data

were not considered in this research study.

Definition of Terms

To ensure clarity, accuracy and specificity in thus research, key terms are defined

as follows:

Academic Overload- refers to the feeling of being overwhelmed by the volume

and demands of academic tasks and responsibilities.

Well-Being- is a state of health, happiness, and prosperity. It encompasses

physical, mental, emotional, and social aspects of an individual's life, and is

strongly linked to life satisfaction and a sense of purpose.

Excessive Schoolwork- refers to the overwhelming amount of academic tasks –

such as homework, projects, readings, reports, or review activities – that go

beyond what is reasonable, causing stress, fatigue, and lack of balance in a

student’s life.

Time Pressure- is a type of psychological stress that occurs when a person has

less time available than is necessary to complete a task or obtain a result.

Cognitive Burden- refers to the mental effort required to process information

and perform tasks, often linked to cognitive load theory, which explains how our

working memory handles information.

Emotional Well-being- as an awareness, understanding, and acceptance of

feelings and an ability to manage effectively through times of change or

challenge.

Psychological Well-being- refers to the mental, emotional, and cognitive

aspects of health. It is about how individuals think, feel, and behave in their daily

lives.

Social Well-being- can be defined as the sharing, developing, and sustaining

of meaningful relationships with others. This allows you to feel authentic and

valued, and provides a sense of connectedness and belonging.

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the related literature from local, national, and foreign

sources that is pertinent to the research study which examines role of academic

overload on the well-being of students. Information pertaining to the current study

is made easier to understand by those included in this chapter.

On Academic Overload

One of the factors that could exert pressure on the financial muscle of

parents in this period of economic uncertainty is the financial demands of

academic overload. The issue of academic overload has become a great

concern to many parents and well-meaning stakeholders in education due to not

only its debilitating impacts on students but also its financial demands on

parents. Cases abound in secondary schools in Nigeria where students

especially those in examination classes are exposed to excessive academic

workload (Eduwem & Ezeonwumelu, 2020; Kanu & Simon, 2020; Ogba, 2020).

Academic overload seems to be prevalent in schools in Nigeria, especially at the

secondary school level. Scholars aver that Nigeria is faced with the burden of

curriculum overload (Ogba, 2020; Uwadileke & Madu, 2019; Ahmadi &

Luckmann, 2015).

Academic overload refers to overindulging, excessively subjecting and

over- drilling students through academic activities. Kamel (2018) posited that

academic overload occurs when students feel encumbered by the demands of

their academic lives. In other words, it implies engaging and burdening students

with an excessive academic workload which could be detrimental to their

cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development (Umezulike & Osuala, 2019).

Academic overload may take many forms such as presenting students with a

curriculum above their grade level, subjecting them to extra-mural classes that

make them stay back in school after the official school hours, giving students

excessive take-home assignments, and subjecting them to weekend classes

against the official school days. In their perspective, Umezulike and Osuala

(2019) listed the causes of academic overload as follows: parents enrolling their

children on extra-mural classes to have time for their businesses instead of

taking part in their children’s learning; ignorance of the consequences of

excessive academic workload on students; the quest for academic diamond and

to maintain family’s pride; excessive urge to make money by schools and lack of

monitoring by necessary authorities over the implementation of the planned

curriculum.

Academic Overload and Academic Stress Previous studies were

inconsistent in linking academic overload with academic stress. For instance,

Adom, Chukwuere and Osei (2020) observed proper management of stress

which could arise from academic overload helps in both promoting academic

work and eliciting of good academic outcomes from students. Subtly, Ovute &

Ovute (2019) showed that academic overload has no negative impact on the

student’s mental, social, physical, and emotional development. In other words,

Ovute and Ovute could not marry academic overload with academic stress. (Oji,

Ondieki & Ouko, 2021).

Excessive School Work

Excessive schoolwork is a major factor that contributes to academic overload.

This happens when students are expected to complete a large number of

assignments, projects, and exams within a limited period. Conner, Pope, and

Galloway (2015) found that students experiencing excessive schoolwork reported

higher stress levels and lower satisfaction with their academic experience. Their

findings show that when tasks pile up, students often feel overwhelmed, which

drains their motivation and leads to emotional exhaustion. This highlights the

reality that too much schoolwork can make academic life less meaningful and

more of a burden than an opportunity for growth.

In addition to creating stress, excessive schoolwork also takes away time

from other important activities that support balanced development. Galloway,

Conner, and Pope (2013) emphasized that heavy school demands cut into

students’ time for rest, recreation, and extracurricular activities. These activities

are essential for personal growth, social interaction, and maintaining mental

health. When students spend most of their time completing homework or

projects, they often feel tired and anxious, which in turn harms their performance

and overall well-being. This shows that the problem with excessive schoolwork is
not just the workload itself, but also its effect on the balance between academics

and life outside school.

Furthermore, heavy workloads also increase students’ feelings of pressure

during examinations and other assessments. Putwain and Daly (2015) supported

this by showing that excessive academic demands lead to higher test anxiety

and stress among secondary students. When students have too many tasks to

juggle, they may feel unprepared and pressured during exams, which prevents

them from showing their true potential. Instead of improving learning, excessive

workloads only create unnecessary stress, lowering confidence and weakening

engagement. This makes it clear that controlling the amount of schoolwork is

necessary to protect students’ motivation and academic success.

Time Pressure

Time pressure is another important stressor that contributes to academic

overload. It occurs when students are given heavy tasks with limited deadlines,

making them feel rushed and constantly in a race against time. Salmela-Aro et al.

(2021) conducted a long-term study which showed that high levels of time

pressure are strongly linked to burnout and loss of health-related productivity

among students. This means that when students continuously face tight

deadlines and demanding schedules, their physical health, motivation, and

productivity gradually decline. Time stress does not only affect short-term

academic performance but also has long-term effects on students’ well-being.

 Interestingly, research shows that time pressure can have both positive

and negative impacts depending on its intensity. Zhang et al. (2024) studied

doctoral students in China and discovered that moderate time pressure can

encourage creativity and innovation by motivating students to stay focused and

efficient. However, once the pressure becomes excessive, it causes stress,

fatigue, and lower academic performance. This suggests that while small

amounts of time pressure may push students to perform better, too much of it

quickly becomes harmful, highlighting the importance of balance in managing

time demands.

Time pressure also affects the brain’s ability to function effectively.

Wiemers et al. (2022) found that perceived time pressure weakens executive

functions, which are the mental skills needed for planning, organization, decision-

making, and problem-solving. Without these skills functioning properly, students

struggle to complete tasks efficiently and accurately. This shows that the negative

effects of time pressure go beyond stress and anxiety—it directly affects

cognitive functioning and academic achievement. In short, while time pressure is

often seen as part of student life, excessive levels of it seriously reduce both

performance and well-being.

Cognitive Burden

Cognitive burden is closely related to academic overload and well-being,

as excessive cognitive demands can overwhelm students' mental capacities,

leading to negative effects on emotional and academic outcomes. Research by

Sweller, Van Merriënboer, and Paas (2019) emphasizes that when the total
cognitive load exceeds working memory capacity, learning can be impaired,

which can threaten students' academic attainment and psychological well-being.

Emotional factors such as anxiety and stress increase extraneous cognitive load,

intensifying cognitive burden and thus negatively impacting academic

performance and well-being (Young et al., 2014; Derakshan & Eysenck, 2009).

This underscores the importance of understanding cognitive burden within the

framework of academic overload.

A recent relevant study by Al-Omari et al. (2025) investigates the

relationship between resilience and cognitive load among college students. The

study explains how increased cognitive load produces cognitive burden, which

often leads to overloaded working memory and impairs learning efficiency. It

highlights adverse effects of cognitive burden caused by academic overload that

are consistently demonstrated, including poor mental health, low academic

performance, and impaired self-efficacy. The study underscores the critical need

for tailored support systems to manage cognitive load, especially in challenging

learning environments such as during the COVID-19 pandemic when educational

delivery rapidly shifted to remote formats.

Technological and instructional factors also contribute to cognitive burden

in academic environments. Challenges such as technical issues, poor

instructional design, and infrastructure problems exacerbate extraneous cognitive

load, limiting students’ ability to focus and process core learning tasks (Wald et

al., 2025). When cognitive burden is unmanaged in academic settings, it leads

not only to decreased academic performance but also to increased stress,

fatigue, and reduced overall well-being, highlighting the bidirectional relationship

between cognitive burden and academic overload.

In sum, cognitive burden in the realm of academic overload significantly

impacts students’ learning, motivation, and psychological well-being. Addressing

cognitive burden requires optimizing instructional design to reduce extraneous

load, managing stress and emotions to lower cognitive interference, and fostering

supportive learning environments to sustain motivation and mental health

(Sweller et al., 2019; Young et al., 2014; Liang et al., 2021). This integrated

perspective situates cognitive burden as a critical factor linking academic

demands with well-being outcomes in educational research.

On Well-being

Well-being is commonly viewed as a multidimensional concept that includes

physical, mental, and social aspects of human life. According to Ismail (2022),

academic overload negatively influences the quality of life of secondary students,

creating stress that affects both their mental and physical health. His study in

South Lebanon found that information overload and excessive assignments often

lead to anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, which lower students’ overall

well-being. Similarly, Zhang et al. (2024) explained that well-being is not only

about the absence of illness but also involves happiness, life satisfaction, and

growth. These findings suggest that excessive academic demands can disrupt
the balance of student well-being by harming both psychological and physical

health.

Researchers have also developed several frameworks and tools to define

and measure well-being more clearly. Bautista et al. (2023) emphasized that

well-being should be studied as a holistic construct that reflects positive

emotions, fulfillment, and positive functioning. Their scoping review identified

inconsistencies in existing definitions, making it necessary to use structured

models for assessment. One such model is the PERMA framework, which

includes five elements—Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning,

and Accomplishment. Kern et al. (2015, as cited in Ismail, 2022) showed that

PERMA is a strong tool for evaluating student well-being, since each pillar affects

academic success and personal growth. Together, these studies highlight the

importance of using comprehensive frameworks when exploring well-being in

education.

Finally, measuring well-being requires acknowledging its physical, mental,

and social dimensions. Supranowicz and Paź (2014) developed the PMSW-21

scale to capture these three domains, focusing on how physical complaints,

mental distress, and social interactions affect a person’s overall state. Their

findings stress that well-being should not be reduced to a single factor, as

students’ health, emotions, and social connections are deeply linked. Aulia et al.

(2020) also argued that student well-being comes from both happiness (positive

emotions and satisfaction) and growth (engagement and learning), showing that

academic success cannot be separated from mental and social health. These
perspectives show that supporting well-being requires schools to address all

areas of students’ lives, not only academic achievement.

Emotional Well-being

Emotional well-being refers to the capacity of students to recognize,

manage, and regulate their emotions in positive ways despite the challenges they

face in school. It is an important aspect of overall health because emotions

influence how students think, behave, and relate to others. When academic

demands become overwhelming, students often feel anxious, irritable, and

frustrated. Tus (2020) emphasized that excessive academic stress negatively

affects students’ emotional control, leading to difficulties in staying motivated and

focused on their studies. This suggests that emotional well-being is one of the

most vulnerable areas when academic overload is present, since unmanaged

emotions directly impact learning and engagement in school.

Furthermore, excessive academic tasks such as homework, research

papers, and group projects often drain students’ emotional energy. Lingcasan et

al. (2024) found that “bombarded academic activities” significantly reduce

students’ opportunities for rest and enjoyment of recreational activities. This

imbalance creates emotional exhaustion and burnout, which can manifest in

sadness, irritability, or lack of energy. In the long run, such conditions weaken

students’ capacity to recover from stress and leave them feeling unmotivated.
Thus, when students are deprived of sufficient rest and leisure, their emotional

well-being deteriorates and their resilience to school stress declines.

At the same time, social support plays a crucial role in protecting students

from the negative effects of emotional stress. According to Kamel (2018),

students with lower levels of social support often feel more emotionally

distressed when faced with heavy workloads. In contrast, those with stronger

support systems—such as encouragement from friends, guidance from teachers,

or understanding from family—are more capable of regulating their emotions

positively. This shows that while academic overload can threaten emotional well-

being, the presence of meaningful relationships and emotional support can help

students cope more effectively.

Psychological Well-being

Psychological well-being focuses on the internal state of students’ mental

health, including their self-confidence, coping strategies, concentration, and

sense of purpose. A healthy psychological state allows students to stay

motivated, overcome academic challenges, and maintain a positive outlook in

their education. However, when students are burdened with academic overload,

their mental health often becomes fragile. Biswas (2015) pointed out that too

much academic pressure results in anxiety, low self-esteem, and poor

concentration among adolescents. These psychological struggles not only disrupt

their performance in school but also diminish their confidence in handling future

tasks, creating a cycle of declining academic and personal growth.

 Heavy academic workloads can also cause worry, overthinking, and

mental fatigue. Islam and Rabbi (2023) noted that constant academic stress

increases mental anxiety, making it difficult for students to concentrate and think

clearly. As this cycle continues, stress leads to weaker performance, which then

heightens anxiety and creates further psychological strain. This pattern makes

students feel trapped between academic expectations and their declining ability

to cope, which may eventually undermine their academic success and overall

mental stability.

Prolonged exposure to academic overload can also result in more serious

conditions such as burnout. Jacobs and Dodd (2003) discovered that nonstop

exposure to school-related stress contributes to psychological fatigue,

dissatisfaction with life, and even depression. Burnout strips students of

motivation and leaves them feeling emotionally and mentally drained. If not

addressed, this situation may progress to more severe mental health issues,

including clinical anxiety or depression. Hence, it becomes essential for schools

and educators to design balanced workloads that protect students’ psychological

well-being and allow them to sustain both academic success and mental health.

Social Well-being

Social well-being pertains to students’ ability to build, maintain, and

nurture meaningful relationships with peers, family, and teachers. It reflects how

connected students feel to their social environment, which is especially important

during senior high school, where social identity and friendships strongly influence

personal growth. However, academic overload often restricts students’ chances

to socialize and participate in extracurricular activities. Xerri, Radford, and

Shacklock (2018) highlighted that heavy school requirements limit social

interactions, which reduces opportunities to develop essential social skills.

Without these opportunities, students may struggle with communication,

teamwork, and interpersonal understanding, weakening their overall social well-

being.

Moreover, being constantly consumed by academic tasks may lead to

social isolation and feelings of loneliness. Lee and Robbins (2020) found that

students who are overly busy with schoolwork often feel disconnected from their

peers and loved ones. For adolescents in senior high school, missing these

moments of bonding and friendship-building is harmful, since this stage is crucial

for shaping their social identity. Without adequate social interaction, students risk

losing confidence in their social abilities and may experience difficulties forming

relationships later in life.

Despite these challenges, social support systems act as a protective

factor for students’ social well-being. Onuoha and Idemudia (2020) reported that

supportive families and peer groups help safeguard students’ mental health and

maintain healthy social connections. Even when workloads are heavy, the

presence of supportive relationships gives students a sense of belonging,

reduces stress, and prevents feelings of isolation. This shows that while

academic overload threatens social well-being, strong support networks enable

students to maintain balance and continue developing socially despite the

pressures of school.
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methodology used in the study. It includes a

description of the research design, locale of the study, respondents of the study,

sampling technique, data gathering instrument, data gathering procedure, and

the statistical treatment.

Research Design
This study will use the Descriptive-Correlational Research Design, a quantitative

method that will describe the current

situation and find the relationship between

variables without changing them. This

design will help the researchers collect

real and accurate information about the

students’ experiences and see how

different factors naturally interact in real-life situations (Barooah, 2025).

The descriptive quantitative research design will be used to determine the

extent or level to which the Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities

(ASSH) students experience academic overload and well-being in the

Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum. Meanwhile, the correlational

quantitative research design will be used to determine whether there is a

relationship between academic overload and well-being, as well as the strength

of that relation. This approach will allow the researchers to study the students in

their normal school setting, making the results more natural, reliable, and useful

in understanding how academic overload affects student well-being.

Locale of the study

 Source: Google Map

Figure 2. Site map of the study

This study will be conducted at Esperanza National High School (ENHS) in

Barangay Poblacion, Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat. As the only school in the

municipality that offers the Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum, this

school will serve a diverse group of Senior High School students with varying

academic abilities and backgrounds. The school maintained a strong academic

record and offer a lot of specializations, including the Arts, Social Sciences And

Humanities (ASSH) strand for Grade 11 students. Esperanza National High

School’s rigorous curriculum and commitment to quality education will make it an

ideal site for examining the future impact of academic overload on student

wellbeing. Its diverse population will allow for a focused analysis of how

curriculum demands will affect mental health and stress levels.

Respondents of the Study

The Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities (ASSH) students of

Esperanza National High School will serve as the respondents of this study. They

are selected because they are directly experiencing the Strengthened Senior
High School Curriculum, where academic overload may significantly affect their

well-being. Their experiences and perspectives will provide meaningful insights

into how the demands of the strengthened curriculum influence students’

emotional, psychological, and social well-being. As learners adapting to these

challenges, their views are vital in understanding the relationship between

academic workload and student well-being within the context of the strengthened

curriculum.

Sampling Technique

The sampling technique that will be used in this study is stratified random

sampling. This method is suitable because the Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences

And Humanities (ASSH) students of Esperanza National High School are divided

into several sections, which serve as distinct strata or subgroups. It becomes

stratified because the entire population of Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And

Humanities students is first grouped according to their sections. Within each

stratum or section, the selection of participants will then be done randomly,

ensuring that every student has an equal chance of being chosen. This makes

the process both stratified (grouped by section) and random (selected by chance

within each group).

The manner of selection will be as follows: the researchers will obtain the

list of students from each section, assign numbers to all students, and then use a

randomization method (such as a random number generator or lottery draw) to

select the respondents.

 Furthermore, Slovin’s formula, will be used to calculate the sample.

moreover, to allocate the sample per strata (section) the proportional allocation

will be used.

Section Population Sample Size

Casper 46 26

Santos 47 27

Arguilla 42 24

Dalisay 41 23

Atalia 42 24

Balagtas 43 25

Amorsolo 39 22

TOTAL 300 171

Table 1. Distribution of Respondents of the Study

Data Gathering Instrument

To collect the data for this study, the researchers will utilize a researcher-made

survey questionnaire designed by the researchers to determine the relationship

between academic overload and the well-being of Grade 11 Arts, Social

Sciences And Humanities students under the Strengthened Senior High School

Curriculum at Esperanza National High School.

 The instrument is divided into two main parts. The first part focuses on the

level of academic overload, which include excessive schoolwork, time pressure,

and cognitive burden. The second part centers on student well-being, comprising

emotional well-being, psychological well-being, and social well-being. Each

section of the instrument is composed of statements rated using a 5-point Likert

scale with responses ranging from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5).

To ensure the validity of the instrument, it will be subjected to content

validation by a panel of experts composed of teachers and research advisers

who will review the questionnaire for clarity, relevance, and alignment with the

study’s objectives. Based on their feedback, necessary revisions and

improvements will be made. The reliability of the questionnaire will be tested

using Cronbach’s Alpha, which will measure the internal consistency of the items.

A Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.70 and above will be considered acceptable,

indicating that the instrument will be reliable and consistent in measuring both

academic overload and student well-being. Through this process, the research

instrument will become both valid and reliable, ensuring that the data collected

will be accurate, credible, and appropriate for the objectives of the study.

The researcher-made survey questionnaire will be utilized and be

interpreted using the following criteria.

Table 2. Criteria on effects of Academic Overload on Well-being on the

Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum of the respondents.

 Scale Verbal Description Interpretation

5 Strongly Agree The level of my agreement in the

statement is Very High
4 Agree The level of my agreement in the
statement is High
3 Neutral I neither agree nor disagree with the
statement
2 Disagree The level of my disagreement in the
statement is High
1 Strongly Disagree The level of my disagreement in the
statement is Very High

Table 3. Survey Questionnaire Scale

Range Descriptive level Interpretation

4.20 – 5.00 Very High Always Evident

3.40 – 4.19 High Evident

2.60 – 3.39 Neutral Oftentimes Evident

1.80 – 2.59 Low Sometimes Evident

1.00 – 1.79 Very Low Not at all Evident

To test the strength of correlation among the given variables in this study, the

indicated interval value below was employed.

Correlation in MS Excel (r) Interpretation

±0.90 - ± 1.0 Very high positive/negative correlation

± 0.70 - ± 0.90 High positive/negative correlation

± 0.50 - ± 0.70 Moderate positive/negative correlation

± 0.30 - ± 0.50 Low positive/negative correlation

± 0.10 - ±0.30 Negligible correlation

To interpret the result of the reliability test, the interval value of Cronbach’s

alpha derived from George and Malley (2003), as cited in Gliem and Gliem

(2003), will be use.

Cronbach’s Alpha Interpretation

>0.76 Excellent

>0.8 Good

>0.7 Poor

>0.6 Acceptable

>0.5 Poor

>0.5 Unacceptable
Data Gathering Procedure

To ensure the success of this research, the following procedure will be

followed systematically. The primary method for gathering data will be through a

survey questionnaire designed to assess academic overload and its impact on

the well-being of Garde 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities students on the

New Curriculum. The first step is the creation and validation of the researcher-

made survey questionnaire. Next, we will secure approval from the authorities at

Esperanza National High School in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat. Once approved

and validated, the questionnaire will be distributed to the respondents. After

distribution, the completed forms will be collected. Finally, the gathered data will

be analyzed and tabulated using appropriate statistical tools, followed by

interpretation to draw meaningful insights.

 Creation of the survey questionnaire.

Validation of researcher-made survey questionnaire.

Approval letter from the concerned research body.

Distribution of the research survey questionnaire to the respondents.

Retrieval of the research instrument by collecting the survey form.

Tabulation, analysis, and interpretation of the data.

Figure 3. Flow and Data Gathering Procedure

Statistical Treatment

This study will determine the level of Academic Overload and Well-being of

Grade 11 Arts, Social Sciences And Humanities students in the Strengthened

Senior High School Curriculum. The study will utilize statistical tools to tabulate,
analyze, and interpret the data gathered from the respondents. The weighted

mean will be used to determine the level of academic overload and well-being of

the students. To determine the significant relationship between Academic

Overload and well-being, Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient will use. The

results from this statistical treatment will provide insights into the relationship of

Academic Overload on the Well-being of students.

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