Coping Mechanism in College Life of Freshmen Students of Western Philippines University-Main Campus
Maria Concepcion J Cayaon
Discipline: Education
Abstract:
This study investigated the coping mechanism of the freshmen students of Western Philippines University with the following
objectives:1. determine the demographic characteristics of the respondents, 2) find out the problems encountered by the
respondents and their frequency of occurrence, 3) identify the coping mechanisms of the freshmen students as they adjust to
their college lives, and 4) find out the relationship between some demographic characteristics and the coping mechanism of the
respondents. Data were gathered at the University Main Campus through personal interviews and with the use of a survey
questionnaire. Results show that out of one hundred twenty respondents, 80 are females and the rest are males and single. The
majority were from Narra and Aborlan with an average monthly allowance of P1,708.74. The respondent’s mothers and fathers
had a mean age of 44.23 years and 41.91 years old, respectively. Their mothers were mostly high school level housekeepers
while their fathers were college-level farmers. Results further revealed that the respondents “rarely” encountered financial
problems, school problems, boarding house problems, and emotional and spiritual problems. They have positive coping
mechanisms when facing financial, school, boarding house, social, emotional, and spiritual problems. It also revealed that
based on the Spearman’s rho and T-test, there is no significant relationship between some demographic characteristics of
concern in this study and do not have substantial effects on the stress coping mechanisms of the respondents.
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