Effects of Engaging In an Early Relationship to the Academic Performance of Senior High School Students

Abstract

Introduction

Being in junior and senior high school is one of the crucial stages wherein teenagers tend to explore everything about their "created world." Teenagers learn to socialize and make friends. They become more interested in dating because of the desire to seek belongingness and affection. The desire leads to committing themselves to someone whom they think should give them love and affection while studying. This study focused on determining the perceived effects of engaging in an early relationship with the academic performance of senior highschool students. Specific aims included the following:(1) to determine the reasons why students are involved in an early relationship. (2) to determine the effects of engaging in an early relationship with the academic performance of the students. (3) to recommend activities that may be proposed to address the reasons of the respondents.

Methods

The research utilized the descriptive research design. The researchers also used questionnaires to 209 respondents engaged in an early relationship, which was modified and revised to a Likert scale format to cater to the respondents' setting.ResultsThe respondents want to be involved in an early relationship because they want to feel love and be loved by someone, to have inspiration in studies, feel motivated to do projects, someone to share problems and concerns and seeking for parents' attention. Some respondents agreed that the effects of early relationship to academic performance are as follows: they are inspired in studying, boost students' determination, doing projects with the help of someone. While others also answered that they forget to review, study their lessons, often miss classes, gain lower grades and no longer active in class. Symposium/seminars and one-on-one counseling about the positive and negative effects of having involved in an early relationship are proposed activities.

Discussions

Being engaged in an early relationship has negative and positive effects. Respondents want to be involved into it because of the desire to feel love and be loved by someone, to have inspiration while studying and looking for someone to share problems. It has a direct effect on their academic performance. Although they inspired and boost their determination in studying it has also negative effects; having lower grades for the reasons of forgetting to review/study their lessons, often misses classes and no longer active in class because of prioritizing their relationship and they are more focused on their partners.