RELATIONSHIP OF STRESS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH TAGASALO PERSONALITY

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of the Tagasalo personality on students’ stress levels and sense of social responsibility. The Tagasalo, a term introduced by Carandang, refers to individuals who assume caregiving responsibilities due to cultural expectations (Perez, 2021) and often extend their helping behavior beyond the household (Tuazon et al., 2021). While this personality trait encourages a strong sense of duty, it may also lead to increased stress as individuals prioritize others' needs over their own (Rana et al., 2019; Musabiq & Karimah, 2020). The study aims to analyze these dynamics and design a stress management program that supports Tagasalo students while preserving their prosocial roles. The researchers used three instruments for data collection: the Tagasalo Personality Scale by Tuazon et al. (2021), a 12-item self-report tool assessing the presence of the Tagasalo personality; the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al., 1983), which uses a 4-point Likert scale to measure individuals’ perceived stress levels; and a Social Responsibility Questionnaire developed by the researchers to assess respondents’ level of social responsibility. The participants were selected from the Psychology Department of Bestlink College of the Philippines. Using purposive sampling, 230 students identified as having a Tagasalo personality were chosen from a population of 537 third-year psychology students. The study explored the relationship between stress and social responsibility, revealing significant insights into their association among college students. The findings revealed an average stress score of 2.77 (SD = 0.60), indicating a high level of perceived stress among the respondents. The average social responsibility score was 3.30 (SD = 0.45), suggesting that participants demonstrated a relatively strong sense of social responsibility. The Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.39 signifies a moderate positive relationship between stress and social responsibility, implying that higher levels of stress are associated with greater social responsibility, though the correlation is not particularly strong. The findings indicate that as stress levels rise, students with a Tagasalo personality also exhibit heightened social responsibility. However, it remains uncertain whether this sense of duty helps them manage stress or further contributes to their psychological burden. To address this, the researchers recommend mindfulness interventions and promoting support-seeking behaviors. It is also essential for families, peers, and educational institutions to provide consistent emotional and structural support. Future studies should investigate whether taking on social responsibility serves as a coping strategy or intensifies the students' stress levels.