Academic Stress on Students' Self-Efficacy and Academic Performance in Science in the New Normal

This study determined the influence of academic stress on self-efficacy and academic performance in Science of Grade 7 students in Timoteo Paez Integrated School, Younger Street, Balut, Tondo, Manila during the School Year 2021-2022. With explanatory sequential method as research design and 93 male and 114 female Grade 7 students as respondents of the study, findings showed that the pressure from study, workload, worry about grades, self-expectation and despondency were assessed by the students as moderately stressful. Students’ academic self-efficacy was described as high. The academic performance of male students in Science was described as “satisfactory” while female students’ academic performance in the same subject was described as "very satisfactory.” Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn: There is a significant difference between the male and female students’ academic stress in this new normal. Male students had a greater level of academic stress in terms of workload. Moreover, there is a significant difference between the male and female students’ academic self-efficacy. Female students had a greater level of academic self-efficacy in terms of persistence. There is a significant difference among the students’ academic stress when they are grouped according to their parents’ income. Students whose parents’ income ranged from 10,000 and below had greater level of academic stress in terms of pressure from study, workload, worry about grades and despondency. On the other hand, students whose parents’ income ranged from 50,001 and above had greater level of academic stress in terms of self-expectation. There is a significant difference among the students’ academic self-efficacy in terms of perceived control, competence and persistence when they are classified according to their parents’ monthly income. Students whose parents’ income ranged from 50,001 pesos and above per month had greater level of self-efficacy. There is a significant relationship between the academic stress and academic self-efficacy of Grade 7 students. Students who are free from stress had a greater level of academic self-efficacy in Science. There is a significant relationship between Grade 7 students’ academic stress and their academic performance in Science. Students who are free from stress had a greater chance of getting higher grades in Science.