INTRODUCTION

Academic pressure is a serious issue that needs attention from all parties involved in
education. Educators must prioritize mental health by creating an environment that fosters
growth without compromising well-being. Academic pressure can also have an impact on
physical health. Young students should be encouraged to develop healthy study habits, practice
self-care such as exercise or meditation, and be nurtured in a positive learning environment to
alleviate academic pressure.

The phrase "academic pressure" carries a weighty connotation, and it can be stressful
when someone is contrived to do something that might be challenging. Applying pressure,
especially on the elementary students, who are undoubtedly young and inexperienced in
managing heavy expectations to achieve standards set by social or educational institutions, is
cause for concern. These students still require support and guidance, as they are still children
trying to learn.

According to Sutter Health, many children are struggling because they worry about
earning high grades or being on the list of high achievers. Most are obsessed with achieving the
highest grades. Parents and teachers play crucial roles in an elementary student's social behavior.
Every student has the right to be a child, but the academic pressure and burdens overshadow
their ability to enjoy being a kid. Heavy loads of homework, extracurricular activities,
competition among achievers, and expectations from parents, family members, and teachers can
cause time management difficulties for these elementary students, which leads to stress and
anxiety. They may lack sufficient time to play, rest, eat properly, or relax and be children.

The World Health Organization (WHO) conceptualizes mental health as a state of well-
being in which the individual realizes the abilities, can cope with the stresses of life, can work
productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to the community.

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 Children at this age begin to take on more responsibility and desire more freedom, often
more than they can handle. Young students require guidance to complete chores and homework
but will also begin to solve problems independently. As they grow, they will face more complex
emotions like frustration and anxiety and may struggle with controlling verbal impulses. Positive
reinforcement-style discipline works best at this age.

The pressure to excel academically can be overwhelming and affect their mental health.
However, we don't know the extent of this impact and how it affects students in the long run.

The academic pressure that elementary students face can lead to anxiety, stress, and
depression. These mental health issues can affect their academic performance and overall well-
being. A lack of awareness about mental health issues among parents and teachers can
exacerbate the problem.

Students are the country’s hope. They are the reason why every parent work, the reason
why this world continues. Nowadays, students are so busy learning and doing what it takes to
fulfill their dreams. They do tons of things that would help them in the process of learning. They
find happiness when they see their grades are worth their perspiration. Due to work and stuff
they want to accomplish, they are the ones who experience pressure that causes stress.

Knowing about academic pressure and being able to manage it is very important. Hence,
researchers have to know how to help students while they are still young.

This study focuses on the academic pressure and mental health of elementary students. It
aims to inform and help elementary students in managing academic pressure.

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 METHOD

This study employs the quantitative research approach to scrutinize academic

The research design in this study is descriptive and utilizes a close-ended questionnaire.
Descriptive research is used to specify the characteristics of a population without attempting to
establish cause-and-effect relationships. The close-ended questionnaire consists of pre-
determined response options, limiting the range of possible answers. This design is suitable for
this study since it focuses on the specific response of the respondents.

The participants in this study are thirty-two Grade VI elementary students from T Paez
Elementary School. They are through Simple Random Sampling Method. Simple random
sampling is a statistical technique that involves selecting a sample from a population so that
everyone has an equal chance of being chosen. This method is widely used in research studies to
ensure that the sample selected is representative of the population being studied.

For the instrument, the study used self-administered questionnaires and surveys to gather
data necessary for analyses and interpretations, which are all based on the research objectives. It
was validated by the research professor to accumulate appropriate data. The research survey
questionnaires are in the form of Close-Ended which the respondents have to check the right
column that will show their answers.

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 The data collection procedures used primary sources of information survey
questionnaires that the researchers made - to conclude information that will further support the
study. The selected respondents from the T Paez Elementary School were informed and
consented to assure their willingness to participate in the study. Upon approval, the researchers
can acquire the data for this study.

The voluntary participation of Grade VI respondents ensures that their rights are
protected and that they are not coerced or forced into participating in the study. This ethical
principle is fundamental to research and ensures that the data collected is reliable and valid.

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 RESULTS

This study found that academic pressure and its effect can harm the mental health of
elementary students. All the data collected came from information obtained from elementary
students.

In this section, the gathered data are according to the sequence of the questions.

The bar graph below shows the correlation between academic pressure and its effect on
the mental health of elementary students. The data presented in this graph is disturbing, as it
highlights the negative impact that academic pressure can harm on young children.

According to the first bar of the graph, out of 32 respondents, 21 (66%) are overwhelmed
by the amount of homework they receive, and 11(34%) do not feel overwhelmed by the amount
of homework they receive. The finding implies that most elementary students feel overwhelmed
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by the amount of homework they receive, with an average of 66%. It is the list of yes or no
answers from elementary students if they feel overwhelmed by the amount of homework they
receive.

From the second bar of the graph, out of 32 respondents, 14 (44%) answered yes that they
experienced physical symptoms such as headaches and stomachaches due to stress, and 18 (56%)
answered no, and did not feel any physical symptoms. The finding implies that most elementary
students do not experience physical symptoms such as headaches and stomachaches, with an
average of 56%. It is the list of yes or no answers from elementary students if they experience
physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches due to stress.

The third bar of the graph shows that out of 32 respondents, 18 (56%) answered yes that
they feel pressured to get good grades, and 14 (44%) answered no, that they do not feel pressured
to get good grades. The finding implies that most elementary students feel pressured to get good
grades, with an average of 56%. It is the list of yes or no answers from elementary students if
they feel pressured to get good grades.

The fourth bar of the graph shows 18 (56%) answered yes, too much competition among
their classmates brings them academic pressure, and 14 (44%) answered no, that too much
competition does not bring them academic pressure. The finding implies that most elementary
students feel that too much competition among their classmates brings them academic pressure,
with an average of 56%. It is the list of yes or no answers from elementary students if too much
competition among their classmates brings them academic pressure.

The fifth bar of the graph says 23 (72%) answered yes that their parents care about their
academic grades, and 9 (28%) answered no that their parents do not care about their academic
grades. The finding implies that the majority of elementary school students their parents care
about their academic grades, with an average of 72%. It is the list of yes or no answers from
elementary students if their parents care about their academic grades.

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 The sixth bar of the graph indicates that 7 (22%) answered yes, they feel disappointed
with their academic performance, and 25 (78%) answered no, they do not feel deceived about
their academic performance. The finding implies that most elementary students are not
disappointed with their academic performance, with an average of 78%. It is the list of yes or no
answers from elementary students if they are disappointed with their academic performance.

As you can see in the seventh bar of the graph, 13 (41%) answered yes that they feel
anxious if there are difficult situations at school, and 19 (59%) answered no that they do not feel
worried if there are difficult situations at school. The finding implies that most elementary
students do not feel anxious if there are difficult situations at school, with an average of 59%. It
is the list of yes or no answers from elementary students if they feel anxious in a difficult
situation at school.

The eighth bar of the graph says 19 (59%) answered yes that they feel stressed when
studying throughout the day, and 13 (41%) answered no, and do not feel stressed throughout the
day. The finding implies that most elementary students do not feel stressed when studying
throughout the day, with an average of 59%. It is the list of yes or no answers from elementary
students if they feel stressed when studying throughout the day.

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 DISCUSSION
The purpose of this study is to know if elementary students have academic pressure and
the effect of it on their mental health. This study also intends to disseminate knowledge about the
causes of academic pressure to young children and to understand the effects on mental health.

The first question asked about the amount of homework they receive. Most elementary
students feel overwhelmed with the amount of homework they receive. It can be tough to balance
schoolwork with other activities and responsibilities. At a young age, it feels like there is not
enough time in the day to complete all homework and still have time for things like playing
outside or spending time with the family. Emmy Kang, mental health counselor at Humantold,
says studies have shown heavy workloads can be "detrimental" for students and cause a "big
impact on their mental, physical and emotional health." Cynthia Catchings, a licensed clinical
social worker, and therapist at Talkspace, says heavy workloads can also cause serious mental
health problems in the long run, like anxiety and depression. Therefore, students with too much
homework have elevated stress levels.

For question number two, elementary students were asked if they experience physical
symptoms such as headaches and stomachaches due to stress. Most of the elementary students do
not feel any physical symptoms. Mayo Clinic researchers say that when children are stressed or
anxious, their bodies release the hormone cortisol into the blood. It can trigger abdominal cramps
and headaches. Due to this, a recommendation for parents and educators is to watch for drastic or
sudden changes in their children's previous behaviors.

For question number three, most elementary students feel pressured to get good grades.
Many students can feel this way. The pressure to get good grades can come from many places,
including parents, teachers, and classmates. Lee, 2020, stated that children might interpret this
feeling as pressure. For these causes of pressure, you should recommend focusing on learning
new things than getting good grades.

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 For question number four, most elementary students agreed that too much competition
among their classmates brings them academic pressure. A student who may zone out during a
lecture can become passionate when given a chance to compete against classmates. However,
while competition can motivate students and increase participation, it can cause stress or anxiety
if taken too seriously. From the point of view of American Heritage Schools, competition can
drive attention, physical effort, and learning. The social motivation of competing against
classmates can challenge them to work much harder on the tasks than they would independently
feel compelled to do.

For question number five, most elementary students' parents' cared about their academic
grades. When parents push achievement over compassion and decency, it sets the stage for
stress, depression, anxiety, and poorer grades, which can be seen as early as the sixth grade.
"Even when only one parent emphasized academic performance, grades were poorer," says study
author Suniya Luthar, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Arizona State University. There's
nothing wrong with encouraging children to try their best. You do not need to constantly repeat
the message that they need to get good grades. Instead, support your kids when they hit a
problem and tell them to be proud of their best efforts (Lee, 2020).

For question number six, most elementary students do not deceive about their academic
performance. Grell (2013) is in favor of, while not all students are academically inclined, it does
not mean they should sit by the roadside and do nothing. They must seek to discover their full
human potential. Too many parents are disappointed in their children's academic performance.

For question number seven, most elementary students do not feel worried if there are
difficult situations at school. As stated in ACMH, children's mental health can affect young
people in ways to varying degrees in the school environment. Children's symptoms may be hard
to manage at school, while another child with the same condition may not have much difficulty.
In addition, kids with mental health challenges have good days and bad, as well as times when
they are doing well and when their mental health symptoms become more difficult to manage.
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 For question number eight, most elementary students feel stressed when studying the
whole day. Researchers found that most young students feel stressed when studying for the
whole day. A great way to give students meaningful opportunities to apply their learning and
lower their affective filter is to make learning fun! When teachers use activities that make
learning engaging and fun, students are more willing to participate and take risks. Having fun
while learning also helps students retain information better because the process is enjoyable and
memorable.

This study consequently concludes that most elementary students are affected by
academic pressure, and it has an effect on the mental health of elementary students. This study
can enhance the knowledge and awareness of the students about their perceptions of the
academic pressure on their mental health.

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