CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM

Introduction Stress affects all kinds of people. Students are not exempted from this. They are vulnerable to tension and stress. Stress however can be helpful. Studies have shown that stress is necessary for normal functioning. For an individual, a certain degree of stress is needed to challenge him to perform his tasks better. School related stress is a chronic disease caused by conditions in the learning environment that negatively affect a students performance and/or overall well-being of his body and mind. Typical symptoms of school related stress can be; insomnia, loss of mental concentration, anxiety, absenteeism, depression, substance abuse, extreme anger and frustration, family conflict, and physical illnesses such as heart disease, migraine, headaches, stomach problems, and back problems. Stress at school is mainly the result of home works, friends, grades, family, love life, sickness, sports training, money etc. Too much engrossment to these kinds of stressors causes students to loss concentration to their studies and therefore inhibiting an institutions goal to academic excellence. Moreover, stressors contain two dimensions: threat and challenge. Threat occurs when a student perceives the stressor to be beyond his or her control or ability to cope with the situation. This level is what we typically perceive when we think about stress, threat is negatively associated with performance. Challenge, on the other hand, might be considered good stress. Challenge is often positively associated with performance.

Stress is mainly caused by events or situations that seem beyond peoples control and are unavoidable. Stress can be termed as a reaction to any change that requires a person to adjust or respond. Stress keeps people alert and ready to avoid danger. In some stressful situations they feel trapped and unable to cope. If this condition persists, the body begins to break down and illness takes over. Its very important to remember that one can learn to control stress or control the stress provoking conditions and respond to stressful events in a rational way. Different people have different ways of coping with stress; thus, stress is caused by different reasons. The key to coping with stress is to identify the incidents that cause stress and learn how to face them or reduce them. (L. Dollorico, 2011) However, when we feel so stressed, we tend to go to Spas or Massage Therapy clinics or buy expensive commercialized essential oils to ease muscle pain and discomfort disregarding the alternative means of attaining relief. We often use those commercialized products because that is what the majority widely use nowadays and putting aside the natural power of medicinal herbs. Herbs are natures little surprise secrets in improving the bodys functioning ability. Small leaves, small stems, small fruits and flowers all have distinct effects to the body particularly in stress reduction management. Chamomile is one of the oldest favorites among garden herbs and its reputation as a medicinal plant shows little signs of abatement. Locally, we term it as Manzanilla (Chrysanthemum indicum L.).

The fresh plant is strongly and agreeably aromatic, with a distinct scent of apples - a characteristic noted by the Greeks, on account of which they named it 'ground-apple' - kamai (on the ground) and melon (an apple) - the origin of the name Chamomile. The Spaniards call it 'Manzanilla,' which signifies 'a little apple,' and give the same name to one of their lightest Sherries, flavored with this plant. When walked on, its strong, fragrant scent will often reveal its presence before it is seen. For this reason it was employed as one of the aromatic strewing herbs in the Middle Ages, and used often to be purposely planted in green walks in gardens. It can also be made as a tea in relieving stress.Chamomile tea has a mild, fruity flavor and is most popularly used to reduce stress, promote relaxation and restful sleep. Chamomile has essential oils and anti-oxidants that help the body relax and recover from physical fatigue. (http:/www.botanical.com/botanical/mgnh/c/chammo49.html) However, since it needs to be nourished by the body in order to be relieved from stress, questions popped out in our mind if it can also be applied in massage therapy using an essential oil expressed from the plants flower. Stress relief is one of the first benefits that come to mind when thinking of massage therapy. It's also a key component for anyone trying to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Chamomile essential oil in massage therapy is not yet a big talk in stress reduction programs in our community that is why the researchers had come up with a plan to use it as our research study , entitled Effectiveness of Chamomile Essential Oil in reducing stress among Paulinian Senior High School Students.

This research will benefit the respondents by reducing their level of stress, and give them at the same time an alternative means of attaining relief through the use of chamomile oil compared to the use of more expensive commercialized oil or by going to massage parlors instead.

Theoretical Framework Nursing Theory Lydia Hall: Core, Care, and Cure Model Lydia Hall used her philosophy of nursing to design and develop the Loeb Center for Nursing at Montefiore Hospital in New York. She served as administrative director of the Loeb Center from its opening in 1963 until her death in 1969. Most of her work was published in the 1960s. in 1964, her work was presented in Nursing: What Is It? in the Canadian Nurse. In 1969, it was discussed in The Loeb Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in the International Journal of Nursing Studies.

She proposed the nursing functions differ, using three interlocking circles to represent aspects of the patient. She labeled the circles as the body (the care), the disease (the cure), and the person (the core). Nurses function in all three circles but to different degrees. They also share the circle with upper providers. Hall believes that professional nursing care hastened recovery and that as less medical care as needed, more professional nursing care and teaching were necessary. Hall stressed the autonomous function of nursing. Her conceptualization encompasses adult patients who have passed the acute stage of illness. The goal for the patient was rehabilitation and success in selfactualization and self-love. Her contribution to nursing theory was the development and use of her philosophy of nursing care at the Loeb Center in New York. She also recognized professional nurses and encouraged them to make a contribution to patient outcomes. Halls work may be viewed as a philosophy of nursing. The researchers adapt the theory of Lydia E. Hall: Core, Care, and Cure Model. This theory emphasizes three interlocking circles to represent aspect of the patient and labeled it as the body (the care), the disease (the cure), and the person (the core). The goal for the patient was rehabilitation and success in self-actualization and self-love. Through this research study, client will be able to improve themselves physically thereby increasing their self-esteem. Systems Model Betty Neuman developed Systems Model based on the individuals relationship to stress, the reaction to it, and reconstitution factors that are dynamic in nature. This model proposes that stressors are categorized as intra-personal stressors, those that occur within the individual (e.g., infection); interpersonal stressors, those that occur between

individuals (e.g., unrealistic role expectations); and extra-personal stressors, those that occur outside the person (e.g. financial concerns). The individuals reaction to stressors depends on the strength of the lines of defense. When the lines of defense fail, the resulting reaction depends on the strength of the lines of resistance. As part of the reaction, a persons system can adapt to a stressor, an effect known as reconstitution. Through this research study, the clients will be able to improve themselves physically thereby increasing self-esteem.

Conceptual Framework

This study made use of the research method illustrated below:

Independent Variable

Dependent Variable

Output Variable

Chamomile Essential Oil

Level of Stress

Reduce the level of Stress

Figure 1: The Researchers Paradigm

The necessity of providing therapeutic regimen is determined if a person loses his state of homeostasis which could be manifested by depression, stress, disturbances in sleep, disturbed thought processes, inability to concentrate, irritability and sometimes accompanied by easy fatigability and body pains. These are indicative of inability to adapt certain pressures in the environment which may be related to stress and psychological disturbances or effects of any harmful events. Hence, the necessity and demand for therapy and relaxation is observed and is definitely a good way in alleviating ones frustrations and some negative feelings. Using Chamomile essential oil used in massage is a best way in easing and eliminating stress since it changes a persons mood, withdraws negative feelings and regenerates energy to keep the body in balance. Its effectiveness was evaluated through application of the procedure to stressed Paulinian senior high school students. Massage Therapy is a gentle healing art using Chamomile to relieve physical and psychological discomfort and to promote health of body and serenity of mind.

Statement of the Problem The study aims to test the effectiveness of Chamomile essential oil used in Massage therapy in reducing stress among Paulinian Senior high school students. More specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: 1. Is Chamomile Essential Oil effective in Reducing Stress? 2. Is there a decrease on the level of stress among Senior high school students after the application of Chamomile Essential Oil?

3. Is there a significant difference in the level of stress among Senior high School students between the use of Commercialized and Chamomile Essential Oil?

Statement of Hypothesis There is a significant difference between the use of commercialized and chamomile essential oil among selected senior high school student in reducing the level of stress. Significance of the Study The researchers conducted this study to determine the effectiveness of chamomile essential oil through massage therapy to reduce the level of stress among SPCIS Senior High school students. This study would help individuals to use herbal plants as alternative means of decreasing the level of stress instead of going to massage parlors, or buy expensive commercialized essential oils in the market. This study would help stressed individuals particularly those students to experience the healing power of Chamomile in relaxing and soothing the mind and body; thus reducing stress. In this study, the following individuals are benefitted from the result of the experimental study:

A. Respondents. As respondents, this research study will give them information and awareness which will help them how to manage stress using chamomile oil.

B. Administration, Faculty and Staff. This research study can be utilized for education purposes. As educators, they can share and discuss information regarding the effectiveness of Chamomile Essential Oil in reducing Stress. C. Community. The community people will make use of Chamomile as an alternative remedy in reducing stress naturally. D. Health Care Providers. The health care providers can use this research study as part of their health teaching as an alternative way to manage stress, especially those who are too engrossed with their problems in life. E. Lastly, this study may serve as a basis for future researchers on the effectiveness of Chamomile in Reducing Stress.

Scope and Delimitation This study focuses on the effectiveness of Chamomile essential oilthrough massage therapy to reduce stress.

The study was conducted in St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur. The respondents of this study were the (30) thirty4th year high school students from St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur for the school year 2013 2014 with regards to the cause of their stressors. Stratified random Sampling was used to select the respondents of this study; Stratified Random Sampling is a method of sampling that involves the division of a population into smaller groups known as strata. The quasi experimental design of research was applied in the study. The mean and t-test were used to statistically analyze the data.

Assumptions: This study is postulated on the following assumptions: 1. The data gathering tools used in this study for data collection are reliable and valid. 2. The respondents complied with the instructions that were given regarding the activity. 3. The responses of the subjects are reflections of their honest evaluation regarding the effectiveness of the Chamomile Essential Oil. Definition of Terms For the convenience of the reader, the following terms are defined both conceptually and operationally whenever possible: Chamomile. Chamomile is an herb that comes from a flowering plant from the daisy family. The active ingredient in chamomile essential oil is known as bisabolol, which has a number of anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties. Massage.Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue using various techniques, to enhance function, aid in the healing process, decrease muscle reflex activity, inhibit motor-neuron excitability, promote relaxation and well-being, and as a recreational activity. Effective. It is capable of producing an intended result or effect. It works well as a means or remedy. Essential oils. Fragrant oils extracted from plants chiefly through

steamdistillation(e.g., eucalyptus oil) or expression (grapefruit oil). However, the term is

also occasionally used to describe fragrant oils extracted from plant material by any solvent extraction. Stress. Stress is a person's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition or a stimulus. Steam distillation. Steam distillation is a process of extracting essential oils from plant products through heating and evaporation process. Treatment. To give a natural way in search of a response.