Personal

Development
WEEK 4
 Personal Development
Becoming Capable and
Responsible Adolescent
Prepared for Adult Life
Personal Development
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 1: Title
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of the Government of the
Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for
exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks, etc.) included in this
module are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use
these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over
them.

Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writers: Morena S. Dela Cruz

Editors: Cesar Chester O. Relleve
Reviewers: Melanie Mae N. Moreno, Regicelle D. Cabaysa, Darwin D. Bargo,
Illustrator: Salvacion C. Montenegro
Layout Artist: Mark Laurence T. Tapas
Management Team: Wilfredo E. Cabral, Job S. Zape Jr., Elaine T. Balaogan, Fe M. Ong-ongowan, Christopher R. Diaz,
Juan R. Araojo, Jr, Cristina C. Salazar, Priscilla V. Salo, Anselmo C. Celeste Jr.

Department of Education – Region IV-A CALABARZON

Office Address: Gate 2 Karangalan Village, Barangay San Isidro

Cainta, Rizal 1800
Telefax: 02-8682-5773/8684-4914/8647-7487
E-mail Address: region4a@deped.gov.ph

70
Week

4
Lesson 7 Personal Development: Self-
Development – Identify ways that help one
become capable and responsible adolescent
prepared for adult life
Taking responsibility has been part of our daily living. Even when we are still
young, we were trained by our parents to take some duties. It is in this way that they
can raise us well by helping us become capable to whatever tasks we will be having
in the near future and become very much responsible to whatever obligations we
have to take as an individual and as part of a bigger community.

In this module you will learn more about how you can help yourself become
responsible adolescent in preparation for adulthood.

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
master the nature of Personal Development. The scope of this module permits it to
be used in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the
diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard
sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to
correspond with the textbook you are now using.

The lesson in this module is about Self-Development. After going through this
module, you are expected to:

1. Identify ways that help one become capable and responsible adolescent prepared
for adult life.

What’s In
Before we proceed any further let us have a quick review on what you have
learned in the previous module. Try to identify the significant people around you by
completing the semantic web below. Be guided by the letters provided in giving the
exact word.

__ACH_RS

P__R_ _IB_IN_S

LE_DE__ P_RE__S

__I_NDS

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 What’s New
What if you are placed in each of the situation given below, how would you
manage to triumphantly surpass the challenges of your life? Kindly discuss what
actions would you take to overcome each of the given situations.

Situation 1:

You are studying in public school and currently enrolled as Grade 11 student.
Your mother told you the other day that you are not going to finish Senior High
School anymore because she cannot afford to give you your daily allowance. Your
mom’s decision is against your will. What best move will you do to avoid dropping
out from school?
Situation 2:

You are freshmen college student. You are also given the chance for
scholarship grant by being a varsity player. You met a good-looking man/young lady.
You immediately find him/her attractive and wanted to be in a relationship with
him/her. How would you control yourself knowing that you must prioritize your
studies well?

Situation 3:

You are a working student and currently at your last year in college. Your
adviser reminded you to concentrate on your study for he will not give any special
considerations to working students to be fair with the other students. How would
you manage to meet his expectations?

What is It
Responsibility
Perhaps you are wondering what the main point of is giving your idea
answering activity in What’s New. It was set for you to see your sense of responsibility
intentionally and primarily over things.
If you have come up with better ideas by weighing things and considering
other matters precisely you have developed a good sense of responsibility. But before
we go any further how we do really define responsibility?
Responsibility is any moral, legal or mental obligation or duty that is directly
or indirectly entrusted to you by the people around from which you are held
accountable for whatever consequences or circumstance that may arrive in the
future.
In our community, young children are not given any responsibility at all nor
held responsible for their actions or negative thoughts. It is because they are not yet
fully grown up and cannot understand the consequences of their actions. As a young
kid they still must discover how to deal with the world of an adult by carefully
undergoing the long process. This process takes place through their day to day
experiences and/or through formal education.
As he/she gets older and learned things such as principles and laws that
constitute to being responsible for one’s own actions, he/she is little by little taking
a bulk of responsibility on his/her shoulder. Responsibility is part of growing up.

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This means no one can do away with having sets of responsibility. Out of this, we
can also conclude that being responsible is part of every man’s life.

Why Be Capable and Responsible Adolescent

Now that you have understood that responsibility is indeed one of the things
that comprise life, then perhaps you are asking, ‘Why do we need to become
responsible as an individual?’ ‘Why do we have to learn being responsible of our own
actions if this will certainly take place as we grow older?’
Aside from the fact that being responsible helps us become successful in many
aspects of life, we are being taught and trained to develop a great sense of
responsibility so that we will be capable of facing the consequences of our own
actions. As they say nobody can clean our own mess but ourselves alone.
Being capable and responsible adolescent means having a harmonious way of
living. A person who can do his/her own tasks and obligations will definitely gain the
appreciation of the people around him/her. This positive aura will lead him/her
become a responsible person.
Becoming responsible person performing his/her own sets of duties and
accountabilities is not as simple as one two three but as soon as it manifests in one’s
personality it has a greater impact to the community. People who are known for
his/her sense of responsibility also gain positive feedback from his/her colleagues,
peers and/or environment and it can create domino effect. He/she will serve as a
concrete example in his/her community. His/her way of living will become worthy of
emulation. Individuals who are being emulated by the whole community eventually
serve as the key for the good transformation of the society.

Common responsibilities of adolescents

Before becoming a full-grown responsible individual an adolescent like you
must be familiar and have a wider understanding on your sets of responsibilities
which have become the norms for you to be considered a responsible person. Below
are some of the common obligations that are expected from an adolescent like you.
1. Show respect to elders.
Adolescents are the model for the younger generation. Their way of
doing things, manner of dressing up, means of talking to elders are essential
for the younger ones as they look for someone who will serve as their role
model. Paying respect to elders would be one of the most valuable things an
adolescent can do in this critical stage that kids are trying to develop good
manners.
2. Take care of the younger ones.
Helping your parents to take care of your younger siblings is like
hitting two birds with one stone. Giving a hand to your parents as you take
their part in babysitting kids in the family is a means of showing respect to
them and a training ground for you to become a loving and caring parents in
the future. Preparing adolescents to become a responsible adult of the future
really starts within the family and it does not cost you a lot of money.
3. Study well.
Studying hard is not your obligation to your family rather it is your
personal responsibility. All this time that you find it difficult to understand
why your parents put a big and heavy burden on your shoulder by forcing you
to study harder you have to realize that they are only extending their

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 assistance to you so that as you take your turn in the society you’ll find it easy
to perform your role having the right amount of knowledge facing any and
every challenges that awaits you.
Accepting this obligation and overcoming the challenges of it will give
you a guarantee of living a bright future.
4. Avoid engaging to bad vices.
Along with performing your other personal duties you must also
distance yourself from bad vices and practices. First these activities will surely
mislead you from the principles of your parents and teachings of your school.
Second, engaging to bad vices will consequently draw you away from your
dreamed success and instead you might catch yourself struggling from
depression, self-blaming, tiring stage of self-pity and helpless phase of regrets.
In the end, you will live an unwanted life.
Nobody deserves to live an unhealthy life so start making it your goal
to live a life away from bad vices.
5. Establish a good identify.
Identity is what people seek as they try to take their role in their
community. Living with good identify will help you see all your potentials and
love yourself more. A lot of people will start to like working with you and this
would mean learning more.
6. Earn the trust of the people around.
Gaining the trust of the people that surrounds you is the fulfilling result
of creating your own identify. For example, if you are able to give a sense of
relief to others during the time they least expected it you’ll certainly earn their
trust and at times, they won’t be able to do things on their own they seek your
aid and rely on your presence. Being reliable becomes your dominant identity
and out of this you obtain trust from the people around.
Having people’s appreciation is just one of the wonderful effects of being
trustworthy. But aside from this you will find it amazing to do things on your
own because people have sufficient trust on you. Freedom is one of the good
consequences of being trustworthy. You are free to do things on your own,
choose the company you love and take risks on some matters without having
to make other people worry too much.

7. Distinguish good company from bad influence.

Living a happy life is everybody’s dream. For you to achieve
this kind of life as adolescent it is vital for you to learn to distinguish good
company from the bad ones. Even though, you have enough trust from your
parents and advisers you are still encouraged to seek their assistance as you
try to identify the qualities of a good company or people worthy of becoming
your closest friends. It is your level of willpower that helps you concretized
your success; however, your choice of company might hinder your strong will
to become successful. Learn to choose your company well.
8. Know yourself better.
One of the greatest responsibilities of an adolescent like you is to
become completely familiar with yourself. Knowing yourself is being able to
identify your strongest characteristic traits and personality. This includes
knowing your likes and dislikes. Obtaining a comprehensive understanding of
your abilities and capabilities is of great advantage for you to become
genuinely responsible and later be a fulfilled individual.

74
How to become capable and responsible person in preparation
for adult life
Getting teeners ready for their life ahead becomes the duty of the whole
society. There are numbers of suggestions and teachings on how you can really turn
into a responsible individual. Below are some of the common teachings of our
parents, advisers, and/or elders in our community on how we can establish sense of
responsibility within ourselves. Take time to read them.
Know your priority
Putting the most important things at the top of your priority is the best
strategy for you to have a good sense of direction. Having this enables you to identify
your goal and keep your concentration on it.
On the contrary, having too many priorities might give you too much pressure.
There is a big chance that you become anxious on where to begin with or how to
start. A young boy who becomes successful with one simple goal is greater that a
man with so many undelivered plans. Take it easy. Always remember one step at a
time.
Have focus
Prioritizing things out leads you to set your eyes to the most important things.
This will maximize your strong determination to accomplish your goals. This will give
you a clear mind and a clear objective as well. Having focused on one thing delivers
you from being efficient in your task/s applying effective strategies. Before you knew
it, you have already maximized your time and you are very much ready to fulfil
another task.
Be decisive
Being responsible is equal to being decisive. Decision making is one of the life
skills that teeners must have. Our life depends on how well we decide on things.
People most of the time are afraid of situation where they must critically decide on
things. This is because of their false understanding of being decisive. All this time
young people like you thinks that deciding on things means coming up with the right
decision. This idea is quite absurd for nobody can really say that what you have
chosen is the right one. It is only when you happen to see its impact that you will get
to say indeed it was right.
Rather, people must learn that being decisive means being assertive arriving
with the best decision you could come up with by carefully weighing things and
considering the logic implied in the situation. Therefore, before you become decisive
you must be assertive first.
Work diligently
For you to claim that you are such a responsible person you must have several
outputs to let people see how responsible person are you. Working with your job is
different from working diligently with your duties.
Taking time to do your work need not to be imposed to you rather you should
have the initiative to do each. Diligently working entails joyful atmosphere and
graceful aura. A lively spirit would always keep you blessed with ton of energy and
enthusiasm to work hard without complaining.

75
Don’t count at all
A real hard-working person does not count his/her duties instead he/she
works with the goal of finishing all the tasks. This is quite a simple way of becoming
responsible but of equal weight on some other guiding principles on how to become
responsible.
This character trait will let you have the right spirit to become responsible
individual and build camaraderie with your colleague developing sense of reliability
within you. Later on, this will give a great amount of circle of friends. On the other
hand, when you get used to counting the task you have finished, and the duties
endorsed to you it may appear so arrogant among your peers.
Stay humble
Having not to count what you have successfully accomplished will help you
keep your feet on the ground. A responsible person need not to boast every now and
then.
In some other circumstance, humility may also mean being able to accept your
mistakes and be apologetic. Apologizing for your own flaws and lapses is a clear
indication of humility. Acknowledging your imperfections and apologizing for it is a
clear manifestation that understanding the virtue of sense of responsibility is little
by little being accepted by your system and sets of principles.

Love your duty

Your passion towards the fulfilment of your duties can serve as the fuel that
will make you capable of fulfilling even the most impossible task and challenging
duty. It is your love towards your work that will drive you to the road of becoming
capable and responsible individual.
If diligence can bring out lively spirit in you, your love towards your sets of
obligations bring out all your undiscovered strengths. Loving your duty keeps your
day bright and will help you feel bored not tired even with the tasks commonly hated
by others.
Dedicate time
Loving your duty is not complete without dedicating your time. Being
responsible individual also requires you to dedicate enough amount of time.
Spending time doing your work is an important matter. It is when you dedicate your
time that all your effort will be materialized. Your goal to succeed will also be realized.

What’s More
Activity 1.1 Understanding Ways to Become Responsible
Activity 1.1. Yes or No
Write Yes if you agree with each of the statement and No if you do not.
______ 1. Sets of responsibility are given to a person at very young age.
______ 2. Responsibility is any set of obligations entrusted to every person.
______ 3. As a person becomes mature, he/she becomes of taking responsibility.
______ 4. All of us are capable of being responsible.
______ 5. Being responsible will help one grow into a mature person achieve more.

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Activity 1.2 Self-Check
Evaluate how capable are you with the each of the given statements using
the scale below.

3 – Very Much Capable

2 – Slightly Capable

1 – Not capable

No. Statements 3 2 1
1. I can make my plans for the whole week.
2. I can accomplish the activities or tasks I set for the week as I
planned them.
3. I can make sound decisions.
4. I can prove myself to others.
5. I can make other people trust me.
6. I can learn new things on my own.
7. I can see my own mistakes.
8. I can correct my mistakes.
9. I can change my point of view as I find the need to do so.
10. I can pull myself together whenever I feel so down.

Guide Questions

1. To what statement/s did you give yourself the lowest rating? The highest rating?
Explain your assessment.
2. How do you find your assessment towards your capabilities?
3. How can your knowledge of your own capabilities be carried out as you take
responsibilities in the future?

Activity 1.3 Steps of Becoming Responsible

In this activity you are to list the steps on how you can be capable and
responsible adolescent who is ready to face adult life. Name the four most relevant
and effective means that you have applied in your life. Use the stair diagram
below. Explain your concept using the guide questions.

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Guide Questions
1. What is so special with the steps you have mentioned in your diagram above?
2. How can these steps be of great help in making you responsible and confident
adolescent facing adulthood?

What I Have Learned

I am pretty sure you have gained so much from this module. Please feel free
to complete the phrases below.

From this module I fully understand that for me to become a responsible

individual requires me to be ________________________________________. From this day
on I will try to value _________________________________ so that I will
__________________________.

What I Can Do
After understanding the ways on how to become capable and responsible
adolescent, try to look forward and see how well you will prepare yourself in the
future. You are to prepare a matrix indicating your plans for the next 10 years. Kindly
use the template below. (Take the first example as your guide)

Year Activity/ies Strategies

2020-2021 Graduated in SHS I will study hard and finish

all my requirements.

2021-2022

2022-2023

2023-2024

2024-2025

2025-2026

2026-2027

2027-2028

2028-2029

2029-2030

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Assessment
Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Which among the statements below present the ways to become responsible?
a. Join different social gatherings.
b. Engage in a serious relationship.
c. Take care of the younger siblings.
d. Stop schooling and start working.

2. Which among the items below should you avoid to be responsible?

a. parents' advice
b. bad companies
c. school activities
d. household chores

3. Why is it important for adolescent to become responsible?

a. It is a way to get wealthy.
b. It is a way to gain friends.
c. It is a way to become popular.
d. It is a way to have a bright future.

4. Which among the items below does NOT lead to becoming responsible?
a. Set one’s priorities in life.
b. Dedicate time in doing all the tasks.
c. Become reliable doing things for others.
d. Forget the tasks which are hard for one to accomplish.

5. Which among the items below helps one to become responsible?

a. be tactful
b. work hard
c. set activities
d. be generous
6. Below are the participation of the parents in letting their child/children
become responsible EXCEPT __________.
a. Send them to school.
b. Look for their set of friends.
c. Train their child/children to pay respect to elders.
d. Assigned household chores for them to accomplish.

7. How should one accept his/her responsibility?

a. Be easygoing
b. Be pessimistic
c. Be affectionate
d. Be broad-minded

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 8. Why should one be held accountable for his/her responsibility?
a. It will give him/her another problem to solve.
b. It will make him/her regret all his/her actions.
c. It is an opportunity for him/her to become more responsible.
d. It is a chance for him/her to pass his/her obligation to others.

9. Below are the reasons why one should be very responsible in his/her studies
EXCEPT __________.
a. Studies make one reach in the future.
b. It is a means of paying the kindness of their parents.
c. It is a means of meeting a lot of people who can help you in the future.
d. Studies give any individual the opportunity to gain a better way of living.

10. Why should an adolescent be asked to take care of his/her siblings?

a. It is a means of discovering one’s abilities.
b. It is part of our obligation to the community.
c. It serves to lessen the tasks of the parents.
d. It serves as training ground for one to become responsible parents
in the future.

11. Why does showing respect to elders become the responsibility of adolescents?
a. They are the ones to replace the adult.
b. They are the role model of younger kids.
c. They are the right people to replace their parents.
d. They are the only person who understand their siblings.

12. What is likely to happen if an adolescent did NOT learn to become responsible?
a. He/She might find life difficult.
b. He/She might not enjoy his/her life.
c. He/She will obtain a happy marriage.
d. He/She will obtain a good career in the future.

13. What is likely to happen if one does NOT know how to prioritize things?
a. He/She will not succeed in life.
b. He/She might have unclear goals.
c. He/She will hate accepting duties.
d. He/She might get satisfying results.

14. What BEST way can parents trained their child/children to become
responsible?
a. Dictate what they have to do all the time.
b. Trust them and wait until they seek their help.
c. Leave them alone and let them be independent.
d. Give them tasks and guide them as they fulfill each.

15. How can one’s humility become his/her way to become responsible?
a. He/She will be able to acknowledge his/her fault.
b. He/She will be able to gain sympathy of other people.
c. He/She will be able to seek the assistance of other people.
d. He/She will be able to realize that it is hard to become responsible.

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 Additional Activities
Now that you have gained a complete understanding of the different ways of
becoming capable and responsible adolescent as well as its importance you should
understand that you must take the responsibility of examining yourself and take
actions to improve.
In order to do that you are to prepare a list of all your weaknesses and state
your plans on how you will try to improve each.

Kindly list down the ten most important things that you wish to improve after
two or three years. Use the template below.

Weaknesses Ways To Improve My Skills

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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 Personal Development
Understanding of Mental Health
and Psychological Well-being
Personal Development
Understanding of Mental Health and Psychological Well-being
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of the Government of the
Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for
exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks, etc.) included in this
module are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use
these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over
them.

Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writers: Maggel R. Anclote

Editors: Cesar Chester O. Relleve
Reviewers: Melanie Mae N. Moreno, Joseph Jay Aureada, Darwin D. Bargo,
Illustrator: Salvacion C. Montenegro
Layout Artist: Mark Laurence T. Tapas
Management Team: Wilfredo E. Cabral, Job S. Zape Jr., Elaine T. Balaogan, Fe M. Ong-ongowan, Christopher R. Diaz,
Juan R. Araojo, Jr, Cristina C. Salazar, Priscilla V. Salo, Anselmo C. Celeste Jr.

Department of Education – Region IV-A CALABARZON

Office Address: Gate 2 Karangalan Village, Barangay San Isidro

Cainta, Rizal 1800
Telefax: 02-8682-5773/8684-4914/8647-7487
E-mail Address: region4a@deped.gov.ph

82
Week

4
Lesson 8 Stress and Mental Health
“You can’t change how people treat you or what they say about you. All you
can do is change how you react to it” -Mahatma Gandhi

Each of us has our own battle. We encounter different challenges in life, and
it is up to us on how to deal with each challenge. Nowadays, most adolescents like
you deal with different issues with friends, family, academics, relationships, and even
pressure that could lead to stress and worst -depression. There are several ways on
how to deal and cope with stress. Most of the time, dealing with stress differs from
person to person. It is better to assess yourself first for you to know what strategy
you can easily adapt to deal with stress.

What I Need to Know

This module was made and written to help you understand mental health and
psychological wellbeing. The scope of this module allows you to identify personal
ways of coping for healthful living. It discusses stress and its underlying facts that
can affect one’s wellbeing. It also talks about various stress responses are needed to
be addressed through familiarizing with understanding the ways to healthful living
so that you could take right decision to cope with this devastating and breaking down
experiences. Having knowledge about this lesson may help you manage the problems
that this life may bring, and may not affect your performance in whatever activity
you are engaged in. The language used recognizes the needs of the learners. The
lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in
which you read them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now
using.

The content of this lesson is about “Understanding Mental Health and

Psychological Well-being”

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. define what is stress;
2. define what is mental health;
3. discuss understanding of mental health and psychological well-being to
identify ways to cope with stress during adolescence;

What’s In
As you learned on the previous module, happiness depends on you alone.
Being happy is something that you must declare on yourself. We are all responsible
for our own happiness. We take control of the things that will give impact and
influence on our life. Imagine, you are browsing your Facebook timeline, and you
saw the following pictures posted by your friends. On another sheet of paper, draw
the reaction you will give in each post.

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YOUR REACTIONS:

What’s New
Color the Fun Game
On this activity, you will need crayons and paper. Get a sheet of paper and
make a table just like the example below. Get another piece of paper, divide it into
12 then color each pair (red, orange, yellow, blue, green, and violet), making 2 sets
of color. After coloring the paper, crumple and make a tiny circle just like nips. Pick

84
one from those paper (do this like a lottery). Answer the table below according to the
color you picked. Do this until you finish all the 12 crumpled papers.

COLOR OF THE NIPS TASK ANSWER

RED What makes you feel
angry?

YELLOW What makes you feel

loved?

ORANGE What makes you feel

lonely/sad?

BLUE What makes you feel

happy or excited?

GREEN What makes you feel

worried or afraid?

VIOLET What makes you feel

relaxed or chill?

After doing the activity, what did you feel? Were you able to recall memories that
make you feel happy? sad? lonely? angry? afraid? relaxed? How did your heart react
on each color? Did it beat fast? When you wrote down your answers, did you still
have the same feeling you felt with those things? Have you moved on to the things
that made you cry? Did you feel uncomfortable?

What is It
As a Senior High School student, you’re probably plenty familiar with the
experience of stress—a condition characterized by symptoms of physical or
emotional tension. An individual may feel when he/she is struggling to accept
changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. It may give tension which
will lead into various responses such as anger, frustration, and nervousness. What
you may not know is that it’s a natural response of the mind and body to a situation
in which a person feels threatened or worried. Stress can be positive (the excitement
of preparing for your 18th birthday) or negative (dealing with a loss of a family
member).

As to human condition, stress first appeared in the 1930’s in scientific

literature and became common until the 1970s (Lyon, 2012). In the present age,
stress was used to describe a variety of unpleasant feelings such as overtime we feel
angry, conflicted, overwhelmed, frustrated, or fatigued.

Demanding or threatening events are often referred as stressors. These events

can cause stress, the organism’s biological and behavioral response to the stressor.

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Stress as Stimulus, Response and Relational

Stress as Stimulus
Researchers have conceptualized stress as a demanding or threatening event
or situation (e.g., a high-stress job, overcrowding, and long commutes to work). Such
conceptualizations are known as Stress as stimulus definitions because they
characterize stress as a stimulus that causes certain reactions. Stimulus-based
definitions of stress are problematic, however, because they fail to recognize that
people differ in how they view and react to challenging life events and situations. For
example, a studious student who has studied very well in all subject for the first
quarter would likely experience less stress during examination than would a less
responsible, unprepared student.

Stress as Response
Other researchers have conceptualized stress in ways that emphasize the
physiological responses that occur when faced with demanding or threatening
situations (e.g., increased arousal). These conceptualizations are referred to as
response-based definitions because they describe stress as a response to
environmental conditions. For example, the endocrinologist Hans Selye, a famous
stress researcher, once defined stress as the “response of the body to any demand,
whether it is caused by, or results in, pleasant or unpleasant conditions” (Selye,
1976, p. 74). Selye’s definition of stress is response-based in that it conceptualizes
stress chiefly in terms of the body’s physiological reaction to any demand that is
placed on it. Neither stimulus-based nor response-based definitions provide a
complete definition of stress. Many of the physiological reactions that occur when
faced with demanding situations (e.g., accelerated heart rate) can also occur in
response to things that most people would not consider to be truly stressful, such as
receiving unexpected good news: an unexpected academic award.

Stress as Relational
When a person is experiencing stress takes a step back to look at the situation
that is causing the stress and reflect on it.

When an individual’s resources are more than enough to deal with the difficult
situation, that person may feel little stress. When an individual realizes that his or
her resources is just enough to deal with the circumstances but only at the cost of
great effort, that person may feel a moderate amount of stress. But, when an
individual knew that resources is not enough to meet the stressing event, that person
may feel a great deal of stress. Stress, then is determined by the person-environment
fit.

There are two kinds of appraisals of a stressor: primary and secondary

appraisals. A primary appraisal involves judgment about the degree of potential
harm or threat to an individual that a stressor might demand. A stressor would likely
be appraised as a threat if one expect that it could lead to some kind of harm, loss,
or other negative consequence; conversely, a stressor would likely be appraised as a
challenge if one believes that it carries the potential for gain or personal growth. For
example, a grade 12 student was elected as the President of the Student Council.

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This leadership position would likely be perceived as a threat if that student believed
that it would lead to excessive work demands, or this position would likely be
perceived as an opportunity if that student will view it positively to gain new skills
and enhance ability. Similarly, a Senior High School graduate on the point of
graduation may face the change as a threat or a challenge

Sometimes stress can be good. For example, it can help you develop the skills
needed to manage potentially challenging or threatening situations in life. However,
stress can be harmful when it is severe enough to make you feel overwhelmed and
out of control. Strong emotions like fear, sadness, or other symptoms of depression
are normal, if they are temporary and do not interfere with daily activities. If these
emotions last too long or cause other problems, it is a different story.

Mental Health
As defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is a condition of being sound
mentally and emotionally that is characterized by the absence of mental illness and
by adequate adjustment especially as reflected in feeling comfortable about oneself.
It is also a positive feeling about others, and the ability to meet the demands of daily
life. Having a good mental health is also a state of the overall wellbeing of a person
associated with, can set and aim your goals, enjoying your life to the fullest, can have
and maintain a good relationship with other people especially your classmates and
colleagues and lastly, you are able to manage and recover from loneliness and stress.
A good mental health does not necessarily mean being happy or successful all the
time. Most people feel depressed, lonely, or anxious now and then, but those with
good mental health can take these feelings in stride and overcome them. When such
feelings or moods persist and interfere with a person’s ability to function normally,
though, it may be a sign of a more serious mental health problem and time to seek
help.

Wellbeing is the holistic view of our self and our health. As an adolescent,
several factors that could influence your wellbeing such as pressure due to exams,
assignments and projects, family issues, financial status, relationships among other
people, and mobile addiction. It is your task to cope with stress and manage your
mental health.
Having a good mental health means that you are stable enough to face
challenges brought by the different daily circumstances. Whatever life may bring to
you, you can ‘bounce back’ and get to action again.

Mental Health Indicators

Here are some known indicators of mental health:

 Emotional well-being: life satisfaction, happiness, cheerfulness, peacefulness.

 Psychological well-being: self-acceptance, personal growth including openness
to new experiences, optimism, hopefulness, purpose in life, control of one’s
environment, spirituality, self-direction, and positive relationships.
 Social well-being: social acceptance, belief in the potential of people and
society, personal self-worth and usefulness to society and a sense of
community.

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What’s More
Activity 1.1 Understanding mental health and psychological wellbeing
to identify ways to cope with stress.
After knowing what mental health and the nature of stress are, below is a word
puzzle. Search the terms on the puzzle below. Description of the terms are given.

1. The condition that individual may feel when he/she is struggling to accept
changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.
2. It is caused by situations that may be life threatening or life changing.
3. Something that causes stress or tension.
4. It is the way the body reacts to challenging situations.
5. A positive feeling about others, and the ability to meet the demands of daily
life
6. The holistic view of our self and our health.
7. When a person is experiencing stress, he takes a step back to look at the
situation that is causing the stress and reflects on it.
8. A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the
activity of certain cells or organ.
9. A practical contact with and observation of facts or events.
10. A natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood,
or relationships with others.

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 What I Have Learned
Activity 1.2 Sharing is caring
In this activity, you will write the threats and opportunities of the given situation.
Use the illustrations below to indicate your answers. Write your answer on a separate
sheet of paper.

Consistent first honor from Transferring from another school

grade 7-10
THREATS:
THREATS:

OPPORTUNITIES:
OPPORTUNITIES:

Elected as the Class President Having your first

boyfriend/girlfriend
THREATS:
THREATS:

OPPORTUNITIES:
OPPORTUNITIES:

In this activity, you will write the things that you’ve learned by writing your own
definition of the following terms.

1. STRESS
2. STRESSOR
3. MENTAL HEALTH

What I Can Do
Learning the Skill: Stress as Stimulus, Response and Relational
1. List down experience that you had when it comes to stress.
2. Identify whether it is stress as stimulus, response, or relational.
3. On the fourth table, write ways on how you can nurture your mental health
and wellbeing.

Stress as Stress as Stress as Mental health

Stimulus Response Relational

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 Assessment
Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. It is the physical and mental response of the body to the demands made
upon it.
a. stress
b. response
c. hormones
d. mental health
2. It is better known as stress hormone.
a. Cortisol
b. adrenalin glands
c. hormones
d. cells
3. It is the causes of strain or tension.
a. stimulus
b. stressor
c. stress hormones
d. nervous system
4. It is a simple reaction to an input that disturbs physical and mental balance.
a. emotion
b. stress
c. depression
d. experience
5. The given examples such as: a high-stress job, overcrowding, and long
commutes to work is under what categories of stress.
a. stress as result
b. stress as stimulus
c. stress as response
d. stress as relational
6. When performing deep abdominal breathing, focusing on a soothing word,
visualizing of tranquil scenes, repeating prayer, yoga, and tai chi, are
performing what category of stress.
a. stress as result
b. stress as stimulus
c. stress as response
d. stress as relational
7. The trouble that comes from imperfect people around us is what category of
stress?
a. stress as result
b. stress as stimulus
c. stress as response
d. stress as relational

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 8. Which is NOT true about stress?
a. If you ignore stress, it will go away.
b. Women appear more distress than men.
c. Stress is hormonal response from the body.
d. Stress can overburden your mind with incessant worries.
9. which of the following does not describe mental health?
a. a condition of being sound mentally and emotionally that is
characterized by the absence of mental illness
b. a positive feeling about others, and the ability to meet the demands of
daily life
c. easily giving up with life challenges and doubting yourself
d. being able to manage and recover from loneliness and stress

10. The following are the factors that can influence your wellbeing except
a. tv news
b. pressure from school activities
c. financial issue
d. family problem

Additional Activities
To nurture your mental health and wellbeing, fill in the graphic organizer. State the
things that you do with your five senses to have a good mental health and wellbeing .

sight

movement smell

YOU

touch hearing

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education - Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR)

Ground Floor, Bonifacio Bldg., DepEd Complex

Meralco Avenue, Pasig City, Philippines 1600

Telefax: (632) 8634-1072; 8634-1054; 8631-4985

Email Address: blr.lrqad@deped.gov.ph * blr.lrpd@deped.gov.ph

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