Effects of Having a Romantic Relationship on the

Academic Performance
of 2nd Year BMLS Students
A Research Paper
Presented to the
Department of Medical Laboratory Science
School of Natural Sciences
Saint Louis University, Baguio City

As a Final Requirement
To the subject
Community and Public Health

MARCOS, Romar A.
MARTIN, Jose Anton Miguel A.
PADAONG, Emmanuel P.
ORFANO, Danica L.
PANINGBATAN, Kristine B.
PARILLA, Kristine Chelle R.
Researchers

Mr. Nino Pimentel Emocling, RMT

Adviser
May 7, 2016

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of engaging into romantic relationships to the
academic performance of 2nd Year BMLS Students of Saint Louis University, Baguio City. Romantic love
is a deep emotional, sexual and spiritual recognition and regard for the value of another person and
relationship. A descriptive correlational analysis was conducted to investigate the association of engaging
into romantic relationships to a sample of 50 students who are engaged into romantic relationships,
questionnaires were given to gather the necessary information to illustrate and interpret the results. The
result shows that there are more participants which relate engaging in romantic relationship has a positive
result on the academic performance; anxiety and time management of students.
Keywords: Romantic relationship, Romance, Relationship, Academic Performance, Love, Motivation,
Time management, Stress, School works, Commitment, College students

INTRODUCTION
Romantic love and dating is a part of a society because it includes human relationships behaviour
of adolescence involved in romantic relationship. School is a social institution and the most common
agent of socialization that can possibly be affected by relationship status. Teenagers who engage in
romantic relationship were often challenged in balancing the relationship and academics. This challenge
gives a pressure on them to maintain the romantic side and academic works at the same time (Crissey,
2006). We can say nowadays that most university students are synchronizing their time in both academic
and romantic aspect.
There are benefits in having a romantic relationship such as companionship, feeling of happiness ,
exclusivity, feeling loved, intimacy, self-growth, and self-understanding, and more positive self-esteem
(Campbell& Oliver, 1994) One beneficial effect of romantic relationship to academic performance is that
it gives an inspiration to the students involved ( Crissey,2006). Romantic relationship has a great role in
the academic performance of adolescence. Parents, peers, and partners, on the other hand, cooperate,
collaborate, and enriched the learning experience(Lucas & Corpuz, 2007). In this way, adolescents who

are more knowledgeable can help in the cognitive development of their partner. Because on past studies
has indicated that having a partner who is supportive and motivational can help a significant to others to
do well.

However, Romantic relationships do not always behave in a positive way there are instances in
which romantic relationships may harm adolescence (Luqman, 2009). It is publicized that the effect of
romantic love generate many powerful feelings, more like cocaine under the Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (MRI) It can provide a profound ecstasy, and a deep suffering when frustrated. This situation
implies frequent break-ups which cause anxiety among adolescents Connolly & Johnson (cited in
Weichold & Barber, 2008). Romantic relationships for college students consume a lot of time. This
implies that the time that they must allot on studying is consumed by spending their time with their
partner (Myers, 2010). However, other researchers found that college students who dated had better
accademic performance and life satisfaction than students who did not date (Bailey & Miller, 1998). It is
also pointed out that some costs which are found in romantic relationship; namely stress and increase
dependence on partner, fights, time and effort investment and feeling wore about the self which can be
said to be the cause of anxiety of students.

The researchers were interested to know the effect of romantic relationship in the academic
performance of 2nd year BMLS students who are involved in such, whether they are able to bring about
or manage their time efficiently or not.

The main problem of this study is how romantic relationship has an effect on the academic
performance of 2nd Year BMLS students, it is also to find out whether depression can affect the academic
performance of the student. To determine how students manage their time wisely and to find out ways on
how the students cope upon the stress brought by engaging in romantic relationship.

The significance of this study is to guide students on how to manage their priorities and
responsibilities even if theyre engage in romantic relationship. Findings of this study would also raise the
awareness of the students about the positive or negative effects of engaging in a relationship.
METHOD

This study made use of a descriptive approach, wherein facts and information were collected and
systematically organized and interpreted. This study established its interest on the effects of having
romantic relationship on the academic performance of 2nd year BMLS Students. Since it talks about the
actions and behavior of the student, consequently descriptive method is used since it involves observing
and describing the subjects emotional and psychological aspects.
The study will be conducted in Saint Louis University, Baguio City particularly the BMLS
students under the School of Natural Sciences. SLU is the top performing school when it comes to the
field of Medical Laboratory Science. SLU is also known as the Light of the North. This study will be
administered from March May, 2016.
The target population will be consisting of both male and female second year BMLS Students,
especially those who are involved in a romantic relationship. The researchers made use of a purposive
type of sampling method in the selection of the respondents. The study was focused on a particular group
of students involved in a romantic relationship. Fifty (50) students were chosen as the respondent of the
study. Questionnaires were given to the respondents to gather the necessary information that is needed for
this study. Results are presented in graphs and charts for easier and more organized interpretation of the
data.

RESULTS and FINDINGS

FIGURE 1. Percentage of students motivated to do school

works when partner is around
Strongly Agree

Agree

Undecided

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

0% 0%
10%
30%

60%

Figure shows that 60% of the 2nd year BMLS students agreed that they are motivated to do school
works when partner is around while 10% of them are undecided. This shows that majority of the students
are motivated to do their school works when their partner is with them.

FIGURE 2. Percentage of students who are motivated to

study when they are with their partner
Strongly Agree

Agree

Undecided

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

0% 0%
24%

26%

50%

Figure 2 shows the percentage of students who are motivated to study when they are with their
partner. 76% of them agree and 24% of them disagree. This shows that students are able to study when
they are with their partner.

FIGURE 3. Percentage of students who are diligent

when they are with their partner
Strongly Agree

Agree

Undecided

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

2% 4%
20%

18%

56%

Figure 3 shows the percentage of students who are diligent when they are with their partner.
About 4% only of the respondent, strongly disagree that they are diligent when they are with their partner.
And 56% of them agreed that they are diligent when they are with their partner. This shows that engaging
in a romantic relationship have a positive effect in the academic performance of the 2nd year BMLS
students.

FIGURE 4. Percentage of students who are able to

catch up with their lessons after skipping class for
their partner
Strongly Agree

Agree

Undecided

20%

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

8%

35%

14%
23%

Figure 4 shows the percentage of students who are able to catch up with their studies after
skipping their classes for their partner. The figure shows that 35% of the students agree that they are able
to catch up, 23% percent of them are undecided and 20% of them strongly disagree. This shows that
students may not always be able to catch up with their studies when they skip classes for their partner.

FIGURE 5. Percentage of students who can still

concentrate in their studies while having
misunderstanding
Strongly Agree

Agree

Undecided

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

12% 17%
21%
15%

35%

Figure 5 shows the percentage of students who can still concentrate in their studies while having a
misunderstanding with their partner. The figure shows that 52% of the students are still able to
concentrate, 15% are undecided and the remaining 29% of the students are not able to concentrate. This
shows that majority of the students are able to focus their attention to studying while having
misunderstanding with their partner.

FIGURE 6. Percentage of students who think they can

get higher grade when they are involved in romantic
relationship
4% 4%
14%

Strongly Agree
Agree

28%

Undecided
Disagree
50%

Strongly Disagree

Figure 6 shows the percentage of students who think they can get higher grade when they are
involved in romantic relationship. 64% of the students agree, 28% are undecided and 8% of them
disagreed. This shows that students are optimistic about having high grades when they are involved in a
romantic relationship.

FIGURE 7. Strategies of 2nd year BMLS students

engage in Romantic Relationship in coping up
with stress and depression
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Figure 7 shows the strategies of 2nd BMLS students engaged in Romantic relationship in coping
up with stress and depression. The data shows that hanging out with family is the most effective way in
coping up with stress and depression about 2nd year BMLS students who are engaged in romantic
relationship.
ACKNOWLEGEMENT
We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all the people who contributed
in order for this research to be successful. We gratefully acknowledge our very responsible and
industrious instructor, Mr. Nino P. Emocling, for assisting us in conducting this study. To our respondents
who answered our questionnaire with honesty and for trusting us. Above all, we thank the Almighty God
for giving us strength and wisdom.
DISCUSSION
This study is about the correlation of romantic relationship with the academic performance of 2nd
year BMLS students which was tested. The researchers selected the 2 topmost factors. The first factor is
related to the motivation and anxiety that are considered to affect the academic performance of the
students. In addition, the stress and depression was seen in times when break-ups and misunderstanding

arises between partners. In order to answer the main problem of the study which is, the effects of romantic
relationship on the academic performance of the 2nd year BMLS students, the data are gathered through
the distribution of the survey questionnaire to (50) fifty 2nd year BMLS students that are engaged in
romantic relationship. The data gathered were then tailed and presented in tabulated and textual form and
was interpreted. The researchers found out that 50% of the 2 nd year BMLS student who are engaged in a
romantic relationship, are optimistic that they can get higher grades when they are involved in a romantic
relationship and about 4% strongly disagree. Meaning to say that having engaged in a romantic
relationship is somewhat have a positive effect on the academic performance of 2nd year BMLS students.
It was also shown on the results that majority of students are able to manage their time wisely by
doing their school works and able to catch up with studies even when having misunderstandings and
quarrels with their partner. This show that engaging to romantic relationship does not have a significant
effect on the time management of the students.
The data also showed that stress eating, doing leisure activities and hanging out with family and
friends are the common ways of the students to cope up with the stress that is brought about by romantic
relationship.

CONCLUSION
This study provides significant information about the association between engagement to
romantic relationship and academic performance of the students. The findings of the study provided
sufficient data to further conclude that more than 50% of the samples said that having a romantic
relationship has a positive result on the academic performance; anxiety and time management of 2nd year
BMLS students.

RECOMMENDATION
For future research studies on this topic, the researchers strongly recommend that larger sample
shall be used to better represent the whole population and to gather more data that will supplement in the
interpretation and conclusion of this study.
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