Academic Concerns and Coping Strategies of Junior High School Students in Liloan National High School with Overseas Filipino Worker Parents

Students with Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) parents face a unique set of challenges that can impact their emotional stability and academic life. This study aimed to quantitatively assess the academic struggles, coping strategies, and academic performance of Junior High School students with OFW parents at Lilo-an National High School. The study employed a descriptive-quantitative research design utilizing the survey method. The respondents comprised twenty (20) Junior High School students selected through purposive sampling based on specific criteria: enrollment in the current school year and having at least one parent working abroad for over one year. Data were collected using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire to measure the frequency of academic concerns and coping mechanisms, alongside a document analysis of the students' General Weighted Average (GWA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, specifically weighted mean and frequency distribution. The findings revealed that the most significant academic hurdle for these students is "stress and anxiety about schoolwork," which ranked highest with a weighted mean of 3.35, followed by the "struggle to ask for help" with a mean of 3.15. Contrary to the assumption of isolation, "feeling lonely or unsupported" received the lowest severity score with a mean of 2.25. In terms of coping strategies, the students identified "communicating with parents abroad through calls/messaging" as their primary coping mechanism with a mean of 4.75, significantly outranking reliance on local family members with a mean of 3.20. Furthermore, the document analysis indicated high academic resilience, with 100% of respondents achieving satisfactory to outstanding grades (GWA of 80 or above) despite their reported stress. Overall, the quantitative data suggests a "resilient but anxious" profile for OFW children. While they maintain high academic performance through internal motivation and "digital parenting" support, they suffer from significant internalized stress. The study recommends the implementation of school-based stress management programs and time-management workshops to support the mental well-being of this specific demographic.