CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction

A huge number of young adults are experiencing Quarter Life Crisis (Patel, A.

(2017) and based from different researches and other organizations. It is very alarming to

discover that there are a lot of people suffering from this crisis. Undergoing this stage

may affect a person’s way of life, most probably, in how they look at themselves or their

Self-Worth.

According to Dr. Alex Fowke (2017), a Clinical Psychologist, Quarter Life Crisis the

period of insecurity, doubt, and disappointment surrounding a person’s career,

relationships and financial situations. Dr. Fowke also believes that this crisis has become

increasingly prominent in recent years due to the fact that there is a substantial pressure

that younger generation are facing, especially when compared to older generation.

This Quarter Life Crisis is commonly experienced by most young adults worldwide,

according to the statistics from the research in United Kingdom, 72 percent of young

professionals have already experienced this said “Quarter Life Crisis”, which leads them

to re-assess their career path and life choices (LinkedIn, 2017). In Malaysia, young

Malaysians are facing increasing pressure to succeed personally and professionally before

they turn 30, said that they’ve definitely experienced this said crisis (LinkedIn, 2018).
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There is also a study according to statistics provided by JSBR Consulting Center, a

Beijing-based psychological consultation organization, people in their 30’s account for

over 41 percent of the population that suffers from anxiety in 2016, the highest

proportion compared with other age groups (Global Times, 2016). And another study

which was led by Dr. Oliver Robinson, out of 2,000 respondents in Great Britain aging

from 25 to 35, young adults are finding it difficult to make ends meet, and has stressed

out trying to find a job (First Direct Bank, 2018). Regardless of nationality, there is no

exemption with regard in this type of situation. It is mostly occurring in the early part of

young adult stage, approximately in the age of 20’s.

In the Philippines, 87 percent of young working professionals aging from 25 to 33

years old are experiencing this Quarter Life crisis (LinkedIn, 2018). The study’s

respondents said that the dream job that they were expecting since they were young

contributed to their crisis. Failure to meet their expectations into reality causes them to

feel unsecured of their status. They also said that their job does not support them

accordingly and does not satisfies them. On the condition that the researches that were

conducted in different countries and most especially in the Philippines, in spite of the

person’s career choice and status, Quarter Life Crisis is a challenge people won’t miss.

If the quarter life crisis will be experienced by the young adults, then they will also

question their worth as a person. The concept is related to Covington's Self-Worth

Theory, a person’s value or worth is highly dependent on the person’s achievement in

life. There is a pervasive tendency to equate accomplishment with human value,

individuals are thought to be only as worthy as their achievements. The more a person
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achieves success in life, the more the self-worth arises. The Self-Worth Theory of

Covington (1998) indicated four elements, the Ability, Effort, Performance and Self-

Worth. In order to acquire self-worth, these four elements must be present in

accomplishing achievement. A person must have the ability to do something in order to

achieve goal, must show effort in accomplishing tasks, and show quality performance in

achieving goals in order to obtain the last element which is the Self-Worth itself

The numbers of people who are experiencing the quarter life crisis throughout the

world are very alarming. The researchers motivated to conduct this research due to the

lack of program on this matter that needs to be established. The researcher also aims to

determine one’s Level of Quarter Life Crisis and Level of Self-Worth that may help the

young professionals and also other young adults experiencing quarter life crisis.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the relationship between Quarter Life Crisis and Self-

Worth of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, teachers. Specifically, it will answer the

following questions.

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of

1.1 Level of Quarter Life Crisis

1.2 Level of Self-Worth

2. Is there any significant relationship between the Level of Quarter Life Crisis and

Level of Self-Worth?
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3. Based on the results, what intervention program will be beneficial to the Notre

Dame of Dadiangas University faculty who are experiencing Quarter Life Crisis?

Research Hypothesis

Ho1. There is a no significant relationship between Level of Quarter Life Crisis and

Level of Self-Worth among Notre Dame of Dadiangas University Faculty.

Significance of the Study

The study will be beneficial to the following:

Young adults. Individuals who are facing a new chapter of their life especially in a

starting of their career. This is the stage wherein Quarter Life Crisis is most likely to be

present and experienced by the young adults. They will benefit from this study for which

they are the primary victim of this crisis.

Young Professionals. They are the young adults which has a profession in the

current time. They will benefit the outcome of this study for which the study caters the

struggles they are about to experience or they may be experiencing at this very moment

which is the “Quarter Life Crisis”. They are basically the main respondents of the study.

Future Researchers. This study may provide reliable information to the future

researchers who wish to explore more about the topic of Quarter Life Crisis and Self-

Worth. Further research in accordance to this study may be conducted and this research

may be a basis of such event.

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Mental Health Professional. The study could be a basis for creating new techniques

or programs on catering the problems about Self-Worth most especially to those who are

experiencing Quarter Life Crisis.

Parents/Guardians. By the outcome of this study, parents could possibly

understand more about their children’s Self –Worth and on the crisis that their child is

experiencing. This could establish more family connection with each other.

Researchers. The study will be significant to the researchers, for which they will be

exploring and would be able to gaining new sets of knowledge about Quarter Life Crisis.

The outcome will be a huge contribution to the growing body of knowledge,

Scope and Delimitation

This study is to conduct to determine and analyze the relationship between Quarter

Life Crisis and Self-Worth of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University faculty. The

respondents of this study are limited to the Senior High and College Faculty of Notre

Dame of Dadiangas University whose ages ranged from 20-35 years old where the young

adults started to their professions and experiencing quarter life crisis.

Further, to fully conduct the investigation, the researchers should consider having an

intervention program that could be beneficial to the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University

faculty experiencing quarter life crisis.

The data will be deriving from the respondents in the given researchers-made

questionnaire based on quarter life crisis and self-worth; the test administration of the

researchers-made questionnaire. Each of the respondents has their questionnaire and the
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researchers are going to interpret and analyze the given data from the respondents and

gives interpretation after getting the results.

Definition of Terms

These are the terms that are conceptually and operationally define for better

understanding of the readers:

Faculty. This refers to the teacher staff of the institution especially the College and

Senior High Faculty of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University. In this study, it refers to the

respondents.

Quarter Life Crisis. Refers to the period of insecurity, doubt, and disappointment

surrounding a person’s career, relationships and financial situations (Dr. Fowke,

2018).Quarter Life Crisis, in this study, is utilized as a phenomenon experienced by

teachers that lead to fluctuation of Self-Worth.

Self-Worth. This term defined as one’s own view of its value according to

accomplishment. It is determined using the four elements of Self-Worth; these are the

Ability, Effort, Performance and Self-Worth(Covington, 1998).In this study, it pertains to

the value as a person and how the person perceives to oneself in life.

Young Adults. Defined as person within the age range of 18 to 40 years old (Erikson,

1959). It refers to the early part of young adulthood, it is where a person seeks its first job

and even its mate, and basically it is where Quarter Life Crisis is mostly to occur.

Young Professionals. This refers to the young adults, aging from 20 to 35 years old

who has a current job/profession.