sample chapter v

CHAPTER V

PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Respondent’s profile

This portion will present the vital profile of respondents as to their age range, sex distribution (whether they are male or female), their course, their length of stay in college, their present residence vis-avis the University of Cebu and their Intelligent Quotient (IQ) profile. The informations mentioned above are essential for the researcher in drawing out the general profile of the 150 respondents in the study. The same information is hoped to offer probable explanations concerning knowledge, attitude and decision making skill of students taking psychology 1 subject.
Literatures (Skripak et al., 2000, 01) pointed out the relationship between age range and the probability of getting infected with HIV/AIDS. According to studies, the age group16-24 has the greater number of fatalities of HIV/AIDS. Another study pointed out that in the United States HIV/AIDS has been the leading cause of death among 25-44 year-old. Nevertheless, the same age group are the one’s seen in college as students or professionals. The presentation below provides the data of the age group of the participants of the study. The information will then be related to the subjects’ degree of vulnerability to the virus. The age group of respondents would also indicate to the relevance of the HIV/AIDS integration lessons.



Table 2
Distribution of Respondents to Age Group
n=150

Age Rage Frequency Percentage

16-20 121 80%

21-25 25 17%

26-30 3 2%

31-above 1 1%
Total 150 100%


The data above revealed that eighty percent of respondents belong to the age bracket 16-20. About 1 in every 6 respondents fall under the age bracket 21-25 while a negligible percentage of respondents belongs to the age bracket 26-30 and 31 above.
It can be gleaned from table 1 that the respondents fit in the so called “high risk group” of being infected with HIV/AIDS. This is so because such an age group is the ones who would frequent bars and red light districts, who are happy go lucky and are easily influenced by “barkadas” (friends) because at this stage they start to distance themselves from the influenced of their parents. Erikson (1980) described the age group as the one belonging the adolescent to young adulthood categories. Furthermore, such a group maybe in the stage of identity crisis or role confusion, thus would need proper guidance and enough cognition as they try to explore the world. The integration of HIV/AIDS lesson proved to be too essential for the said age-group because the lessons, if effectively taught of, would become the shield against negative forces thus would free them from untoward incidents later in life especially on incidents related to HIV/AIDS infection.

A lecture on Understanding Sexuality given by a University of the Philippines professor (Batangan, 2001) pointed out that gender differences is an important determinant as to the involvement of oneself to issues on sexuality. While females are culturally perceived to be more passive on sexuality issues, male on the other hand, are seen as the ones who are highly involved and are open about their knowledge and experiences related to sexuality. The research pointed further that the process of being sexual is seen mainly as a male activity. Expressions of young female sexuality are seen as undesirable and dangerous. On the other hand, male engage usually in sexual encounters with a causal acquaintance or a sex workers.
The researcher found the data on sex distribution relevant in the study because it would provide data as to the extent of involvement of the respondents on the lessons on HIV/AIDS considering their sexuality. Theoretically speaking, there is positive and eager response to lessons on HIV/AIDS in class when majority of respondents belong to male group. The data of gender differences may provide the researcher as well with data as to the extent of exposure of the respondents to the risks of being infected with HIV/AIDS. The more the male gender are dominant in the study, the greater the exposure of the same respondents to HIV/AIDS considering the perceive hyperactivity of the later to sexual issues and activities.
Table 3
Sex Distribution of Respondents
n=150

Sex Categories Frequency Percentage


Male 64 43%

Female 86 57%

Total 150 100%

The data on table 2 revealed that the female respondent dominates over the male respondents with 57 percent and 43 percent respectively. The data proved that sex distribution of respondent is almost evenly distributed. The issue therefore, on the degree on involvement of respondents to the lesson on HIV/AIDS and risk exposure of respondents will not be muddled by gender differences. However, a slight dominance of female samples in the study posted a challenge to the researcher in the integration of the HIV/AIDS lesson especially to the participation of the latter to the activities that will be conducted during the sessions. The initial behavior of the respondents during the early part of the session is characterized by passivity. This maybe because of the dominant gender of the sample.
In order to deepen the understanding of the profile of respondents, the researcher made use of the data on the course distribution of respondent. Such information is important in determining what course respondents commonly take. However remote this possibility maybe but the course choosen by students may have exposed them to issues HIV/AIDS lessons to a certain degree while others do not. Although such lesson is generally discussed to practically all courses offered at the University of Cebu, there are those degree programs within the University that oftentimes include such issue to their lessons, especially those programs that deal more with health and in human relations. Thus, the data below is practically essential baseline information for the researcher in relation to his present study.










Table 4
Programs Respondents are Enrolled
n=150

Courses Frequency Percentage
BS Commerce 70 47%
AB 28 19%
BS Comp. Eng. 18 12%
BSIT 14 9%
BSOA 11 8%
BSME 5 3%
BSCA 2 1%
BSED 2 1%

Total 150 100%
The data on table 3 reveal that almost half of respondents (47%) are enrolled in the College of Commerce. About 1 in every 5 respondents (19%) are enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts, while a significant few of respondents (12%) are taking Computer Engineering course. A minority of respondents are enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Office Administration (8%), Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (9%), Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (3%), Bachelor of Science in Customs Administration (2%) and Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education (2%).
The College of Commerce and the College of Liberal Arts are the programs for which a great deal of the subject matter tackles about human relations. There is do doubt that these program injects lessons on social issues including those that has something to do with HIV/AIDS. It is therefore safe to deduce that the respondents of the study have higher level of interest to the lessons on HIV/AIDS because these students have been stimulated by their teachers in another related subjects. Prior to the integration of the HIV/AIDS lessons, students were somehow informed and motivated for further studying the issue.

The information as to the college residency of the respondents is a vital tool that would provide the researcher with an idea especially in assessing the prior knowledge of the respondents on issues related to HIV/AIDS. The longer the respondents stay in the University of Cebu or other tertiary educational institution, for that matter, the wider his/or her exposure to issues related to HIV/AIDS vis a vis those who have just entered or stayed for awhile in the college education. Thus, the researcher felt it important to present the data below which is about the respondents’ years of residency in college.

Table 5
Distribution of Respondents’ Residency in College
n=150

Years in College Frequency Percentage
First year 46 30%
Second Year 63 42%
Third year 34 23%
Fourth year 7 5%
Total 150 100%

It can be gleaned from the data above that more than half (63%) of respondents are second year students while the first students are almost half of the total respondents (46%). Approximately one in every three respondents is a third year student and only 5% are fourth year students.
Majority of the respondents are still on their first two years in college. Because of the young residency status, it would be safe to deduce that influences on whatever nature related to HIV/AIDS among respondents are still considered minimal, holding other variables constant. It means further that, the knowledge, attitude, and decision making skills of the respondents related to HIV/AIDS are not yet plausible and such condition would lead them to become hunger for information related to the aforementioned issue. The respondents’ interest therefore on the lessons about HIV/AIDS maybe brought about by their lack of relevant information due to their young residency status in the University of Cebu.
Another relevant factor that would expose the respondents to issues and practices related to HIV/AIDS is nearness of his/her present residence vis a vis influences. Among the variables that respondents were made to choose are whether they reside with their family within the city, live in the boardinghouse with barkada, live in the boarding house without any barkada, or whether they live in the residence of their relatives or close friends. Assessment of the vital information stated above is essential to drawing conclusion as to the exposure of respondents practices or influences related to HIV/AIDS. If one lives in his/her own family or within the family of relatives and friends, he is perceive as having low exposure to the said issue and its practice. On the other hand, when a respondent lives in a boarding house especially with “barkada”, he is characterized as highly exposed to the knowledge and experiences because of the presence of influences around. The researcher perceives therefore, the importance of the information that will be presented below.
Table 6
Distribution of the Residence of Respondents
n=150

Residential Specification Frequency Percentage

Living with family 60 40%
Living in boarding house with friends 30 20%
Living in boarding house without friends 26 17%
Living in residence with relatives/friends 34 23%

Total 150 100%


It can be gleaned from the data above that 40 % of the respondents are living with their own family. About 1 fourth of the respondents are living in the family of relatives and or friends. There are 17% of the respondents living in boardinghouse while those who are living with friends in their boardinghouses constitutes 20% of the population.
Majority of the respondents are living with their family or in the family of relatives. Such residential prerogatives would ensure that respondents are safe in terms of influence to practices that would eventually expose them to HIV/AIDS. Although discussion on issues related to HIV/AIDS are considered taboo to most family, there are medium in the said abode that permits every member an access on relevant informations such as the television, newspapers, radio etc. which are not normally found in a typical boardinghouse. The presence of a parental figure in the family would also prevent its member to try experiencing activities labeled as high risk to HIV/AIDS exposure. It is safe then to deduce that majority of respondents are seemingly underexposed to experiences or issues related to HIV/AIDS although the number of those who are living in the boarding house with barkada and are usually exposed to such knowledge and experiences are also statistically significant.

Petty and associate (Petty and Cacioppo: 1981) theorized the importance of intelligence for one to become sensitive to an issue. The authors contend that one’s intellectual ability will determine his likelihood to listen and therefore being sensitive to an issue. If one is of high intelligence, he becomes sensitive to an issue while those who have less intelligence will pay little or no attention at all to an issue. Paying attention is one step closer to genuinely influence a person to a certain belief. In the case of the present study, attention here refers to students listening behavior when the teacher discusses the issue on HIV/AIDS. Further, the students’ level of attentiveness and their susceptibility to change their knowledge, attitude and decision-making skill is determined by their intelligence. The data on the respondents Intelligence Quotient is therefore very important in providing the researcher with baseline information of the level of intelligence of the respondents. The effectiveness of the discussion on HIV/AIDS is determined by the IQ profile of the students participating in the study.
Table 7
The Intelligence Quotient Profile of the Respondents
n=150

Score ranges Interpretation Frequency Percentage

75 and below Low 30 20%
76-90 Average-lower rank 66 44%
91-110 Average-middle rank 50 33%
111 and above Average-higher rank 4 3%

Total 150 100%


The data on table 6 reveals that majority of the respondent (44%) have an intelligence quotient being rated as average-lower rank. About 1 in every 3 respondents (33%) were rated as having an IQ of average in the middle rank while 1in every 5 respondents (20%) fall lower than the average rank. A negligible minority (3%) have an IQ of average-higher rank. The data above reveals that majority the respondents of this study are average in terms of their intelligence. This means that their attentiveness to the discussion on HIV/AIDS is a cause for worries given the intellectual capability of the said subject. Added to this is the fact that, a significant number (20%) are categorized lower than the average. The number, being significant, could possible influence the outcome of the investigation.
With the descriptions of the respondents’ vital profile provided above, the researcher as well as the readers of this thesis will now have a much clearer picture of the nature of the respondents in the study. Such vital information are expected to more or less influence the interpretation of the data on the knowledge, attitude and decision making skill of the respondents in the study.
The information, which says that majority of respondents belongs to the high-risk group for HIV/AIDS, makes the integration program on HIV/AIDS very relevant especially because almost half of the respondents are male and are perceived to be too exposed to the above-mentioned risk.
There are some reasons why the integration of HIV/AIDS is essential for the respondents. One is because majority of them are freshmen and sophomore. Being too young and inexperienced makes them a little ignorant to the issue. The respondents are also perceived to have low exposure to such information because majority of them are living with their family or relatives. Such residency status considers the discussion on HIV/AIDS a taboo. Finally, more than half of the respondents are female. This information makes them less informed and a little passive about the issue.
The readiness of the respondents to learn about the lesson on HIV/AIDS is questionable due to their Intelligence Profile (IQ). This is because majority of the respondents belong to the low, below average, and average middle rank categories.