DLSU Counseling and Educational Psychology - DCEP

DISSERTATION DEFENDED! 🎓✨

A massive congratulations to Ms. Nova Cabias for successfully defending her dissertation today!

Her research, "Understanding the Loneliness Experiences of Students Living Away From Home," sheds a much-needed light on the emotional journeys of students navigating independence. We are so proud of her dedication, intellectual rigor, and the empathy she brought to this vital topic.

Well done, Ms. Cabias! The hard work has officially paid off. 🥂📖

HAPPENING NOW: Ms. Nova Cabias is defending her dissertation entitled: "Understanding the Loneliness Experiences of Students Living Away From Home."

This is the culmination of years of dedication and brilliant research.

Come show your support and witness this major milestone! 🎓🙌

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/94451696713?pwd=2JeLsReyI3NDQGnlR2Nq9De7zwKnrQ.1

DISSERTATION DEFENDED! 🎓

We are overjoyed to announce that Sr. Alphonse Maria has successfully defended her dissertation. This achievement is a testament to years of rigorous research, unwavering faith, and intellectual dedication.

We congratulate her on this significant milestone and pray for the continued fruitfulness of her academic and spiritual journey. To God be the glory! ✨

HAPPENING NOW: Sr. Alphonse Maria defends her dissertation entitled: "Marital Adjustment in Arranged and Love Marriages: An Exploratory Study of Newly-wed Couples in Kerala, India."

Join us via Zoom and let's support Sr. Alphonse!

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/92298213483?pwd=gqvcqzDzV2dMnbaph8S2lEFOkab7RJ.1

Scholarship Opportunity for DLSU PhD Applicants | St. Miguel Febres Cordero PhD Scholarship Program

The Saint Miguel Febres Cordero PhD Scholarship Program offers a comprehensive scholarship package to qualified FULL-TIME and NON-WORKING students enrolled in any PhD academic program at De La Salle University.

This scholarship includes a full waiver of tuition and fees, along with a monthly stipend for four academic years. This scholarship is awarded through a competitive, merit-based selection process.

Features:
*Full tuition and miscellaneous fees waiver
*Monthly stipend of PhP 35,000 for four academic years
*Fifteen scholarship slots are open to FULL-TIME, NON-WORKING students of any DLSU doctoral program, including current students in straight or MA-PhD programs enrolled in PhD-level units at DLSU
*No service requirement after graduation

These scholarships will be available through a competitive selection process that is not needs-based. This means that applicants under any financial category are qualified to apply for this scholarship.

While scholars are expected to devote their time for studies and research, and cannot work during the period of the scholarship, there is no service requirement after graduation.

No penalties will be imposed if an applicant fails to complete the program within the recommended four academic years. However, the stipends and tuition waiver will cease after four academic years.

To apply, please scan the QR code or go to www.dlsu.edu.ph/scholarship/st-miguel-febres-cordero-scholarship-program

Scholarship application is open until May 8.

For inquiries, please email [email protected]

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De La Salle University Graduate Studies
Beyond higher learning.®

ONLINE FINAL DISSERTATION DEFENSE 📢📢

Join us as we witness the Final Dissertation Defense of Ms. Nova Cabias, Candidate for PhD in Counseling Psychology.

Title: "Understanding the Loneliness Experiences of Students Living Away From Home"
Adviser: Dr. Aime Guarino

When: March 30, 2026 | 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Where: Via Zoom
Zoom link: https://bit.ly/40yKUq5
Meeting ID: 944 5169 6713 | Passcode: DCEP

Let’s support Ms. Cabias as she presents her significant contributions to the field of Counseling Psychology.



Abstract:
Loneliness among university students living away from home is increasingly recognized as a pressing concern, yet culturally grounded accounts remain limited in the Philippine context—particularly on how first-year students make meaning of loneliness during transition and how they evaluate the adequacy of university support. This qualitative, exploratory, multiple-case study investigated the loneliness experiences of first-year students living away from home at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) during the second semester of Academic Year 2024–2025, focusing on perceived contributing factors, effects, intensity and persistence, coping strategies, and perceptions of institutional interventions. Data were gathered primarily through semi-structured interviews, supplemented by researcher notes, and analyzed using within-case interpretation and cross-case thematic synthesis grounded in Peplau and Perlman’s Transactional Model of Loneliness. Findings show that loneliness was intensified by internal scripts of endurance and morally constrained disclosure (hiya and fear of being a burden), alongside external stressors such as separation from everyday family care, “belonging shock” in pre-formed peer groups, and emotionally thin dormitory/boarding-house climates where students felt socially “unclaimed.” Loneliness produced multi-domain but often hidden effects (fatigue and sleep/appetite disruptions, rumination, private breakdown or numbing, academic “autopilot,” and social withdrawal) and followed predictable spike windows (nights, weekends/Sundays, sickness episodes, and exam weeks). Students described both restorative coping (prayer/meaning-making, journaling/music, routines, micro-connections, and self-regulation) and camouflage/avoidant coping (overstudying, scrolling/gaming, and distraction spending) that provided short-term relief yet could prolong isolation. While counseling and wellness events were perceived as visible, peer-based supports were often experienced as most “real.” Perceived effectiveness depended on approachability, relational resonance, continuity/aftercare, and timing aligned with vulnerability windows. The study underscores the need for relationally grounded, culturally resonant, and time-attuned university interventions that strengthen belonging and reduce quiet distress among students living away from home.

Keywords: loneliness; first-year students; living away from home; multiple-case study; Filipino collectivist context; university support

FINAL DISSERTATION DEFENSE 📢📢

Save the date! 🗓️ We are proud to invite you to the Final Dissertation Defense of Sr. Alphonse Maria.

Date: March 27, 2026 (Friday)
Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: via Zoom
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/92298213483?pwd=gqvcqzDzV2dMnbaph8S2lEFOkab7RJ.1
Meeting ID: 922 9821 3483 | Passcode: DCEP

Your presence and support would mean the world as she reaches this final step toward her PhD! 🕊️📖



Abstract:
This research explored the experiences of marital adjustment in both love and arranged marriages during the initial five years of marriage. Marital adjustment is crucial for a successful marriage, and the quality of early relationships has a significant influence on long-term stability. In Indian culture, marriage represents the union of two families, and is often arranged by parents, resulting in limited premarital interactions. Although love marriages are based on individual choices, they are less common because they are not strongly encouraged within Indian culture and tradition. Today's youth are increasingly challenging traditional norms, advocating for personal freedom, and redefining family structures. In Kerala, the institution of marriage is undergoing a significant transformation influenced by Western ideals. Factors such as educational achievements, career aspirations, financial independence, and the empowerment of women play a crucial role in individuals' decisions to select partners based on personal preferences. In this scenario, this study examines marital adjustment processes among newly-wed couples in Kerala, utilizing Social Exchange Theory. It compares the experiences of couples in arranged marriages and love marriages, identifying factors that promote or hinder adjustment. Utilizing a consensual qualitative research design, the study analyzes the experiences of 12 couples, revealing that cultural influences and perceived rewards and costs significantly impact marital adjustment in Kerala. This study reveals that the sustainability of a marriage depends on the couple's happiness, and the adjustment period after marriage involves unique challenges that couples must navigate together at their own pace. The findings enable mental health professionals to develop programs for newlyweds, enhance coping skills, and promote effective conflict resolution in the context of shifting cultural values in Kerala.

Key words: Marital adjustment, Arranged marriages, Love marriages, Newly-wed couples, Reciprocal exchange.