INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY: APPLIED

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION RESEARCH

2024, Vol. 5, No. 8, 3062 – 3070
http://dx.doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.05.08.11

Research Article

Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher
Education Students

Milagros P. Viado*

Department of Biological and Physical Sciences, Cavite State University Imus Campus 4122,
Philippines

Article history: ABSTRACT

Submission 31 July 2024
Revised 08 August 2024 This study describes coffee consumption and its perceived effects on the
Accepted 23 August 2024 study habits of selected higher education students at Cavite State University
Imus Campus. A quantitative research design was employed, surveying 208
*Corresponding author: students via a structured questionnaire. The study analyzed the data using
E-mail: descriptive and inferential statistics. The demographic profile of respond-
[email protected] ents shows a majority of females (55.77%) and students aged 21 to 24 years
(48.07%), with most enrolled in the BSIT program. Results indicate that cof-
fee consumption is a prevalent part of students' daily routines, with 76.44%
drinking coffee daily and a significant preference for both hot and cold types
(57.21%). One cup per day is the most common consumption level (57.21%).
Students perceived coffee to significantly enhance cognitive functions,
energy levels, productivity, and mood during study sessions, aligning with
previous research highlighting caffeine's positive effects on memory, alert-
ness, and motor coordination (Lin et al., 2023). However, there are mixed
perceptions regarding dependency and withdrawal symptoms, with some
negative impacts noted when coffee is not drunk, echoing concerns about
tolerance and withdrawal symptoms discussed in the literature (Van De
Walle et al., 2019). Findings showed no significant differences in the per-
ceived effects of coffee consumption when the respondents were grouped by
age, sex, year level, or degree program.
This research suggests that coffee consumption plays a vital role in the
student's academic lives. While consumption enhances cognitive and aca-
demic performance, it also presents potential risks related to coffee depend-
ency. Administrators can use the findings of this study to enhance the school
environment with a focus on food and health security by providing healthier
alternatives and varied coffee options in campus canteens that can support
students' academic success.
Keywords: Academic performance, Caffeinated drinks, Coffee, Coffee
consumption, Coffee effects, Study habits

How to cite:
Viado, M. P. (2024). Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher Education Students.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research. 5(8), 2351 – 2356. doi:
10.11594/ijmaber.05.08.11
 MP Viado, 2024 / Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher Education Students

Introduction of coffee products across all the concession-

Coffee, one of the most consumed bever- aires in the canteen. Different coffee products
ages globally, is known for its effects on the are available for easy access to the students.
central nervous system, which can enhance an There are coffee vending machines, there are 3-
individual’s memory, sense of alertness, and in-1 coffee mixes in sachets, brewed coffee, iced
bodily motor coordination (Barcelos et al., coffees, and even ready-to-drink coffee in bot-
2020). It is a source of caffeine, a stimulant that tles.
improves an individual's reaction times and Thus, understanding the perceived effects
cognitive functions. Thus, it becomes a popular of coffee consumption among higher education
choice for college students who often face de- students is important for several reasons. First,
manding academic schedules. However, regu- it provides insights into how the students man-
lar and frequent consumption of coffee can lead age their academic workload and stress. It also
to dependency, tolerance, and withdrawal helps identify risks associated with excessive
symptoms (Hartney & MSc, 2023). coffee intake, such as the impact on sleep qual-
Consuming coffee varies throughout differ- ity, physical, and mental health. Lastly, this
ent demographics and academic pressures. Col- study can be a source of strategies that pro-
lege students, in particular, are widely known mote healthier consumption habits and en-
to consume coffee to keep them awake, help en- hance academic performance.
hance their cognitive performance, and even Given the significant role coffee plays in the
manage the stress commonly associated with lives of college students, this study aims to in-
academics (Bertasi et al., 2021). Despite its vestigate the profile of coffee consumption
benefits, excessive coffee consumption can lead among higher education students and its per-
to negative effects such as sleep disturbances, ceived effects on their study habits. The specific
anxiety, and dependency (Caffeine: How much objectives of this study are to:
is too much?, 2022). 1. determine the profile of the respondents in
In higher education, the role of educational terms of their sex, age, year level, and de-
administrators is crucial in shaping a conducive gree program;
learning environment. This includes making 2. describe the level of coffee consumption of
decisions about the availability of coffee in the respondents in terms of frequency,
campus canteens or concessionaires. Educa- number of cups, and types;
tional administrators must be careful with the 3. determine the perceived effects of coffee
food they provide the students in their can- consumption on the study habits of higher
teens and/ or concessionaires. There must be a education students;
balance between the beverage offerings and 4. determine if there is a significant difference
the benefits that can aid students in their stud- in the responses on the perceived effects of
ies, especially with the potential risks of exces- coffee consumption on the study habits of
sive coffee consumption. higher education students when grouped
In her review of the knowledge base for the according to age, sex, year level, and degree
communication skills of educational adminis- program.
trators, Gomez (2022), provides the im-
portance of decision-making in an educational Methods
setting. Educational administrators are tasked This study employs a quantitative research
with creating environments and student ser- design to investigate the perceived effects of
vices that could support the student's well-be- coffee consumption on cognitive enhancement,
ing and academic success. This environment in- academic performance, dependency, with-
cludes understanding not only the varying drawal symptoms, and overall impact among
needs and behaviors but also making informed higher education students. The approach is
decisions about the resources and amenities chosen to systematically quantify the re-
available on the campus. One resource that re- sponses and analyze the data using statistical
quires careful consideration is the availability methods.

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 Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher Education Students

The target population for this study con- 5. Overall Perceived Effect: This part
sists of higher education students from Cavite measures the general impact of coffee con-
State University, Imus Campus. A total of 208 sumption on students' academic habits.
participants were selected through conven-
ience sampling, where students who were pre- The questionnaire was validated through a
sent in the canteen drinking coffee voluntarily pilot test with 50 students from the BSCS, BSIT,
participated in the survey. This method was and BSHM programs. These students were se-
chosen to capture responses from students lected due to their proximity to the canteen and
who are active coffee consumers within the most likely being the coffee consumers. Feed-
campus environment. back from the pilot test improved the question-
To ensure the validity of the instrument, a naire to ensure the clarity and reliability of the
pilot test was conducted involving 50 students instrument.
from the Bachelor of Science in Computer Sci- The collected data were analyzed using the fol-
ence (BSCS), Bachelor of Science in Information lowing statistical methods:
Technology (BSIT), and Bachelor of Science in 1. percentage, mean, standard
Hospitality Management (BSHM) programs. 2. deviation, Kruskal-Wallis Test
These students were strategically located near 3. , and Mann-Whitney U Test.
the canteen, making them accessible for the
validation process. These statistical treatments enabled the re-
Data was collected using a structured ques- searcher to draw meaningful conclusions about
tionnaire distributed online via Google Forms. the perceived effects of coffee consumption on
Respondents were approached in the canteen. the student's academic and cognitive experi-
A tablet was provided for them to complete the ences.
questionnaire on the spot. This data-gathering
method ensured convenience for both the re- Results and Discussion
spondents and the researcher which also facili- This part presents the findings of the study
tated immediate data retrieval. The question- on coffee consumption and its perceived effects
naire was divided into five parts: on the study habits of higher education stu-
1. Profile: This collects demographic infor- dents at Cavite State University Imus Campus.
mation such as age, sex, year level, and de- The demographic profile of the 208 partici-
gree program. pants shows that 44.23% are male and 55.77%
2. Coffee Consumption: This part assesses the are female. Age-wise, 46.15% are 17 to 20
frequency and quantity of coffee consumed years old, 48.07% are 21 to 24 years old, and
by the respondents. 5.77% are 25 years and older. The distribution
3. Effects on Cognitive Enhancement and Aca- across year levels shows that 28.85% are in the
demic Performance: This part evaluates 1st year, 32.69% are in the 2nd year, 26.44%
how coffee consumption influences the re- are in the 3rd year, and 12.02% are in the 4th
spondent's cognitive abilities and academic year. When it comes to the degree programs,
outcomes. the majority are enrolled in BSIT (24.52%), fol-
4. Effects on Dependency and Withdrawal: lowed by BSBA (18.75%), and BSCS (12.50%),
This part investigates the dependency on with the smallest representation from BA-
coffee consumption and withdrawal JOURN (1.44%).
symptoms as observed and experienced by
the respondents.

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 MP Viado, 2024 / Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher Education Students

Table 1. Profile of the respondents in terms of their sex, age, year level, and degree program

Table 2. Frequency and percentage distribution on the level of coffee consumption of the respondents
in terms of frequency, number of cups, and types.

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 Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher Education Students

The coffee consumption patterns among consumption (76.44%) suggests that drinking
the 208 participants indicate that a majority coffee is an integral part of students' study hab-
(57.21%) consume one cup of coffee daily, its, especially while studying or reviewing for
while 27.88% drink two cups, 12.02% consume exams while in the canteen. The preference for
three cups, and 2.88% drink four or more cups both hot and cold coffee options (57.21% enjoy
daily. In terms of frequency, 76.44% of partici- both) implies that canteens should offer a more
pants drink coffee daily, 15.87% drink coffee 2- diverse selection to accommodate various pref-
3 times a week, and 7.69% drink it monthly. Re- erences and boost the effectiveness of students'
garding coffee preferences based on tempera- study sessions. Additionally, the high daily con-
ture, 23.56% prefer hot brew coffee, 19.23% sumption rate highlights the importance of cre-
prefer cold brew, and 57.21% enjoy both types. ating a comfortable and conducive environ-
This comprehensive overview highlights the ment in canteens for studying, potentially with
prevalent daily coffee consumption and a sig- loyalty programs and specials aimed at sup-
nificant preference for both hot and cold coffee porting students during exam periods. This can
types among the participants. enhance students' academic performance by
Given that these students are in the campus providing them with the necessary resources to
and coffee is available at every canteen conces- stay alert and focused.
sionaire, the high frequency of daily coffee

Table 3. Weighted mean and verbal interpretation on the perceived effect of coffee consumption in
terms of cognitive enhancement and academic performance

The table shows that students perceive cof- Notably, consuming coffee is seen to highly
fee consumption to have significant positive ef- boost energy levels during study sessions
fects on certain aspects of their cognitive en- (mean = 3.47, SD = 0.857), motivate productiv-
hancement and academic performance. ity (mean = 3.39, SD = 0.839), and uplift mood

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 MP Viado, 2024 / Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher Education Students

while studying (mean = 3.27, SD = 0.799), all and academic performance, especially in terms
categorized as having a highly positive effect. of energy, productivity, and mood enhance-
Additionally, coffee is perceived to increase ment. This highlights the importance of provid-
alertness (mean = 2.73, SD = 0.839), enhance ing varied and accessible coffee options in
memory retention (mean = 2.71, SD = 0.829), school canteens to support student's academic
improve examination performance (mean = endeavors. Thus, the overall mean of the per-
2.52, SD = 0.958), and sharpen thinking abili- ceived effects is 2.81, indicating that students
ties (mean = 2.58, SD = 0.813), with these indi- generally perceive coffee consumption to have
cators receiving a positive effect interpretation. a positive effect on their cognitive enhance-
These findings suggest that coffee is an in- ment and academic performance most of the
tegral part of students' study habits, contrib- time.
uting significantly to their cognitive functions

Table 4. Weighted mean and verbal interpretation on the perceived effect of coffee consumption in
terms of dependency and withdrawal symptoms

The table shows that students perceive the positive effect most of the time. However, the
dependency and withdrawal symptoms of cof- overall mean of 2.40, which falls into the
fee consumption to have mixed effects on their "Sometimes - Negative Effect" category, indi-
study habits. Indicators such as the need to cates that the negative effects, such as chal-
consume coffee drinks during study sessions lenges in study sessions without coffee (mean
(mean = 2.96), feeling drained during study = 2.49), compromised study effectiveness in
sessions and completing school tasks (mean = the absence of coffee (mean = 1.84), and slowed
3.12), feelings of anxiety induced by coffee study pace without coffee (mean = 1.81), are
(mean = 3.06), and feeling stressed which significant.
impacts motivation (mean = 2.74) suggest a

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 Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher Education Students

This mixed perception highlights the need enhancements and the potential negative with-
for students to manage their coffee intake care- drawal symptoms associated with coffee con-
fully to balance the positive cognitive sumption.

Table 5. Weighted mean and verbal interpretation on the overall perceived effect of coffee consump-
tion

Table 5 above shows that students perceive However, some indicators show negative
the overall impact of coffee consumption to effects, such as the belief that reducing caffeine
have mostly positive effects on their study hab- intake would negatively affect study perfor-
its and academic performance. Indicators such mance (mean = 1.93) and decrease overall aca-
as perceiving coffee as essential for maintain- demic productivity (mean = 2.38). The overall
ing study stamina and focus (mean = 2.83) and mean of 2.77 falls into the "Most of the Time -
believing that regular caffeine consumption is Positive Effect" category, indicating that stu-
necessary to maintain peak cognitive perfor- dents generally perceive coffee consumption as
mance during study sessions (mean = 3.16) beneficial for their academic performance and
suggest positive effects most of the time. Addi- study habits, though there are concerns about
tionally, the belief that reducing caffeine con- potential negative effects when caffeine intake
sumption would result in a decline in the ability is reduced.
to meet academic deadlines (mean = 3.57) indi-
cates a highly positive effect.

Table 6. Test on significant differences of data when grouped according to profile

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 MP Viado, 2024 / Coffee Consumption and its Perceived Effects on the Study Habits of Higher Education Students

Table 6 presents that the p-value of 0.200 5. Implications for Educational Administra-
indicates that there is no significant difference tors: The findings suggest the need for
in the perceived effects of coffee consumption varied coffee options in campus canteens to
based on age groups. Seemingly, the p-value of support students' academic performance
0.229 indicates that there is no significant dif- and manage their coffee consumption hab-
ference in the perceived effects of coffee con- its effectively.
sumption based on year level. Whereas, the p-
value of 0.885 indicates that there is no signifi- Acknowledgment
cant difference in the perceived effects of coffee I am deeply grateful to my family: my hus-
consumption based on degree programs. band, Edgar F. Viado; my children Mhae, Ann,
On the other hand, the Mann-Whitney U test Ehdson; my sons- in- law, Khid and Julian, and
was conducted to compare the perceived ef- most especially my only grandson Rafa who are
fects of coffee consumption between male and always there for me to support me in writing
female students. The test yielded a U value of and doing such research.
3304.5 and a Z value of -1.776. The p-value as- To my daughter who offered invaluable
sociated with this test is 0.076, which is greater suggestions and patiently checked my work
than the conventional significance level of 0.05. and grammar and proper guidelines in writing
Therefore, the results are interpreted as not research to make it perfect.
significant at the 0.05 level, indicating that I would also like to express my sincerest
there is no statistically significant difference in thanks to my family in Zamboanga Sibugay,
the perceived effects of coffee consumption be- Mindanao; my faculty members in the Depart-
tween male and female students. ment of Biological and Physical Sciences, for
Thus, these findings suggest that none of their suggestions for the completion of this en-
the profile variables (age, year level, degree deavor.
program, and sex) show significant differences Lastly, I would like to thank Ms. Pring Gon-
in the perceived effects of coffee consumption zales, for the encouragement, comments, and a
Through these findings, the following con- piece of advice.
clusions were being drawn:
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