Assisting Emotionally Troubled Students

Aggressive Student

Student Symptoms

• Students May Disclose or You May Notice:
• Feelings of
  • frustration
  • inadequacy
  • being out of control
• Passive-aggressive
• Violent outbursts
• Verbally aggressive
  • may see you as trying to control them
• Angry at his/her world:
  • lashes out

Instructor Response

DO

• Focus on diffusing the situation.
• Reduce stimulation.
• Allow and establish boundaries for behavior.

Alert the Vice President for Student Services of any suspicion or threat of physical aggression.

Be prepared to call Campus Police if necessary

DON’T

• Try to resolve the student’s crisis.
• Jeopardize your safety.
• Get into an argument.
• Touch the student.
• Make threats, dares or taunts.
• Insist on explanation of the student’s behavior

Depressed Student

Student Symptoms

• Students May Disclose or You May Notice:
• Feelings of
  • self-anger
  • guilt
  • worthlessness
  • helplessness
  • hopelessness
• Difficulty concentrating, and/or remembering
• Changes in appetite
• Sleep disturbances

Instructor Response

DO

• Allow the student to express feelings
• Encourage utilizing a support network
• Tell student of your concern
• Talk about suicide if it’s on student’s mind

Call Campus Police immediately if the student appears suicidal or Contact the Vice President for Student Services for a referral

DON’t

• Say
  “Don’t worry”
  “Crying won’t help”
  “Everything will be better tomorrow”
• - Become overwhelmed by student’s problems
• Try to take responsibility for or solve their problems
• Ignore their feelings
• Continue to see student without making appropriate referrals

Student In Poor Contact With Reality

Student Symptoms

• Students May Disclose or You May Notice:
• Feelings of
  • special importance or power
  • being controlled or harmed by others
  • confusion, distorted perceptions
  • unjustified fearfulness
• Unaware or unconcerned with classroom protocol or acceptable social behavior
• Hallucinations
• May appear to be on drugs

Instructor Response

DO

• Respond to them with warmth and kindness
• See them in a quiet atmosphere if you are comfortable doing so
• Acknowledge their feelings
• Reveal when you have difficulty understanding them
• Focus on the “here & now”

Contact the Vice President for Student Services for a referral

DON’T

• Deal with the issue in front of the class
• Argue or try to convince them of their irrational thinking
• Play along with their beliefs
• Encourage further revelations of craziness
• Demand they change their ideas or behavior
• Continue to see student without making appropriate referrals

Anxious Student

Student Symptoms

• Students May Disclose or You May Notice:
• Feelings of
  • worry
  • fear
  • anticipation of misfortune, doom
• Panic attacks
  • sweating
  • dizziness
  • choking
  • chest pain
  • cold, clammy hands
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory distortions

Instructor Response

DO

• Let them discuss their feelings or thoughts
• Help them define their stressors
• Be clear and explicit about what you’re willing to do
• Talk slowly, remain calm and encourage them to use a support system

Contact the Vice President for Student Services for a referral

DON’T

• Deal with the issue in front of the class
• Argue or try to convince them of their irrational thinking
• Play along with their beliefs or encourage further revelations of craziness
• Demand they change their ideas or behavior
• Continue to see student without making appropriate referrals

Manipulative Student

Student Symptoms

• Students May Disclose or You May Notice:
• Feelings of
  • inadequacy
  • seeks to control your time
• Self-centered
  • time spent with them is a reflection of personal worth
• Immature

Instructor Response

DO

• Set clear and precise limits (e.g. “I am able to spend 10 minutes with you now. My regular office hours are….”)
• Strictly adhere to the established limits no matter how much student protests
• Allow student to make his/her own decisions
  • Encourage them to use a support system (e.g. friends, other class members, college-based clubs)

Contact the Vice President for Student Services for a referral

DON’T

• Take responsibility for them
• Break the boundaries you set for the student
• Allow student to use you as their only source of support

Paranoid Student

Student Symptoms

• Students May Disclose or You May Notice:
• Feelings of
  • being the focal point of everyone’s behavior
  • tension
  • nervousness
  • caution
  • inadequacy
• Misinterpret minor oversights as significant personal rejection
• Overreact to insignificant occurrences
• Overly concerned with fairness, being treated equally
• Difficulty with closeness or warmth
• Project blame onto others
• Express anger in roundabout ways

Instructor Response

DO

• Send clear, consistent messages about what you will do and what you expect
• Express compassion without intimate friendship
• Maintain a professional distance from the student

Contact the Vice President for Student Services for a referral

DON’T

• Become a personal friend of the student
• Become overly warm, nurturing or personal
• Flatter, humor or “ be cute” to relieve your own anxiety
• Reinforce their beliefs
• Try to argue against their beliefs

Student Under The Influence

Student Symptoms

• Students May Disclose or You May Notice:
• Susceptible to peer pressure
• Irresponsible or unpredictable behavior
• Health and social impairments
  • hygiene
  • consciousness
  • ability to function
• Changes in academic performance

Instructor Response

DO

• Confront student with behavior that is a concern
• Address the substance abuse issue if the student is open and willing
• Offer support and concern for the student’s overall well-being
• Consider maintaining contact with student after a referral is made

Contact the Vice President for Student Services for a referral

DON’T

• Convey judgment or criticism about the student’s substance abuse
• Make allowances for the student’s irresponsible behavior
• Ignore signs of intoxication in the classroom
• Confront the student in front of the class

When and Where to Make Referrals

Refer a student to the Vice President for Student Services for help as soon as you feel the problem or request for information is beyond your level of competency:

• You fear for the safety of yourself, others or the student in crisis
• The student’s condition and resulting behaviors render you unable to work with the student due to the limits of your energy, patience, or overall class environment