Recognizing and Assisting Emotionally Troubled Students: A Guide for Faculty and Staff
Faculty and Staff as Helping Resources for Students
Recognizing Emotionally Troubled Students
What Can You Do?
When in Doubt, Consult
How to Make a Referral
What Happens When a Student Goes to the Counseling Center?
How to Follow-Up After a Referral
Faculty and Staff as Helping Resources for Students
The emotional and academic pressures of university life, while manageable and even exhilarating for most students, can be simply overwhelming for others. Such students may not yet have attained the level of maturity necessary to develop adequate coping skills, or they may be struggling with relatively long-standing emotional deficits that are exacerbated by the transition to college life.
Faculty and staff at Susquehanna University have a deserved reputation for being caring and supportive, and consequently students experiencing emotional distress may turn to you for help. Or, because of your role, you may find yourself confronted by a disturbed or disturbing student who needs assistance.
These guidelines are meant to help you recognize, intervene, and refer emotionally troubled students to the Counseling Center so that they can get the help they need. Keep in mind that sometimes the issues that students present might also warrant a referral to the Chaplain’s Office.
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Recognizing Emotionally Troubled Students
At one time or another, everyone feels stressed, depressed, or anxious. However, some behaviors occurring over a period of time can suggest that the problems with which the student is dealing are more than the expected ones. The following are three levels of behaviors indicating this kind of distress.
Level 1. Although not disruptive to others, these behaviors may indicate that help is needed:
- serious grade problems or a change from consistently good grades to unaccountably poor performance;
- excessive absences, especially if the student previously demonstrated consistent class and/or work attendance;
- unusual or markedly changed pattern of interaction, i.e., totally avoiding participation, becoming excessively anxious when called upon, dominating discussion, etc.;
- other characteristics that may indicate a problem, including
- depressed mood and lethargic behavior;
- withdrawing from social circles or groups;
- written assignments that are disturbing because of the emotional tone or disclosure;
- excessive activity and very rapid speech;
- swollen, red eyes;
- marked change in personal dress and hygiene;
- anxious behavior; and
- falling asleep in class or at work.
Level 2. These behaviors may indicate significant emotional distress and also a reluctance or inability to acknowledge a need for personal help:
- repeated requests for special consideration, such as deadline extensions (especially if the student appears uncomfortable or highly emotional disclosing the circumstances prompting the request);
- new or consistent behavior which pushes the limits of decorum and which interferes with the effective management of your class or work setting;
- significant rapid weight loss
- an unusual or exaggerated emotional response that is obviously inappropriate to the situation.
Level 3. These behaviors usually indicate students in obvious crisis who need emergency care:
- highly disruptive behavior (hostile, aggressive, violent, etc.);
- inability to communicate clearly (garbled, slurred speech, unconnected or disjointed thoughts);
- loss of contact with reality (seeing/hearing things that aren’t present, beliefs or actions greatly at odds with reality or probability);
- overtly suicidal thoughts (referring to suicide as a current option);
- homicidal threats
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What Can You Do?
Level 3 problems are the easiest to identify and handle in that there are specific procedures for helping students in crisis. Basically, you need to stay calm and know who to call for help. This information is outlined under How to Make a Referral.
In dealing with a student who exhibits Level 1 or Level 2 behavior you may choose to approach the student or the student may seek your help with a problem. Below are some suggestions which might be helpful for you in dealing with a troubled student.
- Demonstrate your respect for the student by talking to the student when both of you have sufficient time and are in a private place free from disturbance by others.
- Be matter-of-fact. Control your emotions and it may help the student to do the same.
- Give the student your undivided attention.
- Express concern for the student in clear, direct, behavioral, non-judgmental terms (e.g., “I’ve noticed you’ve been absent from class lately and I’m concerned,” rather than “Why haven’t you been in class?” or “Where have you been lately?”).
- Listen to the student’s description of the problems which are interfering with his/her academic work in a respectful, non-threatening way. Often “why” questions can feel very threatening.
- Let the student talk.
- If the student is explicitly raising spiritual or religious issues, explore with them options of going to the Counseling Center and/or the Chaplain’s Office.
You can convey support and understanding by summarizing what you hear the student saying by including both content and feelings (“It sounds as if the experience of moving away from home was a big change and now you’re feeling lonely and isolated”).
Sometimes Level 2 students may or may not feel distressed but cause distress to others. These students might be disruptive in class or might be behaving in disturbing ways in their personal life, but are not open to a referral. In this situation, confront the student in a straightforward and compassionate way about the upsetting behavior. Give specific examples whenever you can. You may need to be very explicit about what behavior is problematic and why it is problematic. Often students whose behavior is problematic have trouble appreciating why it's problematic. Suggest alternative behaviors, and as much as possible do so in a positive way. Students whose behaviors continue to be disruptive may need to be addressed via the University codes of conduct. You can consult with the Dean of Students about best approaches.
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When in Doubt, Consult
If you have specific questions about a student, or are unsure about whether or how to approach this individual to make a referral, call the Counseling Center at 570-372-4751, indicate that you are concerned about a student, and ask to speak to an available counselor. Usually the staff member on emergency duty will either be available or will call you back as soon as possible. The staff member can help you:
1. Assess the seriousness of the situation;
2. Learn about resources, both on and off campus, so that you can provide the student with potential options for obtaining assistance;
3. Decide how best to initiate the referral process;
4. Clarify your own feelings regarding the student and consider how you can be most effective.
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How to Make a Referral
Once you have decided to refer a student to the Counseling Center (570-372-4751), you can proceed in any of the following ways:
- Suggest that the student call or walk in to arrange for an initial consultation during office hours (Level 1 severity).
- Suggest that the student use your telephone to arrange for an initial consultation while the student is still in your office. When the call is made from your office, you know that at least the initial contact has been made. By making the call him/herself, however, the student is exercising personal responsibility and is more likely to follow through to get help. In addition, your willingness to let him/her handle this part of the process is a vote of confidence and affirms his/her positive coping capacities (Level 1 or 2 severity).
- Call the Counseling Center yourself, while the student is still in your office, and help the student arrange an initial appointment. If you feel this is an emergency situation, please indicate this when you contact us.
- Indicate your willingness to the student to provide the Counseling Center with information about the nature of the problem and the reason for your referral.
- In an immediate emergency (i.e., Level 3 Severity), you may decide to accompany the student in person. This can be a significant source of support to a student in crisis. We will see the student as soon as possible. Often just coming into the building and setting up a same-day appointment (if all counselors are with a student) helps to contain an emergency, and it allows for a rapid assessment of what the student needs. If possible, a call that you are bringing a student would be appreciated.
Additionally, do not hesitate to contact Public Safety at 570-372-4444 for emergency assistance. In the event of an immediate life-threatening situation, ask Public Safety for officers or ambulance first! If a Level 3 emergency occurs after hours or on a weekend, Public Safety will contact the on-call counselor from the Counseling Center. The on-call counselor will then contact you directly. You may also contact the on-call counselor by calling 570-374-9164.
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What Happens When a Student Goes to the Counseling Center?
Students should be encouraged to arrange for a consultation by calling 570-372-4751 or stopping by the Health Center and Counseling Center Building during office hours. Students are seen as soon as possible, although during periods of high demand there may be a delay. In emergency situations, however, a student will be seen that day. If necessary, the student may wait in a private room for the next available counselor.
Students are asked to fill out confidential information forms before meeting with a counselor. During the initial session, the counselor will assess the student’s concerns and needs. Students need to know that communication with us is confidential. We cannot discuss a student, his/her situation, or even the fact that counseling is being received at the Counseling Center without the student’s permission. The only exceptions to this are imminent suicide, homicide, or suspected child or elder abuse, and even in these circumstances disclosures are limited to those who can provide immediate assistance.
If the counselor and student agree that individual counseling is appropriate, the student and the counselor will meet on a regular basis, usually weekly for approximately 50 minutes each session. Generally a student continues with the counselor they first see, although it is possible to refer to another counselor at SU or off campus. It is possible that the student may leave the initial appointment feeling able to handle the problem on his/her own. We cannot require a student to accept any suggestion we make unless our professional judgment indicates that psychiatric hospitalization is mandatory.
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How to Follow-Up After a Referral
Once a referral has been initiated, it is reasonable and prudent to follow up with the student. Depending on the nature of your relationship with the student, you may also find yourself wondering, “How is it going?” If this is done in a non-intrusive way, such a question may be well received. The student’s right to privacy, however, should always be respected.
If you wish to give us information about a student you referred, you may do so, and we treat this information as confidential. However, we may use professional discretion in discussing this with the student, and will discuss this with you first. Please remember that the counselor-client relationship is confidential, so we will not be able to release information about a specific student without permission from the student unless we determine that the student or someone else is in physical danger.
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