Concerned About a Student
Tips for Helping
Tips for Helping Distressed Students
- Arrange to talk in private
- Help student identify specific concerns/sources of stress
- Ask about both thoughts and feelings
- Reflect student’s concerns
- Explore possible alternative solutions to the problem
- Remain objective – avoid judging or evaluating the student’s circumstances or situation
- Follow up with student
- Refer to Counseling Services
Making a referral
Circumstances that may necessitate a referral to CAPS
- Personal feeling of discomfort/unease dealing with student or topic
- High level of stress in own life
- Lack of time
- Personal feelings that may interfere with objectivity
- Student’s stated desire for professional assistance
- Potential conflict of interest
- Student’s desired assistance is beyond faculty or staff’s professional expertise
Faculty and Staff
Recognizing Distressed Student
Characteristics of Distressed Students
- Declining academic performance
- Excessive absences
- Inability to concentrate during lecture or while completing assignments
- Unusual or noticeably changed interaction patterns in classroom
- Depressed, crying, or apathetic mood, excessive activity or talkativeness
- Change in appearance or hygiene, missed tests, or inability to remain awake during class
- Repeated attempts to obtain deadline extensions or postpone tests
- New or continuous disruptive behavior
- Inappropriate, exaggerated emotional reactions to situations, or lack of emotional response to stressful events
- Violent or other extremely disruptive behaviors: hostile, threats, assault
- Obvious loss of contact with reality: seeing, hearing, feeling things not apparent to others, thoughts or behaviors inconsistent with reality
- Disturbed speech or communication content: incoherent, grandiose, disorganized rambling
- Suicidal or other self-destructive thoughts or actions
- Homicidal threats