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Recognizing Troubled Students

At one time or another, everyone feels depressed or upset.  However, there are three levels of student distress which, when present over a period of time, suggest that the problems are more than the “normal” ones.

Level 1

Although not disruptive to others in your class, these behaviors may indicate that something is wrong and that help may be needed:

  • Serious grade problems
  • Unaccountable change from good to poor performance
  • Change from frequent attendance to excessive absences
  • Change in pattern of interaction
  • Marked change in mood, motor activity, or speech
  • Marked change in physical appearance

Level 2

These behaviors may indicate significant emotional distress or reluctance or an inability to acknowledge a need for personal help:

  • Repeated request for special consideration
  • New or regularly occurring behavior which pushes the limits and may interfere with class management
  • Unusual or exaggerated emotional response

Level 3

These behaviors usually show that the student is in crisis and needs emergency care:

  • Highly disruptive behavior (hostility, aggression, etc.)
  • Inability to communicate clearly (garbled, slurred speech, disjointed thoughts)
  • Loss of contact with reality (seeing/hearing things that are not there, beliefs or actions at odds with reality)
  • Overt suicidal thoughts (suicide is a current option)
  • Homicidal threats

What you can do to help

Responses to Level 1/Level 2 behavior:

  • Talk to the student in private when you both have time.
  • Express your concern in non-judgmental terms.
  • Listen to the student and repeat the gist of what the student is saying.
  • Clarify the costs and the benefits of each option for handling the problem from the student’s point of view.
  • Respect the student’s value system.
  • Ask if the student is considering suicide.
  • Make appropriate referrals if necessary.
  • Make sure the student understands what action is necessary.

Responses to Level 3 behavior:

  • Stay calm
  • Call emergency referrals as listed below.

When to make a referral

Even though a student asks you for help with a problem and you are willing to help, there are circumstances when you should suggest other resources:

  • You are not comfortable in handling the situation.
  • The help necessary is not your area of expertise.
  • Personality differences may interfere with your ability to help.
  • You know the student personally (friend, neighbor, friend of a friend) and think you may not be objective enough to help.
  • The student is reluctant to discuss the situation with you.
  • You see little progress in the student.
  • You feel overwhelmed or pressed for time.

How to make a referral

To the student:

  • Be frank with the student about the limits of your time, ability, expertise, and/or objectivity.
  • Let the student know that you think she/he should get assistance from another source.
  • Assure them that many students seek help over the course of their college career.
  • Assist the student in choosing the best resource.
  • Try to help the student know what to expect if she/he follows through on the referral.

Consider these questions before making the referral:

  • What are the appropriate and available resources for the student?
  • With whom would the student feel most comfortable?
  • Who will make the initial contact—you or the student?

Consultation is available

If you have concerns about a student, counselors at the Counseling Center are available for consultation.  Some of the ways we might help include:

  1. Assessing the seriousness of the situation.
  2. Suggesting potential resources.
  3. Finding the best way to make a referral.
  4. Clarifying your own feelings about the student and the situation.

The Counseling Center

All students can visit the Counseling Center without charge.  Students are encouraged to make their own appointments if possible. Encourage the student to email [email protected], or you can send an email yourself and copy ("CC") the student. 

Telehealth 

We are now offering free Telehealth appointments to students through TimelyCare. Get on-demand support from counselors right at your fingertips. 

  • Talk Now: Get 24/7, on-demand mental health support. 
  • Scheduled Counseling: Access licensed counselors in your state. 
  • Psychiatry: Get access to no-cost psychiatry services.  

Help Students create a FREE account: 

  • Visit timelycare.com/yotes or download the TimelyCare app. 
  • Click “Sign In.” 
  • Create your profile using your school email. 
  • Follow the prompts to start your first visit. 

In an emergency

Try to stay calm.  Find someone to stay with the student while calls are made.

For students expressing a direct threat to themselves or others, or who act in a disruptive, bizarre, or highly irrational way, call Campus Safety at 208.459.5151, or 911.