ADSHE ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2013:
Putting Principles into Practice - 1:1 Tuition and Support
Study Support for Students with
Mental Health Issues
Karisa Krcmar
Tina Horsman
Aims for today
 Understand key elements of major, DSA
recognised, mental health conditions.
 Explore strategies suitable for students with mental
health issues through case studies.
Packs
 PowerPoint slides
 Mental Health Recovery Star (Mental Health Providers Forum)
 Mental Health Recover Ladder of Change (Mental
Health Providers Forum)
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Study Star (adapted from Mental Health Providers Forum)
Example of crisis response pathway
Some helpful websites
Post-it Notes for questions
What is good mental health?
 make the most of the opportunities
 play a full part amongst our family
 workplace, community and friends
 linked with our physical health
 key to living a fulfilling life
Physical and mental health …
 Underpins learning (motivation, interest,
concentration, enthusiasm)
 Can help/hinder how someone goes about their
learning (anxiety, depression, stress)
 Daily emotions help someone decide whether they
are having a good overall ‘student experience’
Social exclusion – the big issues
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Disrupts life
Pushed out of society
Ceases to participate
Social exclusion
Lose hope for the future
Lose sight of potential
Discrimination and stigma
 Risky business
Mental Health
 Is the most common type of disability amongst
young people aged 18-30 years.
 (e.g. Loughborough University) 500-600 students.
Comes under Equality Act 2010.
Terminology
 Neurosis: mental disorder with an organic basis
 Psychosis: more severe internal basis
We have access to:
 Mental health support team - anybody else have
this?
 Information will be in Needs Assessment - student
will have copy and you can ask them - but it’s not
always available.
 http://www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic/selfhelp/
Mental Health concerns considered today
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OCD
Eating disorder
Anxiety & stress
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Depression
Bi-polar disorder
Schizophrenia
Recovery Star & Ladder of Change
Models from Mental Health Providers Forum (cc)
Study Ladder of Change
Self-Reliance
Learning
Believing
Stuck
Accepting
Help
Case Studies
Adam
- OCD, anxiety, stress, eating disorder
Faith
- Asylum Seeker, PTSD, Depression
Sophie
- Bi-polar disorder
Imran
- Schizophrenic
Adam
OCD, anxiety, stress, eating disorder
 Undergraduate in geography.
 1st year at different university, came into 2nd year at
new university.
 No EP available.
 No Needs Assessment available.
Adam
OCD
Disordered Eating
Anxiety
On edge; pessimistic;
negative
Stress
Fear of failure (constant;
unable to make decisions;
difficulty concentrating;
avoids difficult situations;
denies or overthinks a
problem
Feeling high; poor concentration;
feeling tired and weak; focussed on
food (essays)
How does Adam present?
Attitude
nervous
anxious
takes time to settle
Learning
has to follow routine
memory
concentration
Behaviour
rituals
passive
everything is a
problem
Knowledge
knows small amount about lots of subjects
cannot always make links between cause
and effect
Links to study support: - concentration – reading, writing, revision, exams
Strategies
 Reading to locate information
 Selecting if relevant
Writing
Success
Faith
Post traumatic stress disorder & depression
 Undergraduate in Social Psychology.
 1st year at different university.
 Doctor’s letter (confidential, no access unless
student wishes to share).
 Needs Assessment recommends study support for
research, anxiety, work management, organisation.
Faith
An asylum seeker from Somalia
PTSD
Feeling detached; disturbed sleep;
easily startled; avoids situations that
reminds them of trauma; intrusive
thoughts/images; OCD-type
behaviour; feelings of guilt
Depression
Memory; procrastination; selfblame/guilt; negative; bleak future;
tired; difficulty sleeping; moves
slowly
How does Faith present?
Attitude
timid,
disinterested,
changeable,
anxious
Learning
styles vary,
memory,
Ideas,
Inconsistent,
concentration
Behaviour
disorganised,
bad timekeeping,
passive,
inconsistent
Knowledge
vocabulary (2nd language),
conceptual,
contextual (educational
background)
Links to study support: - procrastination, time management, self esteem,
confidence, concentration, stress & anxiety
Study Support Activities
Sorted - the daily organiser
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOuHRn_D_CM
Sophie
Bi-polar
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Undergraduate in Textiles: Innovation and Design
2nd year
Came with assessment
Needs assessment shows 1:1 for memory issues
and organisation
Sophie
Bi-polar
Highs
Talks fast
Racing thoughts
Lack of concentration
Poor judgement
Impulsive
Self-centred
Extreme irritability
Lows
Chronic fatigue
Sense of worthlessness
Guilt
Lack of concentration
Poor memory
Loss of interest
How does she present?
Attitude
keen for help
changeable
anxious
Behaviour
disorganised
jumps in
bad timekeeping
Learning:
poor memory
rushes through
surface learner
Knowledge:
good
some contextual things
missing
Links to study support: - concentration, impulsivity, memory, self-esteem, motivation
Organisation
 http://www.6wunderkinder.com/wunderlist
Simple to do list, can create several lists, can add sub-lists and extra
notes
 https://evernote.com/
 Saves your ideas, video, audio
I can finish a task
Imran
Schizophrenia
 Undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering.
 2nd year.
 Doctor’s letter (confidential, no access unless
student is willing to share).
 No Needs Assessment available.
 1st year was OK - didn’t come for support, now
referred from Mental Health Support Team.
Imran
Schizophrenia
Delusions
Concentration
Expression
Lack of interest
Avoidance
Thought disorder
Over reliance on tutor
How does Imran present?
Attitude:
interested,
outgoing,
pleasant
Learning:
poor memory,
difficulty concentrating
Behaviour:
reasonably organised,
anxious,
slow reading/working,
can sometimes lose motivation
Knowledge:
good,
some contextual things missing
Links to study support: - organisation, stress management, memory
Illness
Relapse
Anxiety
This way with study
support
Recovery
Stress
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Tiredness & lack of motivation
Depression
Panic
Excessive anxiety
Introverted and introspective (a world of your own)
Staring without blinking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ9OWMsJBTk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-_q-md80VQ
Strategies
Keep stress and anxiety low - exams / revision /strategies to
avoid impulsivity
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revision schedule
small, manageable chunks
exam time
break down question
draw out
time keeping in exam
liaise with MHT on relaxation strategies.
awareness of own feelings - anxiety levels rising.
2nd floor
1st floor
Monday
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Implications for Study Support
Is this familiar?
Perhaps we know more
than we thought.
We do have tools already.
How do we, as tutors, respond?
Attitude …
Behaviour …
frustration
irritation
Learning …
Knowledge …
inadequate
recognise the
need to acquire it
Crisis response plan
Ensure you know the procedure of the
organisation for crisis response.
 Emergency phone number?
 Support staff?
 Health centre?
 What’s your responsibility?
SAMARITANS
08457 90 90 90
Tutors
SpLD
Mental Health
Conclusion
 Many areas cross over.
 Where we talk of co-occurrence of SpLDs there is
co-occurrence of characteristics with mental health
issues.
 They may not be SpLD students but we can use
our toolbox. We have to recognise their learning
characteristics.
 We should have the confidence to support.