Charting the Rocky Terrain When Working with
Students with Obsessive Compulsive and
Asperger’s Disorder. Thoughts, Discussion and
Suggestions for Best Practices.
Region 10 NACADA
March 1, 2012
Workshop Facilitators
Julie Preece
 Ronald Chapman
 Norman Roberts
 Michael Brooks


Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah
Academic_support@byu.edu
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“Caveats”

Session’s Purpose: To enhance awareness of best advisement
practices; not prepare psychological service providers.

Psychological disorders are numerous; a review of all disorders
is beyond the scope of one workshop.

Psychological disorders may vary in their signs and symptoms
from person-to-person.

Recognition, Reconnaissance, Respect, and Referral (4R’s)
help a majority of students experiencing psychological concerns.

In the United States, by law, students with disorders that rise to
the level of a disability receive reasonable accommodations that
do not violate the essential elements of the academic programs.
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Session Overview

Mental health issues among college age students

Cases, discussions, and recommendations:
– Asperger’s Disorder
– Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Concluding comments
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Minnesota College Students
10,000 randomly selected for survey
from 14 higher education institutions
 26% had diagnosable mental
conditions by self report
 Comparable Utah sample was 28%

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Within the last year…
Condition
%
So depressed, difficult to function
Overwhelming anxiety
Overwhelming anger
Seriously considered suicide
Intentionally cut, burned, bruised or
injured self
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National College Health Assessment/ACHA Fall 2010 (N=30,093)
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Within the last year…
Condition
%
So depressed, difficult to function
28.4
Overwhelming anxiety
46.4
Overwhelming anger
36.7
Seriously considered suicide
6.0
Intentionally cut, burned, bruised or
injured self
5.1
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National College Health Assessment/ACHA Fall 2010 (30,093)
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Have You Ever Had a Student Confide
in You Thoughts About Suicide?
Suicide
27%
73%
Yes
No
Have You Ever Had A Student Confide In YOU
Thoughts About Or Experiences with Other Self
Destructive Behaviors
Destructive Behavior
29%
71%
Yes
No
Asperger’s Disorder
Asperger’s Disorder—”Caveats”
It has a variety of presentations and/or
degrees!
 What it is not:

–
–
–
–
–
Just shyness
Social awkwardness
Social opportunity disadvantage
Intellectual impairment
Delay of language development
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What you may observe?

Impairment of social interaction:
–
–
–
–

use of nonverbal behaviors
understanding of ironic language
lack of peer relationships
lack of emotional reciprocity
Repetitive behaviors, interests or actions:
–
–
–
–
restricted pattern of interests
adherence to routines
repetitive motor activities
preoccupation with parts of an object
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Asperger’s Disorder: Advisor Interventions

Generally:
–
–
–
–
no demeaning observations
avoid ironic language or expressions
avoid jokes or puns
appreciate student’s intelligence
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Asperger’s Disorder: Advisor Interventions

In the office:
– focus on one topic at a time
– use concrete observations or examples
– create specific—but limited in number—
assignments or activities to accomplish
– write out, together, assignments
– arrange for specific follow up
– facilitate appropriate behaviors
– contact by email
N/M

I am writing you at the request of a student in your class, STUDENT, who is
working with our office and receiving accommodations due to a disabling
condition. My hope is that through this letter I can better convey the
difficulties STUDENT has had in other classes, and we hope to provide a
better and more successful experience for him. The suggestions that follow
are not necessarily accommodations, but give a sense of strategies is trying
to employ to find success at college. Since social interactions are often
more difficult for STUDENT than for other students, this letter format is
thought to better convey the concerns and suggestions.

One request that STUDENT would make is to have a very brief meeting
with you following each class so that he can check out what is due for the
next class… Third, STUDENT would greatly appreciate, from time to time,
feedback on how he is doing in the course… Finally, due to varying
difficulties with social interactions, STUDENT often finds it hard to initiate
joining a study group. His performance once in a group has never been a
problem, but the nuances of joining a group are difficult. Should a study
group be a frequently utilized aspect of your class, any help you could offer
STUDENT in helping to join a group would be greatly appreciated
.
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
(OCD)




Disorder that may include recurrent and persistent images,
thoughts, or impulses which are more than real-life
problems (obsessions) and
Repetitive behaviors (compulsion), in response to an
obsession.
An individual usually perceives obsessions as intrusive and
inappropriate and the compulsions as excessive and
unreasonable.
In a given year, approximately 2% of the U.S. population
experiences OCD. Both males and females are affected
equally, and begin during childhood or adolescence.
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Possible OCD Effects Academics and Relationships


Concentration: in class, doing homework, in conversations.
Excessive time on exams / completing exams within time
limits.
– Obsess about the “right” answer (content concerns)
– Obsess drawing “perfect circles” around the answers
– Making all the letters equal on a 1000 word essay test
(mechanical concerns)
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Possible OCD Effects Academics and Relationships



Concentration: in class, doing homework, in conversations.
Excessive time on exams / completing exams within time
limits.
Objects or events stimulate a compulsion affecting focus.
Student thought that if he heard a bell (such as
at the end of classes), something dreadful
would happen. He left class 10 minutes early to
get out of buildings so he would not hear a bell.
If he heard a bell passing a building, he would
panic and be paralyzed for several hours.
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Possible OCD Effects Academics and Relationships




Concentration: in class, doing homework, in conversations.
Excessive time on exams / completing exams within time
limits.
Objects or events stimulate a compulsion affecting focus
Obsession to always say “the correct thing.”
– Continually correcting a statement.
– Continually apologizing.
– Other “speaking” or “interacting”
obsessions may lead to other perceiving
them as “odd.”
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Academic Strategies for Students with OCD
Extended time, alternate location with breaks during testing.
 Oral exams.
 For students with compulsive writing rituals, consider limiting
handwritten work.
 With Scantron forms: circle answers or record answers directly
in the test booklet.
 Record lectures.
 Hard copy outline of the lecture notes from instructor.
 If not a compulsion, student may use a notebook computer to
record lecture notes.

© 2004, Leslie E. Packer, PhD and Challenging Kids, Inc. This handout may be
reproduced for noncommercial personal use.
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Academic Strategies for Students with OCD



Reading compulsion rituals : limit amount to be read or break it
into chunks.
If reading rituals and intrusive thoughts are severe: books on tape
or recording the material for your student to listen to.
In some cases, having someone else read aloud to the student
may work, however, older students may feel frustrated and
demoralized.
© 2004, Leslie E. Packer, PhD and Challenging Kids, Inc. This handout may be
reproduced for noncommercial personal use.
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Questions and Comments
Anyone?
N