How to Identify and Refer a
Distressed Student
Ed Derr LPC, NCC
Director of Counseling, Testing, Disability
Services
Quotes
“Murderers are not monsters, they’re men.
And that’s the most frightening thing about
them.” -Alice Sebold
“If the desire to kill and the opportunity to
kill came always together, who would
escape hanging?” -Mark Twain
We are sometimes faced with student
behavior that is troublesome while
performing our role of maintaining an
effective learning environment.
There are student services that exist to
support you.
Disturbing or Disruptive… that is
the question
It is useful to distinguish between student
behavior that is disturbing rather than
disruptive.
Identifying Disturbing Behavior
Disturbing Behavior:
• Causes us to feel concerned, alarmed, afraid, frustrated.
• Behavior that may not have negative impact on other
students, professor’s ability to teach or conduct class or
implementation of other professionals’ roles in the
university.
• However, may indicate that a particular student is having
difficulties that affects his/her academic performance.
Examples of Disturbing Behaviors
• A student who jokes in class about killing
himself.
• A student who perspires profusely when
giving a talk in front of a class.
• A student who discloses that her mother
was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
• A student who seems to work harder than
most students but can’t pass an exam.
• A student who appears to be losing
significant weight yet speaks with pride
about how little she eats.
• A student whose writing appears disjointed
and fragmented, as thought he cannot
maintain a logical sequence in his thought
processes.
• A student who reports that FBI agents are
following him around campus.
Interventions for Disturbing
Behavior
Faculty and Staff have options for responding:
• Can do nothing.
• Initiate a private conversation with the student about
their behavior. Keep the conversation focused on the
behavior, not the possible cause of it.
• Consult with other professionals on campus. (Faculty
and Staff are not expected or is it encouraged to provide
professional counseling.)
• Refer the student to other professionals on campus.
Identifying Disruptive Behavior
Disruptive behavior:
• Behavior that interferes with the educational
process of other students.
• It may or may not be responsive to faculty or
staff intervention.
• Is behavior that may prevent faculty/staff from
carrying out professional responsibilities.
Examples of Disruptive Behavior
• A student who physically confronts
another person.
• A student who verbally abuses another
person.
• A student who interrupts the educational
process in class by: making remarks out of
turn, taking over a lecture, dominates
class discussion.
• A student who physically acts out toward
University property by: breaking windows,
throwing furniture, smashing doors.
Interventions for Disruptive
Behavior
• Securing a safe environment is always top
priority. If ever you have questions about
immediate safety, dial 7911.
• Talk with the student, preferably in private
in your office. If concerned about violence
erupting, ask a colleague, dept. chair, or
supervisor to be present. “Two heads are
better than one”.
• Inform the student of the behavior that
needs to change, a timeline for when the
change needs to be made, and define
consequences if the change does not
occur.
• Follow through with the consequences if
change does not occur.
• After the meeting, document on paper
what occurred during the meeting.
• It is sometimes helpful and/or necessary to
provide the student with a copy of your
requirements and consequences.
• What about mandated counseling?
Procedures for intervention in the
classroom or offices
• Verbal request to stop the behavior.
• Verbal request to leave.
• Call Police and/or Campus Security at
7911.
• Consult about dropping the student from
your class.
• Consult with Dean of the College and
Dean of Students about possible violations
of the Student Code of Conduct.
Prevention is always good
medicine… when you can
Things that make Drury special can help to
deter violence:
• Small school atmosphere
• Ability to build relationships with students
so they feel comfortable coming to them
• Effective communication with students and
among students
“Grey” Anatomy
Federal privacy and antidiscrimination laws restrict
how universities can deal with students who have
mental health problems. (FERPA)
– For the most part, universities cannot tell parents
about their children’s problems w/out the student’s
consent. Yes, if risk to themselves, to others, alcohol
violation.
– Cannot release any information in a student’s medical
record w/out consent.
– Cannot put students on involuntary medical leave just
because they develop a serious mental illness.
Universities are in a bind. Most state laws
are pretty clear:
you can only bring students to hospitals if
there is imminent risk to themselves or
someone else.
Cases…
In 2000, MIT was found liable for a student that
committed suicide. Mass. Superior Court ruled
that the college should have informed parents of
the student’s deteriorating mental health.
Parents sued for $27.7 million – settled for an
undisclosed amount.
On the other hand, last August, the City University
of NY agreed to pay $65,000 to a student who
sued after being barred from her dorm room
because she was hospitalized after a suicide
attempt.
• George Washington University student
admitted himself into GWU hospital due to
suicide risk. GWU would not allow him
back into school following his hospital
stay; transferred schools and sued GWU.
• Virginia Tech case
• Northern Illinois University case
• Most recent campus shooting case
occurred 9/22 in Finland
• Shot and killed 12 students; killed himself.
• You Tube video made before the shooting.
• Questioned but not detained; gun not
confiscated.
Concerns…
• People that are “different” perceived as a
threat? A witch-hunt mentality? Profiling?
• Stephen King wrote “strange” writings;
Salvador Dali created “strange” art.
• Introverts seen as “loners”.
• Many wrongly believe most who suffer
from a mental illness are prone to
violence. Only a small percentage actually
commit violent crimes.
• Many students come to college with a
prescription for some condition:
depression, anxiety, birth control, ADHD or
for some chronic mental illness like
bipolar. Do they take their medicines
correctly? Consistently? We may not
know…
Thank you.
Questions and Comments?