Assisting the Distressed Student: A Resource Guide for UNCW Faculty and Staff
As a member of the faculty or staff at UNCW, you are constantly interacting with students. At times you may encounter students who are in crisis situations or who are under unusual amounts of stress. You may see more of these students around mid-term and final exam periods.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR?
It may be difficult to distinguish between student’s “everyday problems” and situations that require a greater degree of professional intervention. Either way, a gesture of concern on your part might be helpful. A student with “everyday problems” may have as legitimate a reason to seek counseling as does the more disturbed student. Below, are some clear signs that a person may need professional assistance. These include:
Mood Problems: Feelings of helplessness, depression, social isolation and withdrawal. Suicidal thoughts may be indicated by some seemingly nonchalant statement like, "it just doesn't seem worth it anymore."
Problems with School: Poor classroom performance, loss of motivation or erratic attendance. These may signal a deeper, non-academic problem, especially if it is inconsistent with the student's previous record. `
Inability to Concentrate, Constant Worrying or Anxiety: Being easily distracted, fidgety, and shaky; having memory problems, or having trouble sleeping.
Anti-Social Behavior: Verbal or physical aggression, being "out of control", difficulty communicating or relating to others, demanding so much of your time and attention that you feel uncomfortable or irritated.
Change in Physical Appearance, Mood or Behavior: These include sudden weight gain or loss, loss of interest in physical grooming or schoolwork, and noticeable mood changes, either up or down.
Alcohol or Other Drug Abuse: Indications of excessive drinking, drug abuse or drug dependence.
WHEN TO REFER?
When you notice that a student has one or more of these warning signs, you are encouraged to show your concern and suggest a private meeting to explore the nature of the student's difficulties. For example, you might want to explore whether poor classroom performance is the result of academic difficulties, personal problems or some other situation. When a student's behavior is clearly disrupting the classroom process, the student needs to be advised that his/her behavior is unacceptable. Sometimes simply asking the person to change the behavior is sufficient. In some cases the behavior may warrant disciplinary action. (The Dean of Students (x3119) should be consulted in such cases.) If a student's behavior suggests physical threat or potential physical danger, the campus police should be contacted. They will send an officer who will respond in a calm, non-threatening manner. You can call the Counseling Center (x3746) if you are unsure of which action to take and request to speak with the on-call counselor.
Aside from the signals that suggest the need for counseling, you are encouraged to refer a student when the problem or request for information is beyond your ability to help.
HOW TO REFER?
When you have determined that a student might benefit from professional counseling it is best to be concise and straightforward in stating your concerns. It is helpful to use "I" statements rather than "you" statements. For example, rather than saying "You seem to have a problem", instead say "I am concerned about you for these reasons ___." Tell the student why you think counseling would be helpful and make it clear that this recommendation represents your best judgment based on the student's behavior. You might also want to tell him/her a few facts about the Counseling Center. For instance, the Counseling Center is located in Westside Hall on the second floor. All services are free to enrolled students and all discussions are confidential except when students present a danger to themselves or others.
Except in emergencies we respect the student's right to choose or refuse counseling. If the student is skeptical or reluctant simply express your acceptance of those feelings so that your own relationship with the student is not jeopardized. Give the student an opportunity to consider other alternatives by suggesting that he/she might need some time to think it over. If the student emphatically says "no" then accept the decision.
If the student agrees to the referral you can offer to help the student call to set up an intake interview. Students requiring immediate assistance because of crisis situations are seen on an emergency basis. Finally, you should follow up with the student at a later date to show your continued interest even if he/she did not accept your attempted referral.
For additional information, please view the video link below.
Working with Troubled Students
(Note: This is a video link file. Please click on the arrow in the black box once the page has loaded)
http://uncw.edu/www/media/pages/cte/workingwithtroubledstudents.html
In emergency situations involving students who are unwilling or unable to seek help on their own, you may call the Counseling Center, the Office of the Dean of Students, or the Campus Police.
WHAT ABOUT THE CULTURALLY DIVERSE STUDENT?
The culturally diverse student may be: (a) an American student who is bicultural and sees him/herself as an ethnic minority, (b) an International student who is studying for a degree and may return to his/her home nation, (c) an immigrant who is relatively new to the United States and remains culturally identified with his/her birth nationality, or (d) a student who represents any other minority population. Students who are culturally diverse may feel isolated in the university setting. They often believe that they must handle personal problems on their own and may wait until their distress is acute before seeking assistance.
Because of cultural masking and our own inexperience and/or discomfort with people who are different, the initial assessment of distress is often difficult. For the most part, problems described in this brochure are also discernible in the culturally diverse population. However, difficulty in assessing emotional distress in the culturally diverse individual is compounded by differences in cultural norms of behavior, emotional expression, sense of privacy and personal discomfort with mainstream American culture. If you encounter a culturally diverse individual who may be experiencing distress, it is important to make some contact with him/her and express your concerns, just as you would with any other student. Although it would be helpful to be knowledgeable about the person's own culture, it is much better to reach out than to hold back for fear of violating cultural rules or boundaries. If the student does not accept your offer of help, you might want to suggest talking with someone else on campus, possibly someone who may be knowledgeable about the students' background. Remember to reach out to this person since he/she may find it difficult to seek assistance from you.
REFERRAL AGENCIES
There are a number of campus agencies that can assist students. The following are the telephone numbers of these agencies:
- University Police ….(910) 962-3184
- Counseling Center…(910) 962-3746
- Health Center.……..(910) 962-3280
- Dean of Students ….(910) 962-3119
- Disability Services…(910) 962-7555
- Wilmington 24-hour Crisis Line…(910) 392-7460
- Rape Crisis Center….(910) 392-7460
- CARE office………..(910) 962-CARE (2273)
- University Learning Services (910) 962-7857
