Managing Students in Distress:

1
Managing Students in Distress

• Preventing and Responding to Disorderly,
  Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

An original version of portions of this topic
presentation was made available to Flagler
College by the Counseling and Career Development
Center at Georgia Southern University,
Statesboro, GA. Numerous modifications have been
made for local use with their permission. http//s
tudents.georgiasouthern.edu/counseling/distress01.
htm Permission was also provided by Virginia
Tech to use information published in their
faculty guide for responding to threatening or
disruptive student behavior. http//www.dos.vt.edu
/documents/DisruptiveStudents-faculty.pdf
2
Sun coverage Tragedy at Virginia Tech Thousands
of Virginia Tech students take part in a mass
candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the
shootings.                                     
                                                  
                                                  
                                                  
                                                  
                                                  
                               Coverage of the
shooting rampage in which a gunman killed 32
people before taking his own life (Getty Images
/ April 17, 2007)
3
Managing Students in Distress

• Heartbreaking incidents of student violence on
  college campuses underscores the importance of
  finding ways to prevent, recognize, and respond
  to behavior leading up to this.
• The purpose of this presentation and the handout
  is to help you plan for ways to improve classroom
  and personal safety by
• Identifying situational and behavioral risk
  factors.
• Presenting guidelines and strategies for
  preventing disruptive, threatening or violent
  behavior.
• Presenting strategies for de-escalating
  threatening behavior.
• Presenting strategies for defusing threatening
  behavior that is at imminent risk of becoming
  violent.

4
General College Violent Crime Statistics
Fortunately, statistics for violent crimes on
college campuses indicate they occur much less
than in the general population. The School
Violence Resource Center (www.svrc.net/default.htm
) reports that to get a fair assessment of
criminal activity on the college campus, college
crime rates should be compared with the total
crime rates of the United States, based on the
standard population of 100,000. The following
table depicts the comparison of crime rates on
college campuses with the entire nation in four
violent crime categories in 2000. However, as
SVRC notes, oftentimes crimes on college
campuses do not get reported. This makes it
difficult to conclude with certainty that the
crime rates are indeed this low. SVRC reports
that the National Center for Education Statistics
estimated that in 2000 there were approximately
14,979,000 students at U.S. colleges and
universities in 2000.
5
General College Crime Statistics
U.S. vs. College Crime Rates, 2000
Crime U.S. Crime Rate College Crime Rate
Murder 5.7 .13 Forcible
Rape 32.0 2.4 Robbery 144.9
12.9 Aggravated Assault 323.6
24.3 Per 100,000. Source Office of
Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of
Education and Crime in the U.S. 2000
6
Managing Students in Distress Characteristics of
Troubled Students

• Everyone feels upset, distressed or confused at
  times. However,
• when such feelings persist, reach frightening
  levels of intensity,
• and/or result in feeling out of control, the
  person is experiencing
• distress at a crisis level.
• Violence and other forms of aggressive behavior
  is sometimes a
• tragic acting out of a person in crisis.
  Recognizing and responding
• to risk factors and indicators of this -sooner
  than later- may avert
• such an outcome.
• The next slide identifies risk factors found to
  be associated
• with student violence on college campuses.

7
Managing Students in DistressRisk Factors
Associated with College Violence

• 1. A history of violence and/or being
  victimized.
• 2. Threats of violence.
• 3. An obsessive interest in weapons.
• 4. A tendency to be isolated.
• 5. The inability to get along with others.
• 6. Excessive anger.
• 7. Job loss.

• 8. Breakup of a relationship.
• 9. Alcohol and drug usage.
• 10. Intolerance of differences.
• 11. Gang affiliation.
• 12. Poor attachment to school.
• 13. Exhibiting impulsive behavior.
• 14. Making violent drawings or writings.

Source Flannery, D.J., Quinn-Leering, K.
(2000). Violence on college campuses
Understanding its impact on student well being.
Community College Journal of Research and
Practice, 24. 839-855.
8
Managing Students in Distress Characteristics of
Troubled Students

• Following are a series of related slides
  identifying three
• levels of student behaviors indicative of
  increasing levels
• of distress. These behaviors apply to all forms
  of
• distress. While the behaviors identified at the
  lower
• levels do not always lead to more serious
  problems,
• identifying them early and intervening can help
  prevent
• distress from increasing.

9
Managing Students in Distress Characteristics of
Troubled Students (cont.)

• Level One While these behaviors may not always
  be troublesome to
• others, they signal that the student probably
  needs assistance.
• Poor academic performance, missed tests, or
  lowered performance.
• Excessive absences, especially if prior class
  attendance was good.
• Unusual or noticeably changed interaction
  patterns in the classroom.
• Depressed or apathetic mood, tearfulness.
• Behavioral agitation, excessive activity or
  talkativeness.
• Excessive anxiety, fearfulness and/or withdrawal.
• Noticeable change in appearance and hygiene.
• Alcohol on the breath/evidence of substance
  abuse.
• Inability to remain awake in class on a regular
  basis.

10
Managing Students in Distress Characteristics of
Troubled Students (cont.)

• Level Two These behaviors may signify a higher
  degree of emotional
• distress, impacting both personal and academic
  performance.
• Repeated attempts to obtain deadline extensions
  or postpone tests.
• A pattern of behaviors that disrupt class or
  student interactions.
• A pattern of behavior that upsets or alienates
  others.
• Lack of motivation or effort, especially if this
  is a noticeable change.
• Inappropriate emotional reactions to situations,
  including
• Inappropriate intensity for a situation
  (emotional over-reacting).
• Inappropriate duration of reaction (emotionally
  upset much too long).
• Inappropriate frequency (becomes upset on a
  regular basis).
• Inappropriate emotional response for the
  situation (e.g. inappropriate anger or laughter).
• A lack of emotional response when you would
  expect one.

11
Managing Students in Distress Characteristics of
Troubled Students (cont.)

• Level Three These behaviors indicate that a
  student is in
• crisis and needs emergency intervention.
• Threats of violence, aggressive behavior toward
  others, destruction of property, other extremely
  disruptive behavior.
• Obvious loss of contact with reality (e.g.,
  hallucinations, thoughts or behavior inconsistent
  with reality).
• Disturbed speech or communication content
  (incoherent speech, disorganized thoughts).
• Suicidal or other self-destructive thoughts or
  actions (any reference to suicide as a current
  possibility).
• Homicidal thoughts/threats.

12
Managing Students in DistressGeneral Guidelines
and Strategies

• Because people and circumstances differ, and
  because distress can take different forms, there
• is no one approach for every situation.
  Following are some general guidelines and
  strategies
• to help prevent/reduce distress and redirect a
  student toward constructive action.
• Guideline Be approachable and accessible.
• Strategy Let students know you are
  available for help through your actions and
  words.
• Guideline Act sooner than later to prevent a
  problem from escalating.
• Strategy Dont ignore signs of distress,
  big changes, or inappropriate behavior. Take the
  initiative.
• Guideline Minimize defensiveness and
  embarrassment for the student.
• Strategy Request to see the student in
  private or semi-private (assuming you feel safe).
• Guideline Communicate that you are aware and
  care. This can reduce feeling isolated, angry or
  desperate.
• Strategy Listen carefully (actively).
  Demonstrate an effort to understand what the
  student is going through. Be nonjudgmental
  without necessarily agreeing.

13
Managing Students in DistressGeneral Guidelines
and Strategies

• Guideline Help the student clarify the problem.
  
• Strategy Identify the problem in a
  concrete manner. This can help to make it more
  solvable and develop a constructive problem
  solving approach.
• Guideline Help the student identify
  constructive options and steps to take. This can
  restore some sense of control and help put things
  in perspective
• Strategy Discuss resource options and help
  the student get help. Make the call, walk them
  over. Follow-up with the student.
• Guideline Involve yourself only as much as you
  feel comfortable.
• Strategy Avoid becoming more deeply
  involved than time or skill permits. Dont make
  promises you may not be able to keep. Once a
  student is getting help elsewhere for a problem,
  be cautious of your level of independent
  involvement.

14
Managing Students in DistressGeneral Guidelines
and Strategies

• CONSULT WITH COUNSELING CENTER STAFF
• If you have questions, the Counseling Center
  staff may be reached during working hours at
  819-6305, and after working hours by calling
  Campus Security at 819-6200. The Counseling
  Center is located in the Palm Cottage at 8
  Valencia Street, set back between Wiley Hall and
  Lewis House.
• FOR EMERGENCIES INVOLVING IMMEDIATE ACTION by the
  Police, EMTs, or other emergency response
  agencies FIRST CALL 911, then follow-up with a
  call to Campus Security 819-6200 (200 from a
  campus phone), appropriate supervisors, and the
  Counseling Center.

15
Managing Students in Distress Disorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• Flagler College Policies on Disorderly/Disruptive
  Behavior
• Aggressive or violent behavior may be preceded by
  less destructive behavior that
• is disorderly or disruptive. Flagler College has
  policies prohibiting disorderly or
• disruptive behavior. These policies are
  described in the Flagler College Catalog
• under General Conduct Regulations in the
  Student Life section and, in the
• Student Handbook under Safety and Security in
  the Academic and
• Administrative Policies and Judicial Procedures
  section. Both the catalog and
• handbook are accessible on-line through the
  Flagler College home page. On the
• home page the Catalog is an option under the
  Academics tab, and the Student
• Handbook is an option in the Administration/Polici
  es section under the
• Students/Faculty/Staff tab.

16
Managing Students in DistressDisorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• Be Prepared
• If you encounter an individual whose behaviors
  indicate a problem with anger or aggression, your
  options will be determined by many different
  factors. For example, your response will be much
  different with a student repeatedly getting angry
  in class than with a student who surprises you
  with violent threats.
• In an ideal situation you may be able to address
  a problem early through preventative methods.
• In other situations, even with a distressed
  student, you may have time to gather information,
  consider options, and assist the student in
  getting help.
• Finally, there may be situations where you have
  to act quickly based upon a predetermined plan or
  strategies.
• No matter what, being prepared with options, and
  having a plan/strategies can improve your chances
  of managing a potentially threatening situation .
  
• The following slides provide suggestions for
  preventing and responding to disruptive
• and threatening behavior.

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Managing Students in Distress Disorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• Prevention
• Addressing such behavior before or when it first
  appears may prevent it
• from occurring, or if it does occur, from
  escalating in the future. Some
• suggestions are as follows
• Make classroom behavioral standards clear from
  the outset.
• Discuss how practicing tolerance is part of
  learning.
• When you see evidence of behavior that has the
  potential to get out of hand (e.g., inappropriate
  anger in class discussion), use this as an
  opportunity to remind the entire class of
  acceptable behavior and/or the challenge of
  developing tolerance. Dont wait too long.
• Model appropriate behavior. Reinforce students
  when appropriate.
• Let students know you are available
• Meet sooner than later when you see a problem.
• Involve others if you feel it is necessary (e.g.,
  department chair, Dean of Students, Counseling
  Center, Behavioral Intervention Team).

18
Managing Students in Distress Disorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• Act Early When Concerned
• Take encounters that cause concern for your
  personal safety very seriously, including phone
  calls, notes or e-mails.
• Inform campus security, your supervisor, and the
  Dean of Students of your concerns.
• Control the Environment When Concerned
• Do not isolate yourself when meeting with someone
  who has caused some concern.
• If in your office keep your door open.
• Inform a co-worker of the meeting so they can
  check-in with a call or knock.
• Establish a code word to let others know youre
  concerned/need help.
• Avoid making the person feel trapped or cornered.
• Have access to an exit, but dont block or stand
  in the way of it.
• Maintain distance between yourself and the
  student.
• Do not psychologically corner the student through
  threats, pressure, etc.

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Managing Students in Distress Disorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• Responding to Increasingly Aggressive Behavior.
  The
• recommendations below emphasize the importance of
  noticing
• distress indicators early using strategies to
  encourage a problem
• solving approach and controlling the emotional
  momentum of the
• encounter.
• Notice early non-verbal, paralinguistic warning
  signs (e.g., jerky movements, fast breathing,
  raised voice pitch and volume).
• Ask the person to tell you his/her goals from the
  meeting.
• Remind the person you want to work with them to
  help.
• Speak calmly control your rate, pitch and volume
  of speaking.
• Use other conversational means to slow emotional
  momentum (e.g., recapping, restating your
  interest in helping, raising questions)
• Take a short break (bathroom, etc.) this may also
  be used as an opportunity to alert security
  (819-6200) or co-workers.

20
Managing Students in Distress Disorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• Mistakes to Avoid. Dont forget that you may be
  talking with
• someone who is not as capable as you of being as
  rational.
• Do not minimize or ignore early warning signs.
• Dont let the other person work themselves up
  more and more.
• Acknowledge you see they are upset shift to
  setting goals, recapping, etc.
• Similarly, dont let the other person set the
  emotional tone.
• Remember to use your voice qualities to set the
  tone
• Dont fall prey to a power struggle with a person
  potentially in crisis.
• Avoid appearing overbearing, condescending,
  argumentative, hostile, punitive or threatening
  instead remind them you want to help.
• Do not assume the usual rules apply.
• Dont press for rational explanations/justificat
  ions for their behavior.
• Do not call their bluff.

21
Managing Students in Distress Disorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• If you have been successful in de-escalating a
  situation
• and identifying what they want/need, inform them
  that
• you will need to involve other resources as part
  of a plan
• to help.
• Inform the student it will be necessary to meet
  with a counselor at the Counseling Center ASAP.
• Let the student know that it will be necessary
  to contact your supervisors to discuss options.
• Notify Security/others of your concerns as
  appropriate.

22
Managing Students in Distress Disorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• Responding to Aggressive or Potentially
  Aggressive Behavior
  
• If a student produces a weapon, attempt to stop
  the behavioral
• momentum, alert others if possible, introduce
  doubts, and convince
• him/her to choose other options
• Ask them to put it away or down so you can talk
  undistracted.
• Use your code word to alert others without
  panicking the student.
• Tell the student he/she has totally succeeded in
  convincing you as to how upset he/she is, and it
  is not necessary to go any further.
• Remind them there are other options to address
  what they are upset about, and that you will do
  your best to help them.
• Remind them no one has been hurt, and its not
  too late for other options.
• Similarly, if concerns about the consequences of
  their behavior come up, remind them no one has
  been hurt yet and that will make a big
  difference.
• Urge the student to reconsider all of the
  consequences of hurting someone. Remind them it
  is not necessary.

23
Managing Students in Distress Disorderly,
Disruptive or Threatening Behavior

• If you are successful in de-escalating a
  situation where there is a
• weapon, prepare the student for what is to
  follow.
• Reinforce his/her decision.
• Inform them security needs to be notified, but
  that you will inform them that the student has
  been cooperative.
• If it seems safe, inform the student that things
  will go much smoother without a weapon present,
  and remove it if possible.
• Inform him/her it is in their best interest to
  cooperate with Security.
• If they ask for more details as to what will
  occur, inform him/her you do not know for sure
  other than people will be trying to help.
• Contact 911 and Security. If you are concerned
  about calling 911, Security will do so when you
  mention a weapon is involved.
• Follow-up with your supervisor and the Counseling
  Center.

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Managing Students in Distress Summary

• There are factors and behavioral indicators
  associated with a higher risk of student
  distress, including threatening behavior.
• Take warning signs seriously and address them
  early.
• Become familiar with guidelines and strategies
  for preventing such behavior in the classroom or
  when meeting with a student.
• Become familiar with strategies to de-escalate
  such behavior when it starts to intensify.
• Become familiar with strategies to defuse a
  volatile situation when the risk of violence
  seems imminent.
• Have a plan for yourself and co-workers to help
  you be prepared to prevent, de-escalate and
  defuse a situation.