Faculty:
Staff:
Welcome to the simulation titled At-Risk Mental Health for Faculty & Staff. This is a transcript of the simulation designed for screen readers.
This virtual simulation was designed to help university faculty and staff learn to recognize when a student is exhibiting signs of psychological distress and how to connect them with appropriate campus support services in conversation.
PIC 1: The title card “Introduction” appears before being replaced by the image of a woman standing in an empty library.
DR. KNIGHT: Hi, I’m Dr. Kelly Knight, Professor of Psychology and Associate Department Head of Undergraduate Studies.
My colleagues often come to me to talk when they notice students struggling mentally and emotionally.
College is stressful and filled with challenges, both in and outside of the classroom.
PIC 2: The title “Life Stressors” appears next to Dr. Knight.
Layers of other life stressors can make it feel unmanageable for some students, and many students may be experiencing anxiety or depression.
PIC 3: A list appears underneath the title which includes:
DR. KNIGHT: These stressors include financial difficulties, illness, loss of family members, deadlines, exam stress, and balancing school and other obligations, to name just a few.
PIC 4: A slide appears with three pi charts on it, and at the top is the title “According to the American College Health Association:”
Around 70% of college students have experienced “overwhelming anxiety.”
Around 40% experienced moderate or severe psychological distress.
A quarter had depression symptoms that affected their academic performance.
PIC 5: The screen returns to Dr. Knight in the library.
But here’s the thing, we can make a big difference for our students who are struggling when we show them understanding and take compassionate action to support them.
PIC 6: The image of a figure at a desk with a computer appears next to the text “Connect students with resources.”
Our goal is to connect students with resources that can support them in working through their stressors, benefiting them not only academically, but also in other areas of their lives.
PIC 7: The image and text is replaced with text which reads “Pay Attention to Signs of Distress” with “Signs of Distress” underlined and in color.
It’s important to pay attention and keep an eye open for signs of distress. Here are some signs of distress that you might notice.
PIC 8: The title “Academic Signs of Distress,” which has “Academic” underlined, appears next to the shadow image of a student working at a desk. A list appears:
PIC 9: The next slide is titled “Behavioral Signs of Distress” with the word “Behavioral” underlined and has the shadow image of a student sitting down and clutching their head. A list appears:
PIC 10: The next slide is titled “Physical Signs of Distress” with the word “Physical” underlined and has the shadow image of a student standing. A list appears:
PIC 11: The screen returns to Dr. Knight, who has the words “Change from the student’s past behavior” next to her underneath an image which has a blue shadow student with hands on their hips turning into a grey shadow student with arms loose at their sides.
These signs are meaningful on their own and especially meaningful if they’re a change from the student’s past behavior.
Keep in mind that every student is different. What might be a concern for one student might not be for another.
PIC 12: A slide appears titled “Changes Over Time: What changes do you notice?” with two images of a student, one titled “Then” and the other “Now.” The first image shows a young student with a backpack and bottle of water wearing a plain long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants. The second image shows the same student now in a large sweatshirt, holding their backpack at their side. The text at the bottom reads “Not a potential sign of distress.”
PIC 13: The “Then” picture of this slide shows a cleanshaven student with slicked back blonde hair wearing while the “Now” image shows the same student with stubble, messy brown hair, wearing a long-sleeved sweatshirt. The text underneath reads “Apparent sign of distress.”
PIC 14: The “Then” picture of this slide shows a student quietly taking notes at a desk with a book next to them. The “Now” picture shows the same student taking notes quietly without a book near them. The text underneath reads “Not a potential sign of distress.”
PIC 15: The “Then” picture of this slide shows a student at their desk with their hand raised, participating in class, where the “Now” image shows the same student sleeping on their desk. The text notes that this is an “Apparent sign of distress.”
PIC 16: The screen returns to Dr. Knight in the library.
We want to help students as best we can, to create a connected campus where all students have a strong sense of belonging and feel supported.
I wasn’t always sure how to do that, but I’ve learned some helpful strategies that have helped me feel more confident about reaching out when I feel a student might be struggling.
So, today we’re going to go over how to navigate having supportive conversations with students in distress.
Thank you for everything that you do for your students!