May 06, 2008 Issue | Updated May 12 2:51pm 
Apr 24, 2007 8:00 AM
Be alert to warning signs of a student in crisis
Faculty and staff are likely to encounter distressed students in the course of their daily work and can play a crucial role in identifying and responding to these students. The tragic events that took place last week on the campus of Virginia Tech are a potent reminder of our need to be alert to warning signs of students in distress.
While the first step is to notice signs of potential distress, the brief occurrence of a single symptom or sign may not signal unmanageable stress. Some of the symptoms described here fall well within the range of experiences typical for a young adult; but multiple symptoms or patterns of behavior consistently present over time more likely indicate that a student’s distress may require professional intervention.
Marked changes in academic performance or behavior
Be alert to a student’s poor performance and preparation when it is markedly inconsistent with previous work. Notice repeated requests for special consideration (e.g., incompletes, late papers) or infrequent class attendance with little or no work completed. A student who engages in disruptive behaviors, consistently derailing classroom activities, discussions or lectures is of great concern.
Physical signs
Students in crisis frequently experience a marked decline in personal hygiene. Notice if they consistently look disheveled, fatigued, lethargic or listless, or have swollen or red eyes. Students in crisis frequently experience dramatic weight loss or gain.
Social withdrawal
A student’s withdrawal from peers, friends and family is often a red flag signaling a decline in overall functioning. A student’s avoidance of social interaction in general or a sudden marked reduction in class participation could be a sign of distress as well.
Strange behaviors and impaired thinking
Students in serious crisis may engage in bizarre or strange, inappropriate behavior. Incoherent or confused speech, delusional thinking and paranoia are symptoms deserving immediate attention and referral for a diagnostic assessment. Agitation, noticeable restlessness, hyperactivity or unusually rapid speech are distinct signs of anxiety, potentially requiring intervention.
Exaggerated emotional responses
Intense anxiety, extreme irritability and anger, prolonged depressed mood and/or frequent tearfulness and crying spells are all clear signs of emotional distress.
Threatening statements and behaviors
Students in crisis frequently express helplessness or hopelessness. Watch for students who make references to suicide, give away prized possessions and “settle accounts” with finality. Disturbing or morbid themes consistently present in verbal or written work are frequently a sign of underlying emotional distress. Equally alarming are students’ references to homicide, death, or threats to harm others. Stalking behaviors and threatening or accusatory statements embedded in e-mail, text messages, letters or phone calls signal an acute crisis and require an immediate response.
When a student is in crisis, faculty and staff frequently accompany him or her to Student Psychological Services in the Wooden Center West. It’s helpful to call ahead to let the staff know that you’re bringing a student over for immediate walk-in services. To consult a staff clinician about the referral process, call (310) 825-0768. Go to www.sps.ucla.edu for help in describing symptoms of concern and for tips on how to identify and refer a distressed student.
Gong-Guy is director of UCLA Student Psychological Services.
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