Classmates or teachers often notice the first signs of a troubled student by observing disturbing remarks, changes in personality and unpredictable behavior, although sometimes, there is no indication that a student is troubled and this can lead to disastrous consequences, such as suicide or a shooting.

A leading group of researchers from the Michigan Technological University created an Early Intervention Team in 2007, as they believe that a key to prevent students from committing such disastrous incidents can be early intervention.

The Team established a process in which people can confidentially report possible problems, and it reviews, screens and offers referrals for those who are possibly at risk. They invited people to anonymously report any problem behavior by hanging eye-catching yellow posters all over the campus. The process for reporting possible problems and assuring confidentiality was shared between the team, academic departments and at new faculty orientation.

The team registered 86 incidents in the 2009/10 academic year, which increased to 121 incidents in 2010/11. Most incidents consisted of referrals to campus or community counseling or addiction treatment services. Associate dean of students, Pat Gotschalk, said that even though it will never be possible to quantify what did not happen, “Primarily, we helped prevent students from harming themselves.”

Gotschalk agrees:

“it’s a fine line between unusual behavior and potentially harmful behavior,” as some may argue that early intervention is an invasion of privacy. However, she points out that today’s college and university students are very anxious with regard to finances, grades and their futures, stating: “We address issues that cause anxiety, and it helps the students just to know that someone is addressing their concerns.”

Gotschalk underlines that student, faculty and staff privacy is also protected by a confidentiality component.

Written By Petra Rattue