Reactions, Challenges, and Coping Resources of College Teachers wWho have Encountered Students with Diagnosed Psychological Disorders

Article Details

Mary Irene Clare O. Deleña, mary.irene.delena@dlsu.edu.ph, De La Salle University, Philippines
Ron R. Resurreccion, , De La Salle University, Philippines

Journal: The Asia-Pacific Social Science Review
Volume 17 Issue 3 (Published: 2018-03-01)

Abstract

This research identified the experiences of college teachers who have encountered students with diagnosed psychological disorders. Respondents are 14 college teachers from the various colleges of a private university. All experiences shared through one- on- one interviews are with students of the same university. This paper presents their reactions, challenges, coping resources, and recommendations. After conducting a qualitative analysis, it was realized that college teachers share common reactions, challenges, and coping resources in the situations that they experienced dealing with these students. Various means of reaching out were generally given by college teachers depending on their individual strategies. Behavioral reactions of giving considerations, referring to a professional or an authority, and treating the student normally, as well as the affective reaction of being concerned, were expressed. Challenges relating to the lack of professional skills, balancing considerations given and being fair to other students, and knowing the limits of one’s ability to help were typical among participants. Lastly, coping resources relating to seeking knowledge on mental health, seeking assistance from professionals, sharing experiences with other faculty members, and praying were found to be variant. With all these reactions, a typical recommendation for fellow faculty members who might be having similar experiences was to be kind and sensitive to these students. In addition, a typical recommendation for administrators was to provide training on helping skills and early detection of symptoms of psychological disorders.

Keywords: college teachers, experiences, students with psychological disorders, reactions, challenges, coping resources

DOI: https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/pdf/research/journals/apssr/2018-March-vol17-3/6-reactions-challenges-and-coping-resources-of-college-teachers-who-have-encountered-students-with-diagnosed-psychological-disorders.pdf
  References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association.

Ackles, L., Fields, H., & Skinner, R. (2013). A Collaborative Support Model for Students on the Autism Spectrum in College and University Housing. Journal of College & University Student Housing, x, xx–xx.

Andrews, B., & Wilding, J. (2004). The relation of depression and anxiety to life-stress and achievement in students. British Journal of Psychology, 95, 509–-521.

Bayram, N., & Bilgel, N. (2008). The prevalence and socio-demographic correlations of depression, anxiety and stress among a group of university students. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 43, 667–-672. doi: 10.1007/s00127-008-0345-x

Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. doi: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Breckler, S. (1984). Empirical validation of affect, behavior, and cognition as distinct components of attitude. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57 (6), 1191–-1205. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.47.6.119

Brockelman, K. F., Chadsey, J. G., & Loeb, J. W. (2006). Faculty perceptions of university students with psychiatric disabilities. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 30(1), 23–xx.

Brockelman, K. F., & Scheyett, A. M. (2015). Faculty perceptions of accommodations, strategies, and psychiatric advance directives for university students with mental illnesses. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 38(4), 342–xx.

Chen, C.hao C., Xiao-Ping Chen, X.-P., and James R.& Meindl, J. R. (1998). "How can cooperation be fostered? The cultural effects of individualism-collectivism." Academy of Management Review, 23.2 (21998),: 285–-304.

De La Salle University. (2012) About DLSU: Vision-Mission. Retrieved from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/inside/vision-mission.asp

Eisenberg, D., Gollust, S., Golberstein, E., & Hefner, J. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality among university students. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(4), 534–542. doi: 10.1037/0002-9432.77.4.534

Furman, W., & Buhrmester, D. (1992). Age and sex differences in perceptions of networks of personal relationships. Child Development, 63(1), 103–-115.

Glazzard, J., & Overall, K. (2012). Living with autistic spectrum disorder: Parental experiences of raising a child with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). British Journal of Learning Support, 27(1), 37–-45.

Granello, D. H., Pauley, P. S., & Carmichael, A. (1999). Relationship of the media to attitudes toward people with mental illness. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 38, 98–110.

Grogan, G. (2015). Supporting students with autism in higher education through teacher educator programs. SRATE Journal, 24(2), 8-13.

Kitzrow, M. (2003). The mental health needs of today’s college students: Challenges and recommendations. NAPSA Journal, 41 (1), 167–-181.

Harnum, M., Duffy, J., & Ferguson, D. (2007). Adults’ versus children’s perceptions of a child with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1337–-1343. doi: 10.1007/s10803-006-0273-0

Hill, C. E., Knox, S., Thompson, B. J., Williams, E. N., Hess, S. A., & Ladany, N. (2005). Consensual qualitative research: An update. Journal of Counseling pPsychology, 52(2), 196–-205.

Hill, C., Thompson, B., & Williams, E. (1997). A guide to conducting consensual qualitative research. The Counseling Psychologist, 25(4), 517–-572.

Hunt, J., & Eisenberg, D. (2010). Mental health problems and help-seeking behavior among college students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46, 3–-10.

Longtin, S. (2004). Practice brief: Interdisciplinary support services for students with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 23(3), 333–-342.

Matthews, N., Ly, A., & Goldberg, W. (2015). College students’ perceptions of peers with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45, 90–-99. doi: 10.1007/s10803-014-2195-6

McKeon, B., Alpern, C. S., & Zager, D. (2013). Promoting Academic Engagement for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 26(4), 353–-366.

Meaney, R., Hasking, P., & Reupert, A. (2016). Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms in College Students: The Complex Interplay between Aalexithymia, Emotional Dysregulation and Rumination. PloS one, 11(6), e0157294.

Mohammadi, M. (Ed.). (2011). A Comprehensive Book on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Place of publication: Publisher.

Nevill, R., & Susan, S. (2011). College students’ openness toward autism spectrum disorders: Improving peer acceptance. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, x, xxxx–xxxx. doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1189-x

Odom, S., & Wong, C. (2015). Connecting the dots: Supporting students with autism spectrum disorder. American Educator, 39(2), 12–-20.

Patros, C. H., Hudec, K. L., Alderson, R. M., Kasper, L. J., Davidson, C., & Wingate, L. R. (2013). Symptoms of attention-‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) moderate suicidal behaviors in college students with depressed mood. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(9), 980–-993.

Paykel, E. S., Hart, D., & Priest, R. G. (1998). Changes in public attitudes to depression during the Defeat Depression campaign. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 173, 519–522.

Reinke, W. M., Stormont, M., Herman, K. C., Puri, R., & Goel, N. (2011). Supporting children`s mental health in schools: Teacher perceptions of needs, roles, and barriers. School Psychology Quarterly, 26(1), 1.

Schoen, E., Uysal, M., & McDonald, C. D. (1987). Attitudes of college teachers toward treatment of disabled students reexamined. College Student Journal, 21, 190–193.

Shmulsky, S., Gobbo, K., & Donahue, A. (n.d.2015). Groundwork for success: A college transition program for students with ASD. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 28(2), 235 – 241.

Szymanski, E. M., Hewitt, G. J., Watson, E. A., & Swett, E. A. (1999). Faculty and instructor perceptions of disability support services and student communication. Journal of Postsecondary Education, 22, 117–128.

Tajfel, H. (1982). Social psychology of intergroup relations. Annual Review of Psychology, 33, 1–39.

Tipton, L. A., & Blacher, J. (2014). Brief report: Autism awareness: Views from a campus community. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(2), 477–-483. doi: 10.1007/s10803-013-1893-9

Tuliao, A. P. (2014). Mental health help seeking among Filipinos: A review of the literature. Asia Pacific Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 5(2), 124–-136.

Vance, T. A., & Weyandt, L. (2008). Professor perceptions of college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of American College Health, 57(3), 303–-308.

Wheeler, M. (2014). Academic support for college students with an autism spectrum disorder: An overview. The Reporter, 15(10). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2022/13226.

Wilder, D. A. (1981). Perceiving persons as a group: Categorization and intergroup relations. Cognitive Processes in Stereotyping and Intergroup Behavior, 213, 258.

Wyn, J., Cahill, H., Holdsworth, R., Rowling, L., & Carson, S. (2000). MindMatters, a whole school approach promoting mental health and wellbeing. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 34, 594–-601.

Uncu, Y., Bayram, N., & Bilgel, N. (2007). Job related affective well being among primary health care physicians. European Journal of Public Health, 17(5), 514–-519.

  Cited by:
     None...