In an earlier blog, I had referenced the negative role that parents could be unconsciously playing, by attributing their child's academic failures to laziness and disconnectedness. The scary part of this toxic reasoning is the fact that the observed academic shortcomings may simply be a function of an unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated learning disability.
Left untreated, a learning disability can lead to feelings of self doubt, low self esteem, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, and, in a worst case unthinkable scenario---suicide. Properly diagnosed and assessed, a learning disability can be effectively accommodated and can lead to a normal, productive and rewarding academic experience, and a relatively unobstructed, positive life experience.
The direct relationship between academic pressure and the resultant anxiety and depression, has been well documented. The transition from high school to University life can be daunting and traumatic in and of itself. This includes potential feelings of loneliness, abandonment and general fear of this new and unknown frontier called "life on campus".
The compounded issue of an unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated learning disability may be the factor that could tip the scale to a personal disaster.
Last week, during a visit to one of the universities, I eavesdropped on a "matter of fact" conversation between a few first year "Frosh" students who were discussing the haunting approach; of what University students have dubbed "Suicide Week" at Canadian university campuses.
I don't want to sound alarmist, but one need only consider the results of a 2011 survey1 of 1,600 University of Alberta students, in order to acknowledge the gripping reality, that "something" is seriously amiss.
According to the survey results:
51 per cent of the student responses stated that, within the past year, they had “felt things were hopeless.”
Over 50% felt “overwhelming anxiety.”
7 per cent admitted that they had “seriously considered suicide"
Approximately 1 per cent, admitted a suicide attempt (Note: on a sampling of 1,600 students, 1% of the stated 1,600 student sampling represents 16 admitted suicide attempts)
These disturbing statistics are apparently not unique to the University of Alberta.
Ryerson University’s Centre for Student Development and Counseling in Toronto, recently reported a 200 per cent response demand to crisis situations.2
In March 2010, a first year Queen’s University student died by suicide.
Over the period of the next ensuing 14 months period, three more Queen's students committed suicide,
In the wake of these and other "sudden" deaths at Queen's, the University established a special commission, which produced a report detailing 116 recommendations for change.3 Although the recommended proposals are specifically directed to Queen’s in Kingston, many of the ideas are applicable to other secondary and post secondary academic institutions.
The commission heard about "inconsistencies and structural issues across university operations that present inadvertent academic-related obstacles resulting in unnecessary stress and distress."4
These recommendations included:
• Developing university-wide policies that would grant special accommodation when excess stress and other “extenuating circumstances” pressure students writing exams, midterms and research papers.
• Making it easier to erase “false starts.” These occur when a student arrives on campus unprepared for the pace and intensity of academic work. Kids can flame out, registering low marks that don’t reflect their true ability. Some of the stress from this could be eased if those marks don’t have a lasting impact on their record.
• Allowing vulnerable students to move into an on-campus residence a day or two early to ease their transition into university or college life.
Although the commission report does not directly reference the issue of the unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated students with learning disabilities, the report does reference the fact that there was no policy or process in place, to guide professors, staff or students in cases involving students who are not registered with the student disabilities department. Remember though that they are primarily addressing the problem of the general stress level experienced by the student population and they are not addressing the unique plight of students with an unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated learning disabilities.
The compounded stress experienced by an unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated student with a learning disability, is profound. On top of the obvious transition related stress issues, the unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated student could see himself/herself as being effectively disconnected from the University learning experience. You might call it a feeling of being "up the creek without a paddle". These invisible barriers, that are the hallmarks of an inappropriately accommodated learning disability, can obviously, generate feelings of hopelessness and personal despair. Those students who have demonstrated reluctance to self-advocate due to shame, guilt or fear of the disability "label", may have unintentionally put themselves in harms way.
A growing body of research has established a direct correlation between student depression and a number of factors including, most notably, the role of learning disabilities. Co-occurrence rates between learning disability and depression are very high.4
Unfortunately it is a vicious circle...unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated learning disabilities spawn poor academic performance...poor academic performance spawns depression...depression interferes with the student' stability to concentrate on cognitive tasks, including text reading, and consequent interferes with the student's ability to learn.
Talk of student suicide is obviously an uncomfortable and gut wrenching topic. Although it is the most extreme of possible victim responses, we must also pay careful attention to the less extreme, depressive responses to systemic academic failure that is rooted in undiagnosed and/or inappropriately accommodated learning disabilities.
In this regard, please consider the following:
How many bright students, with unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated learning disabilities, drop out of school?
How many talented students, with unidentified and/or inappropriately accommodated learning disabilities are forced to live a life immersed in self doubt and low self esteem, having never been given the opportunity to realize their individual potentials?
The cost of a psycho-educational assessment is typically in the range of $1,500 to $2,500.
Amortized over a lifetime, this cost is a small price to pay for your child's protection and potential future happiness.
Something to think about...Whatever you do...DON’T worry about the "label".
Trust me...once identified and properly accommodated, the label will be a gift.
Work Cited
1Lunau, K., The Mental Health Crisis on Campus; MacLeans.ca, On Campus
September 5th, 2012.
2Report on the Principal's Commission on Mental Health, Queen's University,
September, 2012.
3Report on the Principal's Commission on Mental Health, Queen's University,
September, 2012. p.14.
4A Barrier to Learning - Mental Health Disorders Among Canadian Youth; Canadian
Council on Learning (CCL) (2009). p. 3.
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