Over-stressed, Overwhelmed, and Over Here: Resident Directors and the Challenges of Student Mental Health Abroad
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v18i1.261Keywords:
Mental health, Mental health abroad, Study abroad, Education abroad, Faculty advisor, Resident directorAbstract
This article presents a study that stemmed from the author's personal struggle to help several students abroad suffering from mental illness (endogenous depression, anxiety disorder, borderline personality, paranoia, anorexia). At the time, little research had been written on the role of the resident director in relation to the mental health challenges students may experience while on overseas programs. Therefore, this article attempts to state the nature of these issues, examine current research, and present actual cases of study abroad students with whom the author worked on a variety of mental health concerns (their names and some details have been changed to protect their privacy). The hope of this article is to begin a line of inquiry that will help other professionals in the field come to terms with one of the growing challenges resident directors face working with U.S. undergraduates overseas.
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References
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American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.
Arehart-Treichel, Joan. “Colleges Use Aggressive Outreach to Prevent, Identify MH Problems.” Psychiatric News 37.6(2002): 6.
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Farber, Barry. Crisis in Education: Stress and Burnout in the American Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1991.
Freed, Barbara. Second Language Acquisition in a Study Abroad Context. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 1995.
Friedman, Isaac. “Burnout in Teachers: Shattered Dreams of Impeccable Performance.” Journal of Clinical Psychology/In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice 56(5)(2000): 595–606.
Gately, Gary. “Colleges target mental health campus: Groups,courses, online services help reduce the stigma of treatment.” Boston Globe. April 17, 2005.
Gudykunst, W. B. “Anxiety/uncertainty management theory: current status.” Intercultural Communication Competence. Eds. R. L. Wiseman et al. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1995. 33–71.
Gullahorn, J. T. and J. J. Gullahorn. “Extension of the U-curve Hypothesis.” Journal of Social Issues 19(3)(1963): 33–47.
Ingraham, Edward and Deborah Peterson. “Assessing the Impact of Study Abroad on Student Learning Outcomes at Michigan State University.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad X (2004): 83–100.
Kadison, Richard and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo. College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What to Do About It. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004.
Kauffmann, N. et al., eds. Students Abroad, Strangers at Home: Education for a Global Society. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1992.
Kim, Young Yun and Brent D. Ruben. “Intercultural Transformation: a SystemsTheory.” Theories in Intercultural Communication Eds. Y. Y. Kim and W. Gudykunst. International Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1988.
Kinzie, Susan. “For College Deans, Crisis at Any Second.” Washington Post 21May 2005: B4.
Kottler, Jeffrey A. On Being a Therapist. 3rd ed. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2003.
Kupersanin, E. “Report Decries College Students’ Culture of High-Risk Drinking.” Psychiatric News 37.9(2002): 10.
Levy, J. and E. Deykin. “Suicidality, Depression, and Substance Abuse in Adolescence.” American Journal of Psychiatry 146:11(1989): 1462–1467.
Lysgaard, S. “Adjustment in a Foreign Society: Norwegian Fulbright Grantees Visiting the United States.” International Social Science Bulletin 7(1955): 45–51.
Oberg, K. “Culture Shock: Adjustment to New Environments.” Practical Anthropology 7(1960): 160–169.
“Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.” Institute for International Education. 18 July 2007http://www.opendoors.iienetwork.org.
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Renik, O. Practical Psychoanalysis for Therapists and Patients. New York: Other Press, 2006.
Schrier, Leslie L. “The Overwhelmed Generation and Foreign Language Teacher Preparation: Developing Strategies to Work with the Mental Health Challenges of Preservice Teachers.” ms. Hispania, Exton, PA.
Segalowitz N. et. al. “A Comparison of Spanish Second Language Acquisition in Two Different Learning Contexts: Study Abroad and the Domestic Classroom.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad 10(2004): 1–18.
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007. Pub.L. H.R. 1469. 5 June 2007.
Settles, W. et al. “Mental Health and Crisis Management: Assisting University of Notre Dame Study Abroad Students.” 18 July, 2007 <http://www.nd.edu/~ucc/International_Eds_Hdbk_2004.pdf>.
Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1990.
Sutton, R. and Donald Rubin. “The GLOSSARI Project: Initial Findings From a System-Wide Research Initiative on Study Abroad Learning Outcomes.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad X(2004): 65–82.
Terrell, T. “SAW Program in Mexico.” Report. University of California Education Abroad Program, Santa Barbara. 1987
Vande Berg, M., et al. “The Georgetown University Consortium Project: A Report from the Halfway Mark.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad X (2004):101–116.
Ward, C., S. Bochner, and A. Furnham. The Psychology of Culture Shock. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2001.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.
Arehart-Treichel, Joan. “Colleges Use Aggressive Outreach to Prevent, Identify MH Problems.” Psychiatric News 37.6(2002): 6.
Bender, Eve. “Treating College Students Means Doing Your Homework.” Psychiatric News 42.10(2007) 22.
Bennett, Milton. “Towards Ethno-relativism: a Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity.” Education for the Intercultural Experience. Ed. R.M. Page. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1993.
Cattell, J. “Depersonalization: Psychological and Social Perspectives.” American Handbook of Psychiatry. Ed. Arieti S. Brody. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. New York: Basic Books, 1979. 766–799.
Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. American Psychological Association. 1 June 2003 <http://www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html>.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. 20 US Code. Section 1232g. 34 Code of Federal Regulations Part 99. 1974.
Farber, Barry. “Understanding and Treating Burnout in a Changing Culture.” Journal of Clinical Psychology/In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice. 56(5)(2000): 589–594.
Farber, Barry. Crisis in Education: Stress and Burnout in the American Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1991.
Freed, Barbara. Second Language Acquisition in a Study Abroad Context. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 1995.
Friedman, Isaac. “Burnout in Teachers: Shattered Dreams of Impeccable Performance.” Journal of Clinical Psychology/In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice 56(5)(2000): 595–606.
Gately, Gary. “Colleges target mental health campus: Groups,courses, online services help reduce the stigma of treatment.” Boston Globe. April 17, 2005.
Gudykunst, W. B. “Anxiety/uncertainty management theory: current status.” Intercultural Communication Competence. Eds. R. L. Wiseman et al. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1995. 33–71.
Gullahorn, J. T. and J. J. Gullahorn. “Extension of the U-curve Hypothesis.” Journal of Social Issues 19(3)(1963): 33–47.
Ingraham, Edward and Deborah Peterson. “Assessing the Impact of Study Abroad on Student Learning Outcomes at Michigan State University.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad X (2004): 83–100.
Kadison, Richard and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo. College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What to Do About It. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004.
Kauffmann, N. et al., eds. Students Abroad, Strangers at Home: Education for a Global Society. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1992.
Kim, Young Yun and Brent D. Ruben. “Intercultural Transformation: a SystemsTheory.” Theories in Intercultural Communication Eds. Y. Y. Kim and W. Gudykunst. International Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1988.
Kinzie, Susan. “For College Deans, Crisis at Any Second.” Washington Post 21May 2005: B4.
Kottler, Jeffrey A. On Being a Therapist. 3rd ed. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2003.
Kupersanin, E. “Report Decries College Students’ Culture of High-Risk Drinking.” Psychiatric News 37.9(2002): 10.
Levy, J. and E. Deykin. “Suicidality, Depression, and Substance Abuse in Adolescence.” American Journal of Psychiatry 146:11(1989): 1462–1467.
Lysgaard, S. “Adjustment in a Foreign Society: Norwegian Fulbright Grantees Visiting the United States.” International Social Science Bulletin 7(1955): 45–51.
Oberg, K. “Culture Shock: Adjustment to New Environments.” Practical Anthropology 7(1960): 160–169.
“Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.” Institute for International Education. 18 July 2007http://www.opendoors.iienetwork.org.
“Reference Group Data Report.” ACHA-NCHA Publications and Reports. American College Health Association and National College Health Association. 16 July 2007 <http://www.achancha.org/pubs_rpts.html#sp06>.
Renik, O. Practical Psychoanalysis for Therapists and Patients. New York: Other Press, 2006.
Schrier, Leslie L. “The Overwhelmed Generation and Foreign Language Teacher Preparation: Developing Strategies to Work with the Mental Health Challenges of Preservice Teachers.” ms. Hispania, Exton, PA.
Segalowitz N. et. al. “A Comparison of Spanish Second Language Acquisition in Two Different Learning Contexts: Study Abroad and the Domestic Classroom.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad 10(2004): 1–18.
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2007. Pub.L. H.R. 1469. 5 June 2007.
Settles, W. et al. “Mental Health and Crisis Management: Assisting University of Notre Dame Study Abroad Students.” 18 July, 2007 <http://www.nd.edu/~ucc/International_Eds_Hdbk_2004.pdf>.
Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1990.
Sutton, R. and Donald Rubin. “The GLOSSARI Project: Initial Findings From a System-Wide Research Initiative on Study Abroad Learning Outcomes.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad X(2004): 65–82.
Terrell, T. “SAW Program in Mexico.” Report. University of California Education Abroad Program, Santa Barbara. 1987
Vande Berg, M., et al. “The Georgetown University Consortium Project: A Report from the Halfway Mark.” Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad X (2004):101–116.
Ward, C., S. Bochner, and A. Furnham. The Psychology of Culture Shock. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2001.
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Published
2009-08-15
How to Cite
Lucas, J. (2009). Over-stressed, Overwhelmed, and Over Here: Resident Directors and the Challenges of Student Mental Health Abroad. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 18(1), 187–216. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v18i1.261
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