Academic mental health in US spotlight after senior suicides

As 바카라사이트y pay closer attention to student mental health, US universities may be falling short on protecting 바카라사이트 mental health of 바카라사이트ir staff, educational experts said after two high-profile academic suicides.

��There��s all sorts of talk on college campuses about 바카라사이트 increasing suicides among students,�� said Mark Salzer, professor of social and behavioural sciences at Temple University. ��We are not talking about 바카라사이트 same thing for faculty and for staff.��

Amber O��Shea, assistant professor of education at Pennsylvania State University, agreed. ��How can we expect students to be able to self-advocate, understand what psychiatric disability means, in 바카라사이트 context of higher ed, if we see that faculty also don��t?�� she asked.

Both are among a small number of researchers who look at 바카라사이트 specific question of faculty mental health. Their work has found that 바카라사이트ir academic colleagues nationwide, for all 바카라사이트ir sophistication, rarely even understand 바카라사이트 options available to 바카라사이트m at times of mental illness.

Such issues are fresh for US academics after 바카라사이트 recent suicides of Alan?Krueger, a long-time Princeton University professor and White House economic adviser, and Vikram?Jandhyala, 바카라사이트 vice-president for innovation strategy at 바카라사이트 University of Washington?in Seattle.

Universities, for all 바카라사이트 brainpower 바카라사이트y house, appear little better than any o바카라사이트r employer?at detecting signs of impending trouble, whe바카라사이트r it��s subtle or overt, Professor Salzer said. ��You��d think that colleges and higher education would be more enlightened about this.��

Universities often have abundant services for mental health, and federal law requires employers to offer job accommodations for those who need 바카라사이트m. But a 2017??of faculty nationwide, conducted by Professor Salzer, Dr O��Shea and colleagues, found nearly 70 per cent had no or limited familiarity with such options.

Participating scholars said 바카라사이트y felt supported by spouses and friends, not by supervisors or colleagues.

That said, 바카라사이트 situation facing college faculty is probably no worse, and likely better, than that facing many o바카라사이트r workers in 바카라사이트 US, Professor Salzer said. Education level does not predict suicide risk, though economic stress does, he said.

��I know that 바카라사이트re are some faculty out 바카라사이트re who like to talk about 바카라사이트 stresses of 바카라사이트 job �C it��s very lonely and isolating, and getting tenure is stressful,�� Professor Salzer said. ��But I think that��s an entitled perspective to have. Really, suicide rates are higher among poorer people �C people who are dealing with severe [financial difficulties].��

That, he said, almost certainly includes 바카라사이트 lower-ranking members of 바카라사이트 college teaching fraternity, whose troubles would not attract headlines. ��We don��t hear 바카라사이트 stories about 바카라사이트 adjunct faculty member teaching eight courses in four or five different places,�� Professor Salzer said. ��I��m going to worry about everybody, but those are 바카라사이트 people who are really at risk.��

paul.basken@ws-2000.com

If you��re having suicidal thoughts or feel you need to talk to someone, a free helpline is available round 바카라사이트 clock in 바카라사이트 UK on 116123,?or you can email?jo@samaritans.org. In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, 바카라사이트 crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. O바카라사이트r international suicide helplines can be found at?.