Assessment, Instruction, Services, and Student Development Across Domains, Part 12

Question 1: Define at-risk.

Answer 1: Although the behaviors of at-risk students fall within a rather large spectrum, there is an umbrella definition that can be used to identify at-risk students. Generally speaking, if a student shows decline in any or all of the areas of physical, mental, social, spiritual or economic health, then the student is considered at risk. In addition, community and social circumstances may contribute to a student’s sense of isolation, increasing the possibility of deterioration in one or more of these areas. Students who are at risk in any or all of these areas have a diminished likelihood of becoming productive members of society. Counselors are encouraged to refer to guidelines from professional organizations or literature to identify and appropriately respond to at-risk students. Counselors can provide the support, resources, and encouragement that can significantly mitigate deteriorating factors.

Question 2: Discuss cautions to consider when identifying a student as at-risk.

Answer 2: There are five key areas of caution to consider when identifying a student as at-risk:Students who fall within the definition of at-risk may nonetheless be very resilient, with strong coping skills, and therefore at-risk may be a temporary status for that student.If a student is overtly and obviously treated differently than other students because of the at-risk designation, this may discourage creativity or confidence.The term at-risk can easily become a label rather than a status, in which case there is no mechanism to identify when the student is no longer at risk.The term at-risk by itself encompasses so many situations and behaviors that the response may be also very generalized and not address the issues specific to a particular student.Cultural factors should always be considered, as they may be contributing to or masking an underlying issue.

Question 3: Discuss the difficulty of assessing at-risk youth from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Answer 3: When a student is identified as at-risk, the identification is usually based on overt behaviors or shortcomings. These may include poor academic performance or inappropriate behavior. An initial assessment may point to the need for more native language materials or conflict resolution workshops. However, for some first- or second-generation immigrants, these outward circumstances may be noticeable, but not the underlying or most problematic issue. Often, the underlying issue can be masked by overt behaviors, until the need for treatment is long past due. Students from diverse cultures may be contending with issues related to isolation, sadness for loved ones left behind, bridging the gap between cultures, and other issues directly related to poor cultural assimilation. Although there are no clear guidelines for identifying such cultural factors, counselors should be aware of the possibility of precipitating circumstances when dealing with at-risk students from other cultures.

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