By Phil McNair
Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Office of the President at American Public University System
It is estimated that 7 percent of civilians in the United States will have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during their lifetime, and 2.2 percent of them (7.7 million people) have PTSD at any given time. Among military and veteran populations the numbers are significantly higher: the National Center for PTSD, operated by the Veterans Administration, calculates that 11-20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans may have PTSD – that is more than 300,000 individuals. Some sub-set of these groups attends college, thus PTSD is undeniably inside our classrooms.
Students with PTSD have special challenges that may affect schoolwork or interactions with others. Typical symptoms of PTSD include:
- Inability to focus
- Hyper-arousal
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Sleeplessness
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Inability or lack of desire to sustain relationships
Students with PTSD may carry these symptoms around like a backpack full of explosives, subject to triggering by people, places, or things their minds perceive to be related to the trauma they experienced.
On a traditional brick-and-mortar college campus, staff members, faculty, and other students can physically observe each other and take notice of behaviors that might be symptomatic of PTSD or other mental health issues. Students in obvious need of help can be approached and guided to appropriate campus support services. Typically there are counseling centers, faith-based organizations, medical clinics, and student organizations such as veterans groups that may all be available to play a role in working with a student who has PTSD.
American Public University System very likely has many students with PTSD. At APUS there is no physical campus and no counseling center, medical clinic, or faith-based organizations. Its student organizations, such as veterans groups, are all virtual because everything is 100 percent online. In fact, all services delivered by this huge educational institution are done so via the Internet, including a student’s initial application, academic counseling, course registration, recordkeeping, transcripts, and the teaching and learning experience.
So how does APUS work with students who have PTSD? The lack of physical campus resources does not deter APUS from doing what it can, within the bounds of reason, to ensure that all students, including those with PTSD, have a positive experience. It strives to help those who may need it, and to create a learning environment for all students that is free from disruption and bias.
Read ”In Higher Education: Managing PTSD Online” to find out how these issues are addressed by APUS.
About the Author:
Phil McNair joined APUS in 2002 after retiring as a Colonel from a 26 year career in the Army. During the past ten years he has served in a variety of leadership positions in Marketing, Academics, and the Office of the President. He was at ground zero at the Pentagon on 9/11, and has witnessed the effects of PTSD firsthand. He was recently named Executive Director of the Higher Education Research and Scholarship Foundation by the APUS President.
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