The Evolving Nature of Threat and Violence Risk Assessment in College Counseling Centers

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the historical and current contexts of threat assessment and violence risk in higher education, highlighting the evolving roles of college counseling centers in the threat assessment process for students displaying signs of concerning behaviors. Given research showing many college mental health professionals feel under-prepared for this work, we build foundational knowledge about the differing purposes of psychological evaluations and threat assessments, and provide recommendations for ways to continue to build and demonstrate understanding, competency and proficiency with threat assessments… Our review shares recent updates in the field regarding high-risk groups and the use of AI in assessment, and highlights the need for more attention to be given to training community members as well as counseling center staff and other members of campus teams involved in decision-making about students who threaten violence. We recommend the deliberate practice model of skill building to better prepare college mental health professionals when needing to respond under stress and pressure.

KEYWORDS:

• BIT
• deliberate practice
• risk assessment
• TAM
• threat
• threat assessment
• violence

Disclosure statement

Authors Dr. Van Brunt and Bethany Van Brunt have a business connection to www.pathwaystriage.com and www.darkfoxthreat.com.