Exploring personal crises observed in mass shooters as targets for detection and intervention using psychometric network analysis.

Abstract

Objective: Mass shootings in the United States have received significant attention from the media and scholars alike. Recent work indicates that mass shootings are becoming more deadly in the United States, making the identification of critical warning signs among would-be mass shooters of paramount importance. Method: To this end, we applied a regimen of psychometric network analyses to a dataset of crises observed among mass shooters (N = 177; M age = 34.26, SD age = 12.31; 98.31% male) from the United States prior to their attacks. We also conducted a regression and subsequent dominance analysis using these crisis indicators as covariates of shooting severity to identify which shared the most variability with shooting severity. Results: First, our exploratory graph analysis identified two specific groupings of crises: Distressed Isolation and Disturbed Affect. Next, our network analysis revealed that agitation was a highly important node due to the strong links it shared with mood instability and abusive behaviors. However, isolation yielded the greatest community cross-loading and the most edges in the network. We also found that depression and mood instability were the strongest correlates of shooting severity, as they shared the greatest amount of variability with shooting severity. Conclusion: We argue that social isolation is an ideal candidate for the acquaintances and communities of would-be shooters to intervene. Our findings are discussed within the framework of the path to intended violence model.

Patterns in pro‐gun beliefs and weapon carrying behaviors in rural White adolescent

“…Psychosocial reasons for depression, such as a lack of social support and perceived rejection from peers, may be particularly salient for individuals in the Independent group given the lack of social influence on their weapon‐carrying behavior. This conceptualization aligns with a recent study that revealed that isolation and depression strongly influence the actions of mass shooters (West & Thomson, 2023). In summary, depressive symptoms most likely influences weapon‐carrying behaviors in adolescents, but may have a varying impact on certain subsets of adolescents.…”

“…These results may indicate that some subsets of adolescents act independently of the proposed social contagion of gun carrying epidemiology (e.g., Hemenway et al, 2011). While this study did not assess school shootings or violence incidences with weapons that occurred on school campus, these results may be in alignment with previous literature that has suggested that school shooters and other violent attackers on school premises may operate as a “lone wolf” and be motivated by autogenic motivations such as perceived grievances or maltreatment (Capellan et al, 2019; McCauley et al, 2013) or be isolated from peers (West & Thomson, 2023). Another possible explanation of these findings is that if adolescents are attempting to manage others' impression of them or regain respect, they may not be as influenced by peers' gun carrying behaviors.…”

Assessing Public Opinion Regarding Appropriate Responses to Would-be Mass Shooters: Applying a Balanced Justice Framework

“…The purpose of the current study is to explore public opinion about the appropriate handling of juveniles and adults, with and without a MI, who plan mass shootings. Much research exists discussing both pathways of intended violence (Meloy et al, 2012; Peterson et al, 2023; Silva & Greene-Colozzi, 2019) and the role of mental health in mass shootings (Skeem & Mulvey, 2020; West & Thomson, 2023). This study, however, is the first to assess the principles of balanced justice to the handling of both juveniles and adults, with and without a MI, who plan a mass shooting.…”

“…But to capitalize effectively on those opportunities requires an interdisciplinary approach that includes communities, schools, and families (Abel et al, 2022, p. 807). This is particularly important because social isolation has been identified in social network analysis to be central in the progression toward a mass shooting (West & Thomson, 2023).…”

“…Flawed perceptions of masculinity and feelings of failure as a man also play important but often overlooked roles in mass shootings, which are almost exclusively committed by men (Follman et al, 2019; Fox and Levin, 2017). Social isolation overlaps considerably across mental health diagnoses and like masculinity affects people with and without diagnoses or symptoms of mental health problems (West & Thomson, 2023).…”