Impacts of school shooter drills on the psychological well-being of American K-12 school communities: a social media study

Abstract

The toll from gun violence in American K-12 schools has escalated over the past 20 years. School administrators face pressure to prepare for possible active shootings, and often do so through drills, which can range from general lockdowns to simulations, involving masked “shooters” and simulated gunfire, and many variations in between. However, the broad and lasting impact of these drills on the well-being of school communities is poorly understood. To that end, this article applies machine learning and interrupted time series analysis to 54 million social media posts, both pre- and post-drills in 114 schools spanning 33 states. Drill dates and locations were identified via a survey, then posts were captured by geo-location, school social media following, and/or school social media group membership. Results indicate that anxiety, stress, and depression increased by 39–42% following the drills, but this was accompanied by increases in civic engagement (10–106%). This research, paired with the lack of strong evidence that drills save lives, suggests that proactive school safety strategies may be both more effective, and less detrimental to mental health, than drills.

Statement by Division 16 of the American Psychological Association: Safety of Schools (SOS) Task Force.

“…Yet, even these practices have been adjusted over the years as the recognition that students from different age groups, disability status, family, and cultural backgrounds require psychological support as they engage in physical safety practices. When preparations induce fear in the students we seek to save, the cost is too steep (ElSherief et al, 2021).…”

How Mass Public Shooters Use Social Media: Exploring Themes and Future Directions

“…Prior research has examined how the general public interacts with mass shootings on social media, typically through the lens of collective trauma (ElSherief et al, 2021; Thompson et al, 2019), but not necessarily how mass shooters themselves interact with social media. Studies show that smartphones and social media have changed other offenders’ “criminal and routine activities” (Pyrooz et al, 2015), creating a “hybridized” pattern of offending (Lusthaus & Varese, 2021; Roks et al, 2020).…”

School Nurses Can Reduce Firearm Injuries and Deaths

“…SN Henry lives in one of the 40 states requiring active shooter drills and suggests a trauma -informed approach (Figure 3) as these drills may result in mental health consequences including depression, anxiety, physical health problems, and fear of dying (Everytown for Gun Safety [ETGS], 2023; ElSherief et al, 2021; Huskey & Connell, 2021; Shockman, 2019; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMSHA], 2014). In addition, SN Henry advocates for the formation of and inclusion on a school-based “multidisciplinary threat assessment team, to identify, assess, and plan interventions for students displaying concerning behaviors” (Alathari et al, 2019, pp.…”