Armed Attacks on Schools by Adolescents in the USA: Socio-Psychological Risk Factors

Abstract

The relevance of the research is connected with the necessity to counteract mass shootings of schoolkids and teachers that are carried out by the students themselves. In spite of the undertaken measures, the likelihood of armed attacks against Russian educational establishments remains high. The author describes a complex of factors that provoke adolescents to carry out mass shootings using information about similar crimes committed in the USA. The goal of this research is to describe the risk factors for armed attacks on educational establishments connected with the problems of the social environment of adolescents and difficulties in their social interactions. The research is based on the principles and theories of social sciences, the theoretical research methods — generalization and systemization of information. Empirical research methods are descriptive statistics, calculation of mean values and standard deviations. The conducted work allowed the author to identify a complex of characteristics describing the circumstances of mass shootings committed by adolescents in the USA. Features of mass shootings in educational establishments are presented, parameters of armed attacks, factors influencing the choice of attack target and types of weapons are described. Age and social characteristics of attackers and their motives are given. Socio-cultural, psychological and socio-psychological causes of armed attacks are defined. The role of mass media and means of communication in the propaganda of armed attacks are shown, and trends for the legitimization and gamification of violence are analyzed. Psychological and clinical prerequisites of attacks are determined, and the negative impact that the environment has on an adolescent is established, which is manifested in physical, psychological, sexual and other types of violence, as well as permissiveness in meeting the social needs of adolescents. The obtained results widen our understanding of risk factors instigating adolescents to carry out attacks on educational organizations: problems in interacting with the social environment, the psycho-emotional state of students, a destructive orientation of the adolescent. The practical results of this research are recommendations for ensuring the safety of the information space, the educational establishment, and the development of measures for the psychological-pedagogical support of students.