Mental Health Impact of Mass Shootings on Young Survivors

Mental Health Impact of Mass Shootings on Young Survivors

Mass shootings are a significant public health crisis with profound psychological

consequences, particularly for young survivors. These traumatic events leave lasting impacts that

can manifest in various mental health disorders, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The

urgency to address the mental health needs of these young individuals is paramount. This study

aims to explore the psychological effects of mass shootings on young survivors and identify

effective interventions to support their recovery, focusing on demographic factors and coping

mechanisms.

Research Questions

1. How do mass shootings affect the immediate psychological well-being of young survivors, particularly in terms of acute stress, anxiety, and PTSD?
2. How do demographic factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status influence the long-term mental health outcomes of young survivors, including chronic PTSD, depression, and anxiety?
3. What coping mechanisms and support systems are most effective in aiding young survivors in their recovery from trauma?
4. How can educational institutions and community organizations optimize their support structures to address better the mental health needs of young survivors of mass shootings (Jefferson et al., 2021)?

These questions are important in psychology because they focus on important matters that affect a sensitive group. It is imperative to grasp these effects in order to design appropriate interventions. The American Psychological Association has said that mass shootings can result in extreme psychological aftermath, particularly among the youth (Metzl et al., 2021).

These questions are important, especially due to the fact that the incidents of mass shootings are becoming more frequent, and there are many young survivors affected by the shootings. In other emotional effects such as PTSD, immediate effects act to hinder development, and here, specific demographic factors define the degree and type of outcome that may call for up-to-date intervention (Mann & Marwaha, 2023).

This study confirms that “mass shootings cause posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in the survivors and communities” (Abrams, 2022). It is, therefore, important to carry out more research with a view to identifying the ways in which other demographic factors and support structures affect the process of recovery. Also, the involvement of schools and communities must be investigated as these are the organizations that could offer the first line of support, and knowing how those institutions should be effectively arranged would be crucial for treatment.

Literature Summary

The research question is: How do mass shootings affect the immediate psychological well-being of young survivors, particularly in terms of acute stress, anxiety, and PTSD? The resource by Abrams (2022) connects to this research question because it examines the psychological effects of mass shootings on the victims. According to the main idea pointed out by Abrams (2022), mass shootings cause a wide range of psychological consequences, with young survivors most affected. The study is a systematic review of other research papers and is concerned with the manifestation of these traumatic events, which can lead to AS, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Young people are valued as being at a vulnerable development stage, as Abrams (2022) points out. The study stresses that psychological interventions should be provided early to counter these outcomes. Regarding the LP, the resource by Abrams (2022) helps to answer the research question as it outlines the short-term mental health needs of youth survivors.

The research question is: How do demographic factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status influence the long-term mental health outcomes of young survivors, including chronic PTSD, depression, and anxiety? This study by Ranney et al. (2019) is connected with the given research question because it aims to explore the adolescent firearm injury experience and its later psychological impacts. In their major argument, Ranney et al. (2019) affirm that the demographic characteristics of the individual have a direct bearing on the severity and chronicity of mental health disorders, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The study was a scoping review that sought to review diverse research articles in order to search for trends in the long-term mental health of young survivors. According to Ranney et al. (2019), the duration of trauma, such as sexual assault, has significant associations with age, gender, and SES. Regarding the research question, the resource by Ranney et al. (2019) is also helpful as the authors stress the necessity to take into account demographic factors while discussing such a health indicator as mental well-being in the long term.

The research question is: What coping mechanisms and support systems are most effective in aiding young survivors in their recovery from trauma? This research question is connected to the resource by Wiedermann et al. (2023) as the study explains the implementation of schools and community support systems for mental health care of trauma patients. The first and key claim made by Wiedermann et al. (2023) is that schools and communities of students have a critical responsibility to provide organized mental health care to young people who are survivors of mass shootings incidences. The paper looks at a number of educational policies and community-based programs meant to address youth who have been exposed to trauma. Based on the results, the incorporation of mental health services, as well as supportive and collaborative school communities, leads to a greater ability of schools to support young survivors in overcoming trauma. The resource by Wiedermann et al. (2023) on joining support systems is pertinent to the research question to highlight the positive impact of such systems in the recovery of mental health.

The research question is: In what ways can educational institutions and community organizations optimize their support structures to better address the mental health needs of young survivors of mass shootings? The resource by Majcherek et al. (2022) is connected to the research question as it explores the implication of demographic and socioeconomic factors in the consumption of mental health resources. The authors’ primary claim is that the extent to which young survivors were provided with mental health services after experiencing trauma may depend on demographic and socioeconomic factors and influence their recovery. Responding to this call, the study employs large-scale quantitative data to consider the extent to which these factors influence the coverage and quality of mental health services. Majcherek et al. (2022) stated that children of lower socioeconomic status do not have enough access to appropriate mental health services that can help them recover from traumatic events. Majcherek et al. (2022) resource aligns with the research question since it explores the challenges faced when accessing mental health facilities and how the structures could be improved for efficiency.

Assess Sources

According to Abrams (2022), it is possible to conclude that the study can be considered credible. This author is an established researcher in psychology and a writer for the American Psychological Association. The author of this book is qualified for the job given his background as a trauma researcher and author of the Psychology of Trauma series. There are several points that Abrams considers have merit, more specifically, the very rationale about the mental suffering that young survivors of mass shootings suffer and the pressing call for remedial action. The author can be considered relatively impartial. Additionally, the information combined in the study is sourced from numerous trustworthy references, and the bias is not apparent. Abrams succeeds in this by relating the depleted psychological availability derivative from mass shootings to general mental health problems. The conclusions made by Abrams are relevant and accurate, especially when he tries to highlight the importance of responding to the acute and ongoing psychological trauma requirements that young survivors may have.

According to the study by Ranney et al. (2019), it is possible to conclude that this source is credible. The authors have academic affiliations and proper qualifications in behavioural medicine and public health. The authors provide research-based rationale commenting on the long-term psychological effects of firearm-related injuries affecting the youths, including mass shootings. To this end, Ranney et al. do not express their bias by using data from a wide range of studies to present the demographics’ impact on mental health outcomes. The study is rather convincing, especially when it describes the requirement for long-term psychological assistance for children. The conclusion reached by the authors is just and reasonable, especially when the authors posited that studies with a more focused framework are required to capture the dynamics surrounding the survivors of mass shooting incidents.

Subsequently, the study by Wiedermann et al. (2023) can be considered as rather reliable. The authors hold philosophical acknowledgment of the need for support in mental health care. The authors offer sound reasons related to the involvement of schools and community institutions in caring for young victims of trauma. This work has no signs of bias because it uses data and policy reviews from a number of democratic sources. The convincing nature of the study demonstrates how a coordinated mental health services delivery focal point in schools can support recovery for traumatized youths. The conclusions drawn by Wiedermann et al. are accurate and reasonable, especially when they suggested that schools with well-developed organizational connections are more beneficial to youngsters and school-age survivors.

The study conducted by Majcherek et al. (2022) can be considered as having a high level of credibility. The authors of the articles have academic associations in the fields of public health and psychology. The study uses quantitative cross-sectional data on demographic and socioeconomic determinants to examine the rationale for inequalities in access to mental health services. The arguments that have been made by Majcherek et al. are reasonable and based on empirical literature. The authors do not display self-prejudice; instead, they work with and explain the outcomes themselves. The study is rather convincing in presenting the issues regarding disparities in access to mental health and how such disparities may influence the recovery of the survivors. The conclusions made by Majcherek and his colleagues are correct and suitable; it is appropriate that they note the necessity of targeting interventions that address the demographic characteristics of young survivors.

Analyze Sources

The study by Abrams (2022) can be analyzed. The methodology used in this study is a literature synthesis, which is appropriate for providing a broad overview of the psychological impacts of mass shootings. One of the advantages of Abrams’ research is that it has synthesized data from sources, providing an inclusive perspective on the direct psychological impacts on youth survivors, including acute stress, anxiety, and PTSD. A limitation is that the study does not present primarily collected data; therefore, the authors cannot offer concrete, targeted strategies for intervention. Further, the use of secondary data might limit the generalization of the study to help develop appropriate interventions to address common mental disorders in the given population. Overall, there are no ethical violations in the study because the work cites all the sources used and has a well-articulated section on the limitations of the study. This study contributes to the understanding of the research question because it provides a broad picture of the immediate psychological needs encountered by young survivors and highlights the importance of intervention (Nadine & Melanie, 2024).

In the study by Ranney et al. (2019), the methodology used is a scoping review, which is effective for synthesizing existing research on the long-term psychological effects of trauma, including those resulting from firearm injuries in youth. One major strength of this study is the ability to incorporate diverse studies that focus on demographic characteristics that define clients’ status as they affect later mental health, including age, gender, and SES on PTSD, depression, and anxiety. A potential limitation is that the study analyzes only the firearm injury rather than zooming in on the mass shootings. Hence, the study may not be as helpful in the research questions based on mass shooting survivors directly. The study is ethical in terms of referencing and acknowledging the work of other people. It reforms the assessment of the research question by focusing on the demographic variations that might affect the mental health of young survivors in the long run, thus justifying the call for interventions accordingly.

In the study by Wiedermann et al. (2023), the methodology employed is a policy review and analysis, which effectively examines the role of schools and community organizations in providing mental health support to trauma survivors. One of the research strengths of this study is that it is practical in nature, especially concerning how mental health care services enriched in schools can facilitate recovery among young survivors. However, it is limited because the study might be restricted to the particular educational policies applied mostly in the European area. Consistently, the study is ethical and has proper citations and acknowledgment of the limitations of the study. The study is useful in developing knowledge on the research question, expounding on school and community-based support systems as key institutions in the recovery of traumatized youths.

In the study by Majcherek et al. (2022), the research methodology adopted is quantitative because it entails a large-scale survey to measure the effect that demographic and socioeconomic factors have on the use of mental health resources. One strength of this study is more reliable empirical evidence; this is used to affirm that if only young survivors get unequal chances in getting mental health care, their reintegration could be seriously impacted. However, a limitation is that the European population was specifically studied for its cardiovascular disease risk factors. Therefore, the results cannot be transferred to the USA, for example, due to different socioeconomic characteristics. The study is ethical in the sense that the privacy of the data collected is observed, and proper recognition of individuals involved in the study is taken. In this study, this aspect affects the understanding of the research question by revealing the influential barriers towards adequate, timely recovery intervention, proposing the importance of implementing recovery needs interventions that are sensitive to the demographic status of young survivors.

Conclusion

The present literature review demonstrates the extensive psychological effects of mass shootings on young people and the requirement for the corresponding intervention. This research provides answers to such gaps by looking at the short-term and long-term consequences of such posts and analyzing the demographic impact. These particular research outcomes raise the bar for comprehensive mental health care solutions for these survivors that engage mental health carers and schools and communities. The presented research questions are vital for informing further policies and interventions in the future, as the objective is to tailor mental health services to meet the needs of new mass shooting survivors.

References

Abrams, Z. (2022, July 11). The stress of mass shootings causing a cascade of collective traumas. Apa.org; American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/09/news-mass-shootings-collective-traumas

Jefferson, K., Stanhope, K. K., Jones-Harrell, C., Vester, A., Tyano, E., & Hall, C. D. X. (2021). A scoping review of recommendations in the English language on conducting research with trauma-exposed populations since the publication of the Belmont Report; thematic review of existing recommendations on research with trauma-exposed populations. PLOS ONE, 16(7), e0254003. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254003

Majcherek, D., Kowalski, A. M., & Lewandowska, M. S. (2022). Lifestyle, Demographic and Socioeconomic Determinants of Mental Health Disorders of Employees in the European Countries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 11913. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911913

Mann, S. K., & Marwaha, R. (2023). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559129/

Metzl, J. M., Piemonte, J., & McKay, T. (2021). Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Future of Psychiatric Research into American Gun Violence. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 29(1), 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1097/hrp.0000000000000280

Nadine & Melanie. (2024). The participant’s voice: crowdsourced and undergraduate participants’ views toward ethics consent guidelines. Ethics & Behavior, 78(67), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2024.2341639

Ranney, M., Karb, R., Ehrlich, P., Bromwich, K., Cunningham, R., & Beidas, R. S. (2019). What are the long-term consequences of youth exposure to firearm injury, and how do we prevent them? A scoping review. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 42(4), 724–740. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00035-2

Wiedermann, C. J., Barbieri, V., Plagg, B., Marino, P., Piccoliori, G., & Engl, A. (2023). Fortifying the foundations: A comprehensive approach to enhancing mental health support in educational policies amidst crises. Healthcare, 11(10), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101423

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PROMPT: In the Module One discussion, you submitted a potential topic for your proposal. For this Milestone One assignment, you submit a paper presenting your collection of potential peer-reviewed resources to be used in your research proposal.

Mental Health Impact of Mass Shootings on Young Survivors

Submit your assignment here. Make sure you’ve included all the required elements by reviewing the guidelines and rubric.

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