Getting Inside Their Heads: How Mass Shooters Describe Their Mental Health

• In Event: Poster Session 1

Abstract

In the aftermath of a mass shooting in the United States, the societal discussion focuses on and blames mental health. Prior research on mass shooters specifically suggests that about two-thirds displayed symptoms of mental illness, but might not have been formally diagnosed. While the majority of people with mental illness never engage in violence or crime, it is important to examine why symptoms of mental illness are greatly prevalent within the population of mass shooters. Many mass shooters have previously engaged with mental health services. Information on how they perceived their mental health symptoms would be beneficial for mental health professionals in how they can effectively provide treatment to future potential perpetrators to prevent these attacks from occurring.

A content analysis will be conducted on 32 mass shooters’ legacy tokens (i.e., journals, social media posts, videos, essays, and chat forum threads). The qualitative narrative presented will examine how individuals describe their mental health, symptomology, their experience with mental health treatment (If applicable), and if their mental health influenced their attacks. This information could give insight on how mental health is correlated to mass shootings and how mental health professionals can break through to this treatment population.

Author

• Alexandra Slemaker, University of Nevada, Las Vegas