Quantifying the Impact of School Shootings on Adolescent Substance Use: A Difference-in-Differences approach

• In Event: The Relationship Between Substance Use and Victimization

Abstract

Understanding how adolescents respond to traumatic events is critical for developing effective public health and policy interventions. While prior research has explored the effects of chronic trauma on youth substance use, the impact of acute, high-intensity events—such as school shootings—remains less understood. This study employs a difference-in-differences analysis using district-level data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (2009–2021) to examine changes in adolescent substance use following school shootings. By leveraging variation in exposure across time and location, this approach aims to isolate the causal impact of school shootings on substance use behaviors while accounting for broader trends and contextual factors. Findings will contribute to a growing body of literature on the behavioral health consequences of mass violence, offering insights into the role of trauma, stress responses, and social disruption in shaping adolescent risk behaviors. Implications for public health, policy, and intervention strategies will be discussed, with an emphasis on evidence-based approaches to mitigating substance use risk among youth affected by school shootings.

Author

• Gretchen Baas, George Mason University