Adolescent-Perpetrated Intentional School Shootings: Discovering the Characteristics that Influence Media Exposure

Abstract

This study investigated the incident characteristics and perpetrator attributes that influence the amount of media exposure adolescent-perpetrated intentional school shootings receive. 253 intentional adolescent-perpetrated school shootings examined. Number of documents published in the media about a shooting was a direct measurement of the shooting’s level of media exposure. Results showed the age of the perpetrator, the perpetrator’s psychological health, and the total number of victims from the shooting had the strongest impact on media exposure.