Public school response to the trauma of school shootings.

Public school shootings in the United States have reached levels of epidemic concern. Current research related to U.S. school shootings addresses a variety of issues including historical analysis, political influences and policymaking, prevention efforts for school shootings, and risk factors for school shooters. However, research addressing individualized trauma in the aftermath of school shootings and how U.S. public schools are addressing this has been limited. The following research is intended to explore school leaders’ (i.e., administrators, teachers, and guidance counselors) experiences of school shootings and public school ability to address the trauma that may develop, identify strategies U.S. public schools are currently using or have access to for addressing trauma following school shootings, and offer alternative intervention methods for addressing school shooting related trauma.