Teasing, rejection, and violence: Case studies of the school shootings

Author: Leary, Mark R. / Kowalski, Robin M. / Smith, Laura / Phillips, Stephen
Publication: Aggressive Behavior
Topics: Social Science U.S./National Mental Health
Keywords: SCHOOL violence bullying case study chronic rejection risk factor
Bibliographic information +

The authors examined the role of social rejection in school violence, focusing on case studies of all well-documented cases of school violence in the United States from January, 1995 to March, 2001. They found that acute or chronic rejection (e.g. bullying, romantic rejection) was present in 13 of 15 school shootings. The shooters were likely to possess one or more additional risk factors: an interest in firearm or bombs, a fascination with death or Satanism, or psychological problems involving depression, impulse control, or sadistic tendencies.