Seeing is believing: What do boys do when they find a real gun?

Author: Jackman, G. A. / Farah, M. M. / Kellermann, A. L. / Simon, H. K.
Publication: Pediatrics
Topics: age group, storage
Keywords: AGE Child Behavior Parents child access
Bibliographic information +

To assess how young boys (ages 8-12) behave when they find a real gun, the authors observed 29 groups of boys (n=64) in a room with 2 toy guns and 1 real gun (disabled) placed in cabinet drawers. They also surveyed the boys’ parents about their sons’ interest in guns to compare with the boys’ actual behavior. 72% of the groups found the gun, 76% of those groups handled the gun, and 48% of the boys who handled the gun also pulled the trigger. Only 1 member of a group left the room to inform an adult. Parents tended to underestimate their sons’ interest in guns. The results highlight the dangers in leaving unsecured, loaded guns in households with young boys.