Researcher Co-Authors Report on Gun Violence and Mass Shootings

In trying to predict mass shootings, there is no reliable psychological profile or set of warning signs that can help to identify shooters, according to " Gun Violence: Prediction, Prevention and Policy ," a comprehensive report issued today by the American Psychological Association. The report was commissioned by the APA in response to the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., and was drafted by a task force comprised of psychologists and researchers, including Susan B. Sorenson , a professor in the School of Social Policy & Practice and director of the Evelyn Jacobs Ortner Center on Family Violence at the University of Pennsylvania. " Gun Violence: Prediction, Prevention and Policy ," summarizes the psychological research that has helped to develop evidence-based programs that can prevent violence through both primary and secondary interventions. Critical primary prevention programs reduce risk factors for violence in the general population, while secondary prevention programs can help people who are experiencing emotional difficulties or interpersonal conflicts - before escalating into violence. The report points to behavioral threat assessment as the most effective prevention strategy currently available to prevent episodes of mass violence and calls for research-guided prevention efforts to reduce the introduction of firearms into family and community conflicts; policies that identify and provide adequate treatment for people in psychological distress; increased research funding; and better access to gun-related administrative data in order to identify potential prevention strategies.