Every time there’s a mass killing, politicians direct our attention to mental illness as the primary cause. And although mental health issues are more prevalent than ever among our youth and treatment is certainly called for, statements like this ignore the fact that we can prevent young men from reaching the point they are motivated to kill others.
Most of these young men have a long history of exposure to trauma. In the case of the shooter in Uvalde, Texas, he was reportedly bullied over the years by other students because of his stuttering and speech impediment. It was also reported that he had a strained relationship with his mother. The Buffalo shooter was similarly described as an awkward loner with few friends.
Indeed, research on mass shooters shows that many “felt bullied, persecuted, or injured by others prior to the attack.” Nikolas Cruz, the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High school shooter, was described as a “broken child,” having been adopted at a young age and when both of his adoptive parents died, he was taken in by a neighbor.
We could go on, but the point is an overwhelming majority of mass murderers have a significant history of early trauma and violence, which likely influenced their proclivity toward violence. And in all instances, early signals that the perpetrators were severely distressed, angry, and socially isolated were either missed or ignored and effective interventions were not offered. Indeed, since Columbine, scholars have identified early warning signs that, if heeded and treatment is provided, can help to reduce the likelihood of subsequent and more serious problems arising, including but not limited to violence targeted toward others and self-injury.
[To read the rest of this article BY ANTHONY BIGLAN, DIANA FISHBEIN AND MICHAEL B. GREENE, OPINION CONTRIBUTORS , click here.]
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