Injuries/Violence
Robb Elementary School Shooting and Mental Health Outcomes Among US Adults: An Interrupted Time Series Study Camerin Rencken* Camerin Rencken Alice Ellyson Isaac C. Rhew Carol A. Davis, EdD Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
Introduction: Mass school shootings elicit extensive media coverage; potentially heightening distress even among individuals without geographic proximity or personal connections to the event. However, there is limited research on this association. This study aims to assess the mental health impact of the May 24, 2022, Robb Elementary School Shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on adults nationwide and examined variations between parents and non-parents, crucial for guiding trauma-informed policies and interventions.
Methods: Using the 2022 CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we will use a controlled interrupted time series design, comparing the number of poor mental health days pre- and post-shooting among parents (treatment group) and non-parents (control group) within 30 days preceding the interview date. Descriptive statistics with 95% confidence intervals are presented; upcoming work will include findings with complex survey weights, considering confounding, seasonality, clustering, and autocorrelation.
Results: The sample comprises 65,461 adults, with 51.3% (50.5% – 52.1%) female and 35.7% (35.0% – 36.5%) parents. Roughly 8% (7.5% – 8.2%) of participants resided in Texas, and one-fifth had a previous depressive disorder diagnosis. Pre-shooting, parents reported 5.16 (4.84 – 5.48) days of poor mental health, non-parents 4.84 (4.61 – 5.06) days. Post-shooting, parents reported 5.19 (4.85 – 5.52) days of poor mental health, non-parents 4.85 (4.60 – 5.11) days.
Conclusion: While preliminary findings suggest a limited difference in mental health outcomes between parents and non-parents, the final models will be to determine the public health significance of these distinctions. Initial results suggest the need for both rigorous empirical evidence and future policies aimed at preventing and mitigating the consequences of school shootings.