School shootings and safety measures: effects on student and staff mental health and school engagement
School Violence Exposure as an Adverse Childhood Experience: a Nationwide Study of K- 12 School Responses to Violence and Their Impact on Youth Mental Health and Educational Outcomes
This project will test whether exposure to school shootings and the safety measures schools use affect mental health, feelings of safety, and academic engagement for middle and high school students and school staff.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 2500 (estimated) |
| Ages | 11 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Teachers College, Columbia University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (New York, New York) |
| Trial ID | NCT06153316 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is an observational case-control, cross-sectional survey study sampling 12 nationally representative public K–12 schools in the United States. Participating schools are categorized as exposed (experienced a gun shooting between 1/1/2015 and 12/31/2022) or matched non-exposed schools (no shooting between 1/1/2011 and 12/31/2022). The research team will administer 25-minute student surveys in classrooms and 15–20 minute teacher surveys on school days, while principals complete an online Qualtrics survey. Collected data include demographics, perceived school safety, mental health symptoms, and academic engagement to compare outcomes by exposure and by presence of specific school safety interventions.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Eligible participants are middle and high school students (grades 6–12), teachers, staff, and principals at participating public schools that meet the study's exposure or matched non-exposure criteria.
Not a fit: Students and staff at private, charter, or schools outside the specified grade range or date windows — and individuals not enrolled at a participating school — are unlikely to benefit directly from this study's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help schools and policymakers design safety strategies that protect students from violence while minimizing unintended harms to mental health and engagement.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked school safety measures and exposure to gun violence with worse mental health, but this specific cross-sectional case-control comparison across matched exposed and non-exposed schools is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
School-level Inclusion criteria: For a school to be considered for participation, it should meet all the following criteria: 1. The school must consent to participate in the study. 2. Gun shooting incident * For exposure schools: Must have experienced a gun shooting incident between 1/1/2015-12/31/2022 . * For non-exposure schools: there should not have been a gun shooting incident between 1/1/2011-12/31/2022. 3. Must have the student population of interest that is middle through grade 12, and- * For exposure schools: At least one grade that experienced the shooting should still be studying at the school. * For non-exposure schools: must have the same grade levels as the pair-matched case school and none of them should have been exposed to any gun shooting incident at that school. 4. Must be a public school. * All non-public schools (e.g., private, charter, parochial schools) and schools outside of the middle-12 range (e.g. daycares, only elementary, preschools, and universities) are not eligible for the study. Individual-level Inclusion Criteria: Principals: Must be the current Principal of the participating school. Teachers: Must be a current teacher at the participating school. Students: Must be a current student at the participating school studying in grades 6-12.
Where this trial is running
New York, New York
- Teachers College, Columbia University — New York, New York, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Sonali Rajan
- Email: sr2345@tc.columbia.edu
- Phone: 212-678-3458
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.