School shootings and safety measures: effects on student and staff mental health and school engagement

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

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.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

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 it's running

• 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

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.