In the echoes of gunfire: Practicing psychologists' responses to school violence.

Abstract

The recent rash of school shootings has thrust practicing psychologists into the role of assisting communities prevent such high profile incidents of juvenile violence. Although many psychologists are involved in assessing and treating children at risk for violent behavior, their efforts are rarely linked with other organized prevention efforts. This article describes how practicing psychologists represent a critical resource to school districts in developing and implementing a comprehensive violence prevention strategy. The authors outline a model school and mental health clinic collaborative program that can be replicated in various practice settings and discuss the benefits and essential steps for building such a collaboration. Psychologists have increasingly found themselves engaged in a series of similar conversations over the past year regarding the issue of youth violence. While reflecting on the catastrophes in Littleton, Colorado; Paducah, Kentucky; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Conyers, Georgia, parents, teachers, friends, and family repeatedly ask the same questions: Why did they do that? Where are their parents? and Could this happen at my child's school? Clearly, these tragedies have focused the nation's attention on the issue of juvenile violence as never before. Many practicing psychologists are being asked to contribute to the community's understanding of the mental health issues related to these high profile incidents. Furthermore, as community leaders, politicians, school officials, clergy, parents, and other stakeholders struggle with this issue, they are increasingly asking whether psychologists can offer more to help prevent juvenile violence (both in and out of school) in the community. Given the dramatic nature of these incidents, it would seem easy for the public to become seduced into believing that school shootings represent the greatest danger to children. Actually, school homicide represents a low frequency but high impact expression of GARRET D. EVANS received his PsyD in clinical psychology from Indiana State University in 1995. He is an assistant professor in the Departments of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences and Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida. His research interests include violence prevention, school-linked mental health services, and rural behavioral health service delivery. JANNETTE REY received her PhD in clinical psychology from Oklahoma State University. She was a postdoctoral resident in the Departments of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences and Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Florida at the time this article was written. She is now an educational consultant with the May Institute, and her research interests include violence prevention, assessment and intervention of early childhood behavior problems, and school consultation.