NCJ Number
145819
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1993) Pages: 468-485
Date Published
1993
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Factors within the human response to the extreme stress of a manmade disaster were studied.
Abstract
A survey of attitudes was conducted among employees of an upper-middle class elementary school 6 and 18 months after a shooting incident at the school in which one young child was killed and others were wounded. Preincident attitudes are not known, but the self-reported data indicated a substantially positive change. At both the initial and follow-up screenings, the group felt positive about self, spiritual life, family, colleagues, supervisors, workplace, local community, community institutions, mental health professionals, victims and their families, and the mentally ill; and negative toward the murderer and her family, current gun laws, and the gun lobby. Positive attitudes toward self, family, community, and workplace, and especially colleagues were associated with less severe posttrauma. 4 tables, appendix and 34 references