Citation

Hester EB, Geegan S, Ivanov B. J. School Violence 2022; 21(2): 147-160.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15388220.2022.2032115

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although fatal shootings on U.S. college campuses are statistically rare, students are routinely confronted with information suggesting that shootings are rampant and unavoidable. Pre-crisis interventions should address the threat of deceptive claims and restore beliefs that universities are capable of protecting students from violence. This experiment investigated the effectiveness of inoculation-based messages as a complementary approach to pre-crisis strategies for student resilience.

RESULTS revealed that, after reading about a simulated shooting, inoculated students had greater certainty and more positive beliefs in a university's ability to prevent and respond to a shooting.

FINDINGS suggest that inoculation can establish a buffer of confidence in an institution's crisis management infrastructure, even when faced with a shocking tragedy. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

campus shootings; inoculation theory; pre-crisis; public confidence; Risk and crisis communication; trust