Frequency and Predictors of Adolescent Worry for School Gun Violence In the United States: Findings from a Nationally Representative Study

Abstract

Purpose: While school gun violence (SGV) incidents in the United States (U.S.) have risen sharply over the past decade, limited research has examined adolescent worries about SGV. We examined the frequency and correlates of SGV worry in a U.S. nationally representative sample of adolescents. Methods: Data were from adolescent participants (14-17 years; N = 1017) in the 2022 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, a nationally representative study of sexual health experiences of people in the U.S. SGV worry was a single 5-point item (not at all worried - extremely worried). We used both weighted descriptive statistics to examine SGV frequency and random intercept mixed effects ordinal regression to examine demographic and background impact on SGV worry. Results: Nearly 75% of adolescents reported some degree of SGV worry; of these, one in five were very or extremely worried. SGV worry was significantly higher for adolescents in younger grades and among racial/ethnic minority youth, as well as for cisgender female and gender minority teens. Adolescents in higher income homes were less worried about SGV. Both teens living in metropolitan locations and teens who reported higher anxiety in the past two weeks noted higher SGV worry. Conclusions: U.S. adolescents have a substantial level of worry about school gun violence. Structural interventions are needed to reduce SGV itself. Moreover, because there are detrimental long-term impacts of prolonged worry, targeted interventions are important for reaching those who are at greatest worry risk, including lower income, race/ethnic minority and gender minority teens.