What is it about?

This study looks closely at the personal writings (called manifestos) of school mass shooters to better understand what they were thinking and feeling before committing violence. By using a well-known psychological theory (the Theory of Planned Behavior), the research identifies common patterns in how these individuals talked about their thoughts, beliefs, and intentions. The goal is to find warning signs that could help teachers, mental health professionals, and law enforcement recognize when someone might be at risk of acting violently, so that early support or intervention can be provided.

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Why is it important?

What makes this research unique and timely is its application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (a well-established psychological model) to the rarely analyzed and highly sensitive content of school shooter manifestos. Unlike many studies that focus solely on demographic or behavioral profiles after a tragedy, this work examines the perpetrators' own words to uncover psychological patterns leading to violence. As school violence continues to rise globally, this research offers a proactive lens for identifying warning signs and behavioral intentions before a crisis occurs. By translating complex psychological indicators into actionable insights, this study has the potential to inform early intervention strategies, guide threat assessment protocols, and ultimately help save lives, making it a valuable resource for educators, mental health professionals, policymakers, and law enforcement.

Perspectives

From a personal perspective, this publication is deeply meaningful to me—not just as a researcher, but as someone who has been directly impacted by school violence. My motivation for this work stems from a commitment to prevent future tragedies by giving voice to patterns and warning signs that are too often overlooked. I believe that by closely examining the actual writings of school shooters through a structured psychological lens, we can move beyond reactive approaches and begin to develop informed, compassionate, and effective strategies for early intervention. This research is not just an academic pursuit—it is a call to action to understand, educate, and protect our school communities before harm occurs.

Dr. Jodi Lamothe
Southern New Hampshire University

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Decoding school mass shooter manifestos to predict behavior: A theory based qualitative study., Professional Psychology Research and Practice, June 2025, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/pro0000638.
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