TITLE:
School Shootings and Their Lasting Impact: A Review of the Educational, Mental Health, and Socioeconomic Consequences for U.S. Students
AUTHORS:
Joseph Yaro Idi, Joan Nchat Patrick
KEYWORDS:
Youth Resilience, Health Disparities, Human Capital Development, Trauma-Informed Education, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.11,
November
18,
2025
ABSTRACT: Events of gun violence within school settings have emerged as one of the most pressing public health and social issues within the United States, causing pervasive consequences for individuals, families, and society. This review brings together extant literature on the education, psychological, and socioeconomic consequences of school-centered incidents of firearm violence. The evidence suggests that exposure to violence hinders students’ education experience substantially, contributing to higher rates of absenteeism and grade retention and further damaging standardized testing performance, proportions of graduates, and admissions to college. Psychological outcomes are equally pronounced, with elevated risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and increased utilization of mental health services and pharmacotherapy. Extend beyond school contexts, the lasting socioeconomic impact includes diminished employment prospects and widening disparities, especially for populations that are systemically disadvantaged. In aggregate, the results portray school shootings generating lasting ripple effects that disable the development of human capital and inhibit social mobility. The conclusion underscores the importance of unifying trauma-informed education and health strategies and sweeping policy intervention toward the root causes of handgun violence.