Narrative Case Study: Faculty and Staff Experiences and Perspectives Following a College Mass Shooting

Abstract

Little is known about how a college mass shooting affects faculty and staff survivors. The purpose of this study was to better understand how the experience of a college mass shooting affected the lives of faculty and staff involved in the incident. This study examined, in-depth, the personal accounts of six college staff and faculty who had experienced a mass shooting to determine their perspective on safety, prevention measures, the gun culture in the U.S., and personal well-being. This case study used narrative inquiry methodology, employing semi-structured interviewing to capture firsthand experiences that might aid the support of mass shooting victims and advance the knowledge on this topic. The perspectives of the study participants pertaining to personal safety, institutional safety, the U.S. gun culture, and a sense of personal well-being provided a clear picture of their experiences during the incident. The participants indicated that personal safety is their own responsibility and reported a heightened sense of awareness after the event. The participants said that the event did not change their position on institutional safety, but their opinions of institutional practices varied between the idea that institutions cannot prepare for such an event to institutions could be much better prepared. The participants explained that the event did not influence their opinions about the gun culture. Nearly all participants believed that guns were less of a problem than the issues around the people who might use them to harm others. All participants struggled to recover mentally from the event. Participants who practiced resiliency, had well-developed coping mechanisms, and had strong connections to those whom they could relate with were more successful at recovery than those who did not.