Working Paper: NBER ID: w28634
Authors: Partha Deb; Anjelica Gangaram
Abstract: We examine the effect of school shootings on health and human capital outcomes of exposed students as adults and on their migration during high school and a few years beyond. The analytic dataset use shootings compiled by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security with 2003-2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. To study migration, we use the 2004-2018 American Community Survey. We find that students exposed to school shootings experience declines in health and well-being, engage in more risky behaviors, and have worse education and labor market outcomes as young adults. There is no evidence of migration in response to school shootings.
Keywords: school shootings; health outcomes; human capital; migration; risk behavior
JEL Codes: I12; I18; I21; J21
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Exposure to school shootings (I24) | Declines in health and well-being (I14) |
| Exposure to school shootings (I24) | Increased engagement in risky behaviors (I12) |
| Exposure to school shootings (I24) | Negative impacts on education and labor market outcomes (F66) |
| Stress and trauma from school shootings (I24) | Worse health-related behaviors (I12) |
| Stress and trauma from school shootings (I24) | Lower educational attainment (I24) |
| Exposure to school shootings (recent) (I24) | Stronger effects on health and well-being (I14) |
| Exposure to school shootings (I24) | No evidence of migration (F22) |