Mass Shooters and Extremist Violence: Motives, Paths, and Prevention

The purpose of this course is to provide health and mental health professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify persons on paths to extreme violence and to intervene to prevent mass shooting events. In addition, members of the public may use this course to enhance their personal knowledge of the subject matter presented.


Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:


1. Outline the history of mass violence and media coverage of these events in the United States.

2. Identify psychopathology that is uncommon in mass shooters.

3. Describe psychopathology that is common in mass shooters and discuss how different pathologies act synergistically.

4. Analyze cultural factors that influence perpetrators of mass violence.

5. Distinguish targeted and affective violence and the role of pathways in identifying persons at risk for mass violence.

6. Evaluate components of the Pathways to Violence Model.

7. Describe the proximal warning behaviors outlined in the Warning Behaviors Model.

8. Discuss the distal characteristics of targeted violence as defined in the Warning Behaviors Model.

9. Define core concepts associated with perpetration of extremist violence, including radicalization and terrorism.

10. Analyze current and historic extremist ideologies common in the United States.

11. Outline the role of Islamist and far-rightist violence in the United States, including media and cultural narratives.

12. Evaluate models used to describe the common pathways to extremist violence.

13. Review general gun violence trends and data.

14. Describe the barriers to and rationale for gun safety discussions with patients.

15. Discuss considerations for avoiding stigmatizing patients with mental illness and appropriately meeting the needs of non-English-proficient patients in conversations regarding gun safety.


This 15-hour continuing education course is available for download for professional development; if continuing education credit is desired, please see instructions included in eBook.