Why do some kids carry guns to school? FIU researchers have a theory
A new study suggests that children who aren’t getting enough sleep are more likely to carry handguns — and even taking the weapons to school.
The study, conducted by researchers at Florida International University and the University of Texas at San Antonio and published recently in Sleep Health, found the problem was most common among kids who got four or fewer hours of sleep a night.
These teens had a 40% greater chance of carrying a handgun compared to their peers who slept the recommended 8 to 10 hours nightly.
In addition, this group of teens that reported being, in effect, sleep deprived, had an 85% greater chance of taking a handgun to school compared to fellow students who slept more.
As to those in the middle, teens who reported sleeping five, six, or seven hours, they were no more likely to report handgun-carrying behaviors than youth who reported sleeping eight or more hours, according to the study.
The FIU and Texas researchers explained that the lack of sleep reduces cognitive functioning — the ability to regulate emotions and behaviors and the ability to engage in impulse control.
“This can lead teens to engage in risky behaviors, including carrying guns and taking them to school,” FIU said in a media release.
Lack of sleep also exacerbates underlying mental health problems in all age groups, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“Problems sleeping can be secondary to a medical illness such as sleep apnea, or a mental health condition like depression. Sleep issues can be a sign of an impending condition such as bipolar disorder. In addition to affecting sleep itself, many medical and mental health conditions can be worsened by sleep-related problems,” the Alliance says.
The FIU/Texas study was based on a survey of more than 42,000 middle and high school students in Florida.
“While research on the topic of sleep and its connection to delinquency has grown in recent years, fewer studies examine the specific connection between sleep and youth handgun carrying,” said Ryan Meldrum, lead researcher and associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at FIU’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs.
“Investigating the linkages between sleep behaviors and handgun carrying is of value, in light of the potential for youths carrying firearms to hurt themselves, their peers, or school staff, as well as the need for policy initiatives that could potentially help to address this serious public health concern,” Meldrum said in a statement.
He later added that “short sleep duration was one thing among several others that explained gun carrying.”
One strategy to counter the problem has already been advanced. In November, the Miami-Dade Public Schools Board voted unanimously to explore later school start times beginning in August 2020. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has proposed a start time no earlier than 8 a.m.
“I think that would be a terrific advantage at many, many levels,” he told the Miami Herald at the time.
FIU’s Meldrum also proposed the implementation of “comprehensive school-based programs” to better educate students and parents about the importance of getting enough sleep. Good sleep hygiene habits — like putting away light-emitting devices like smart phones and tablets before getting into bed, would also help improve sleep in these developing years and beyond.
This story was originally published January 30, 2020 at 12:22 PM.
