Adolescents' experiences of psychosocial support after traumatisation in a school shooting

Background: In November 2007, a student shot and killed eight people and himself at Jokela High School, Finland. Method: Availability and experiences of psychosocial support were investigated using data (N=231) collected with a questionnaire 4 months after the event. Results: Female gender, severity of trauma, psychiatric disturbance and post-traumatic distress were associated with receiving psychosocial support. Over half of the students with a high level of trauma-related symptoms reported immediate support as having been helpful. Additionally, support from family and friends was available to a majority of students. Conclusions: The factors associated with not receiving support or not feeling helped should be studied further for possible implications on crisis interventions.