THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIOEMOTIONAL SKILLS ON SCHOOL MASSACRES: AN ANALYSIS OF RISK FACTORS

Abstract

We are living in an era of emotional decline, particularly in schools, which seek to restore students' socio-emotional balance in the face of increasing school shootings in Brazil. To mitigate these threats, it is crucial to identify risk factors such as bullying, deficient interpersonal relationships, and insufficient socio-emotional skills. While the interpersonal aspect refers to social interaction, the socio-emotional dimension concerns the management of emotions arising from these relationships. This study, of an exploratory nature with qualitative documentary analysis, examines brazilians news reports and reveals correlations between socio-emotional deficits and the occurrence of school shootings.  In thid context, this relationship becomes critical: 23.7% of cases end in suicide, and in nearly 60% of occurrences, the outcome is indeterminate, as they were interrupted by third parties. These findings suggest a link between the inability to cope with complex emotions and a distorted perception of the consequences of one's actions. For example, the homicide-suicide perpetrator ends their emotional turmoil through death after seeking revenge. It is observed that socio-emotional deficits are significant risk factors, as the aggressor not only fails to process feelings of rejection but also struggles to find alternatives beyond aggression in their frustrations.