Objective:
In a large sample of American community members, we examined who different groups of people feel represent the most credible messengers on safe firearm storage for various forms of gun violence. Across nearly every group, law enforcement, Active Duty service members, and military veterans were rated as the most credible whereas celebrities, casual acquaintances, and medical professionals were rated as the least credible. These findings highlight the importance of elevating specific voices in efforts to promote safe firearm storage.
Method:
Participants were 6200 United States residents recruited via Qualtrics Panels to complete an online survey. Data were collected during March 2020. The total sample and all subsamples ranked law enforcement, current military personnel, and military veterans as the top three most credible sources to discuss firearm safety for suicide prevention.
Project Status:
Completed
Principal Investigator (PI):
Michael D. Anestis, PhD, Allison E. Bond, MA, AnnaBelle O. Bryan, PhD, Craig J. Bryan, PsyD ABPP