Shooter Mental Illness Status and Language Use in Online Articles about Mass Shootings.

Studies of a variety of media have found a negative slant in portrayals of individuals with mental illness. These portrayals may contribute to harmful public stigma. As consumers shift focus to online sources of news, it is important to understand whether negative portrayals are also found online. The current study analyzed language use and other coverage choices in online articles (N = 811) about mass shooting events as a function of the mental illness status of the shooter. Regression analyses controlling for relevant crime characteristics showed that less angry language was used and more positive details about the shooter were included when the shooter had a mental illness. The number of victim fatalities, location of and motive for the crime, and shooter age were also related to language use and coverage choices. Whereas the current results do not align with prior findings of overtly negative media portrayals of individuals with mental illnesses, it is not clear whether this reflects a modern improvement in media portrayals or whether it is perhaps a more subtle sign of continued bias toward associating mental illness with dangerousness and lack of responsibility for committing violent acts. Future work should focus on the impact of online information sources on public attitudes and stigma toward individuals with mental illness.