Children don’t become violent simply because of mental health struggles

UP Manila said the recent school shootings involve gun access, social conditions, and more.

After two school shooting incidents shocked the nation, behavioral science faculty from the University of the Philippines Manila warned against equating mental health issues with violent tendencies in children, reminding the public that such behavior results from society as a whole rather than just parents, schools, social media, or video games.

The UP Manila Department of Behavioral Sciences published a position paper on August 24 amid legislative discussions aimed at preventing gun violence in schools.

The academic experts said addressing gun violence cannot be attributed to a single factor, instead calling for solutions that bring together parents, schools, mental health professionals, law enforcement, and social media platforms.

“Attributing school violence solely to schools, individual pathology, or parents oversimplifies a complex phenomenon. Nevertheless, preventable failures in firearm storage, supervision, early recognition, and help-seeking require clear standards of parental and guardian responsibility,” the paper read.

The developments follow two major school shooting incidents. The first occurred at San Jose National High School in Tacloban on June 22, where two high school students killed three people and injured 20. More recently, a student opened fire at Ateneo de Zamboanga University on August 18, where the Grade 8-aged gunman and another student were killed. The weapons in both incidents were service firearms issued to the gunmen’s relatives in law enforcement.

Since the shooting incidents shook the nation, lawmakers have been debating resolutions to address gun violence among the youth, including social media bans for minors, heightened police and security presence in schools, hiring more school guidance counselors, and tightening restrictions on firearms.

The UP Manila faculty reiterated that mental health is not a direct indicator of violent tendencies, warning that such conclusions only harm vulnerable individuals and prevent them from seeking the necessary support.

“Public discourse and policy should avoid equating mental health difficulties with violence and should instead focus on specific behaviors, access to lethal means, credible threats, patterns of escalation, and the availability of protective family and community supports,” the paper read.

The experts also called on authorities to avoid relying predominantly on surveillance and physical security-based solutions in the aftermath of the shooting incidents.

While the position paper called on government agencies to enforce stricter firearms restrictions, it highlighted the larger need for evidence-based family programs and mental health support in schools.

The paper concluded by calling on institutions to fund and initiate more studies into youth violence and mental health to provide solid data for policymakers and avoid operating on assumptions.

“Safeguarding Philippine schools must begin before a weapon reaches the classroom. Families, schools, communities, health systems, and government share responsibility, but parents and guardians remain a critical first line of prevention,” the paper read.

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