Assessing the Relationship Between Exposure to Violence and Perceptions of School Safety and Emergency Preparedness in the Context of Lockdown Drills

Although lockdown drills are a practice widely used in K-12 public schools across the United States to prepare students and staff to respond to acts of violence, research has only just begun to consider the impacts of these practices on those who participate in them. This study adds to the growing body of literature by examining the potential impact of students’ exposure to violence (ETV) in their school on perceptions of safety and emergency preparedness in the context of lockdown drills. The findings indicate that ETV decreases both safety and preparedness perceptions. The association between perceived school safety and ETV, however, weakens over time and may be lessened by participation in drills and associated training. Implications for policy and practice are also discussed.