Parental perceptions of school safety and institutional response after a mass school shooting in Serbia

Background: Serbia's first fatal school shooting on 3 May 2023, followed by a subsequent mass murder, resulted in widespread societal distress. Objective: This study aimed to assess the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses of parents of school-aged children who were neither directly nor indirectly exposed to the events. It also examined parental perceptions of children's safety at school, access to information and psychological support, attitudes toward proposed preventive measures, and trust in institutional capacity to prevent future incidents. Methods: A total of 1,996 parents and caregivers were recruited through a stratified survey-delivery method, with the Ministry of Education distributing the survey to schools, which then forwarded it to parents. The pilot study commenced 60 days after the Belgrade school shooting at "Vladislav Ribnikar" Elementary School, and the confirmatory phase began 12 months later. Parents of children directly or indirectly involved in the shooting were excluded. Results: Of the 1,927 parents who participated, over 98% reported no direct or indirect exposure to the shooting. Nevertheless, 69% expressed concern about their children's safety at school. More than half (56%) attributed responsibility to the underage perpetrator, and 65.7% supported lowering the age of criminal responsibility, most commonly to 12 years. Although 46% perceived psychological support as accessible, actual utilization was minimal (3.8% among children; 2.9% among parents). Parents predominantly favored strict enforcement of child protection laws over security or mental health-based preventive measures. Institutional trust was low, with 60.6% reporting minimal confidence in authorities' ability to prevent similar events. Conclusions: The findings indicate that Serbia's first mass school shooting had broad community-level effects, including heightened parental safety concerns, low institutional trust, and minimal use of psychological services. These results highlight the need for transparent communication, strengthened institutional trust, and integrated prevention strategies that include accessible psychosocial support.