Violence Warning Signs

The FBI lists the following as possible violence warning signs in students, as part of a four-pronged approach to violence assessment.

• Leakage-- intentionally or unintentionally revealing clues to feelings, thoughts, fantasies, attitudes, or intentions that may signal an impending violent act.

• Low tolerance for frustration

• Poor coping skills

• Lack of resiliency

• Failed love relationship

• Nurses resentment over real or perceived injustices

• Signs of depression

• Narcissism

• Alienation

• Dehumanization of others

• Lack of empathy

• Exaggerated sense of entitlement

• Attitude of superiority

• Exaggerated or pathological need for attention

• Externalizes blame

• Masks low self-esteem

• Anger management problems

• Intolerance

• Inappropriate humor

• Seeks to manipulate others

• Lack of trust

• Closed social group

• Change of behavior

• Rigid and opinionated

• Unusual interest in/fascination with violence

• Negative role models