Family Focus: Understanding Gun Violence from a Family Perspective

Gun violence has strong implications for families, yet discourse is complicated by the different meanings people hold for guns. The authors of this collection explore ways to respond as family scholars and practitioners, including direct interactions with individuals and families, improved training of professionals, and public policy recommendations.

This issue of Family Focus is open to the public. Become an NCFR member to view all issues.

• Overview and Introduction — Judith A. Myers-Walls, Ph.D., CFLE Emeritus
• How Militarism Teaches Our Children That Violence Is Normal — Erin Steuter, Ph.D.; and Geoff Martin, Ph.D.
• The Intersection of Mental Illness and Gun Violence: Examining the Evidence to Guide Sound Public Policy — Allison Schroeder, Ph.D., LMFT; Deirdre Quinn, Ph.D.; Samuel Allen, M.S., LMFT; and Elaine Anderson, Ph.D. (open to the public)
• Is Fatherlessness Associated With Gun Violence? — Kevin Shafer, Ph.D.
• Preventing Gun and Gang Violence in the Black Community: A Family Systems Perspective — Brandon Hollie, M.A.
• Gun Violence and the Minority Experience — Yolanda T. Mitchell, Ph.D.; and Tiffany L. Bromfield, M.A.
• Who Gets to Be a Victim of Gun Violence? Examining the Marginalized Trauma and Grief of Boys and Men in Black Families — Jocelyn R. Smith Lee, Ph.D.
• Living by the Gun and Dying by the Gun: Editor’s Reflections — Judith A. Myers-Walls, Ph.D., CFLE Emeritus

Each issue of NCFR Report features a "Family Focus" section containing research- and practice-based articles on that issue's theme, written by family scholars and professionals. Articles are accepted based on an editorial review process.

Family Focus PDF (members only)

News Articles and Member Group Updates

The following news articles and updates below from our winter 2018 issue are open to the public. 

• Wendy Middlemiss Named Next Editor of NCFR’s Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science
• Get Involved in the Leadership of Your Organization!
• President's Report: Sustaining Our Passion for Community When Life Speeds Up — Anisa M. Zvonkovic, Ph.D., NCFR President
• Executive Review: The Delicate Balancing Act of Conference Financial Planning — Diane Cushman, NCFR Executive Director
• Directions: Expanding NCFR’s Webinar program—Claire Kimberly Hired as Webinar Coordinator — Dawn Cassidy, M.Ed., CFLE, Director of Family Life Education
• Family Science Report: Creating Effective Family Policies Begins With Involving the Families Most Impacted — Jennifer Crosswhite, Ph.D., CFLE, Director of Research and Policy Education
• Families and Health Section Update — Jerica Berge, Ph.D., M.P.H., LMFT, CFLE
• International Section Update — Mihaela Robila, PhD., CFLE
• Family Policy Section Update — Anne Farrell, Ph.D.; Morgan Cooley, Ph.D., LCSW; Erica Jordan, Ph.D., CFLE; Anthony Ferraro, Ph.D., CFLE
• Announcing the 2019 Conference of the Texas Council on Family Relations
• Announcing the 2019 Conference of the Southeastern Council on Family Relations
• 2018 NCFR Award Recipients
• 2019 Annual Conference Preview

NCFR Report (News only) PDF

NCFR Report is a copyrighted publication of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). No part of NCFR Report, including Family Focus articles, may be reproduced, disseminated, or distributed by any means without permission of NCFR.

Permissions are available by contacting NCFR. NCFR reserves the right to deny any permission at its sole discretion.