In a recent study from University of Michigan, researchers find that teens and young adults in the U.S. support gun regulation, but not necessarily the ban of all guns.
In the study, the team used MyVoice platform collected and analyzed text responses to open-ended questions about gun control.
Youth were recruited through Facebook and Instagram between July 2017 and January 2018.
MyVoice is a text messaging platform designed to gather fast and qualitative responses from youth ages 14-24.
The researchers found that among the 772 respondents (67% responded to the survey), two thirds were ‘pro’ or conditionally pro having guns at home; two thirds said gun control laws would decrease mass shootings.
Only a third felt gun control laws would not be enough to impact mass shootings.
This means like their adult counterparts, most youths are not asking to ban all guns or to repeal the Second Amendment.
Rather, they support legislative action that they believe would make their country safer.
The researchers suggest that it’s not about the guns. It’s about their concerns about safety.
Youth understand that bad people will get guns, but that much more comprehensive action needs to be taken to keep them safe.
The team also suggests that utilizing MyVoice allows researchers to gather information fast and comprehensively.
Currently, MyVoice investigators are conducting research on issues such as the opioid crisis, youth and sleep, transgender bathroom policies, and dietary supplements.
Lead author Murphy Van Sparrentak is a researcher in the Department of Health Behavior Health Education at U-M’s School of Public Health.
The co-authors include Kendrin Sonneville, an assistant professor at the U-M School of Public Health; and Tammy Chang, an assistant professor of family medicine at the U-M Medical School.
The study is published in JAMA Pediatrics.
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Journal reference: JAMA Pediatrics.
