Clinical Psychologist Comments on Hawaii and Seattle Shootings.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 1999--

Responding to Tuesday's shooting in Hawaii and Wednesday's shooting in Seattle, clinical psychologist Dr. Robert R. Butterworth commented on the possible motivations and psychological profiles of the shooters.

"In a review of the research on mass murder, a profile emerges of white males in their 40s with various paranoid or depressive trends in their personalities," Butterworth said.

"The mass murder event is usually precipitated by a major loss related to relationships and/or employment or by financial difficulties. A fascination with guns is also a variable," Butterworth said.

"The killings are viewed as the outcome of deep frustration and perceived rejection in a highly narcissistic person, wounded in his ego, hostile toward society. A warrior mentality suffuses the planning and attack behavior, and greater deaths and higher casualty rates are more likely if the perpetrator is psychotic at the time of the offense.

"A large proportion of these deranged individuals will convey their central motivation in a phrase or sentence yelled with great emotion at the beginning of the mass murder. The pattern of the violence is consistent with a predatory mode of aggression-violence that is planned, purposeful, emotionless. Death by suicide or at the hands of others is the usual outcome for the mass murderer of this type."

Butterworth said that "it's time to pass legislation to authorize release of psychiatric records and employee/family interviews in order to weed out psychiatric cases who wish to purchase guns.

"In a lean and mean workplace environment, where people are treated like machines and long-standing concerns are ignored, episodes of violence could increase as people feel slighted and have little means of resolving disputes. Availability of guns in a narcissistic environment can also add to heightened violence," Butterworth said.

Butterworth is a member of the Media Psychology division of the American Psychological Association; is a California-licensed clinical psychologist; and is co-director of International Trauma Associates, a research and consulting firm.

He also holds memberships in the California Psychological Association, the National Accreditation Association of Psychoanalysis and the International Association of Trauma Counselors.