CORRECTION: In a previous version of this article, Natalie Russo’s talk about the correlation between mental illness and violence was misstated. The point of Russo’s talk was to highlight that there is no relationship between mental illness and violence. The Daily Orange regrets this error. 

The Syracuse University Department of Psychology  hosted its first public forum, called “Beyond Newtown,” on mental illness, gun control and school violence.

This was the first event at SU focused on informing the community on this sensitive yet vital topic.

Kevin Antshel, an associate professor of psychology and main organizer of the event, said they hoped to inform people on an emotional subject. He and other members in the department of psychology were inspired to organize this because, soon after the Newtown shooting, much of the public called them for information on these topics.

“What’s behind this presentation tonight is an attempt to go beyond opinion,” Antshel said. “It’s an attempt to go beyond hyperbole.”

The forum was held in Watson Auditorium, where the eight-member panel gave a series of 10-minute lectures that explored mental illness in the Newtown shootings and general school violence, with two 15-minute sections for audience questions.

Speaking first was Natalie Russo, an assistant professor of psychology, who focused on the idea that the shooter in Newtown, Adam Lanza, might have had Asperger’s Syndrome. She presented research showing that mental illness doesn’t make people more violent than others, and Asperger’s Syndrome shouldn’t be immediately associated with Lanza’s motivation.

Leonard Newman, also an assistant professor of psychology, spoke about how this association is caused by the negative stigma of mental illness. His research shows mental illness has the most negative stigma of any disorder, and is easily connected to the root cause of violence.

“If there’s something you want to scapegoat, people with mental illness will be a pretty easy sell,” Newman said.

James Knoll, a forensic psychiatrist at SUNY Upstate Medical University, explained the false ideas that have misinformed people about mental illness and shootings: “cracking down” on people with mental illnesses to prevent future shootings; new gun laws focused only on the mentally ill; and the mental illness’ negative stigma.

“That draws a bright light between us ‘good’ people,” Knoll said, “and those ‘evil’ people.”

Knoll argued instead that gun control should be based on behavior, instead of a diagnosis; more focus should be given to warnings from people close to the shooter; and the media should cover shootings more responsibly.

Larry Lewandowski, another professor of psychology, ended the forum with a review of everything covered and a look at the debate as it goes forward. He said as the discussion continues, people should learn that the issue is misbehavior, not mental illness and gun ownership.

“This is not a mental illness issue,” Lewandowski said. “This is a social illness issue.”

Knoll said he enjoys these visits to SU, and plans to return again next week to attend the event, “Together by the Chancellor,” which will also focus on tragedies of gun violence. He said the keynote speaker is Stephen Barton, the SU graduate who was shot in the tragedy in Aurora, Colo.

In the long run, Antshel, the event’s main organizer, said he hopes to have similar events at least once a year.

“That’s what I see as a mission of the psychology department,” Antshel said, “to reach out to the Syracuse community.”

Published on February 12, 2013 at 1:27 am

Contact Max: meantonu@syr.edu