P3.136: Parental Firearm Ownership and Safe Storage Practices: Development of a Survey Using the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping

Background: Firearm-related fatalities are the leading cause of death among children and teens in the U.S., surpassing motor vehicle collisions in 2020. The presence of a firearm in the household is an independent risk factor for several forms of firearm injuries, including those that are self-inflicted and unintentional in nature. With over 30 million children living in homes with at least one firearm, secure storage practices—keeping all firearms locked, unloaded, and stored separately from ammunition—are a significant modifiable risk factor for pediatric firearm injury.

This study employs the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC) to examine how parental stressors, coping processes, and social support influence firearm ownership and storage decisions. Given that 33% of parents in the U.S. report feeling "extremely stressed," understanding their perspectives on the ways in which stress and coping potentially influence firearm safety decisions in the household is of extreme importance.

Methods: We designed an electronic exploratory survey based on the TMSC framework to capture the interplay among the following constructs: stressors, threat appraisal, coping, social support/influence, and health behaviors (Figure 1). This study was IRB approved (H-56252). A literature review identified validated tools to utilize in the survey, including the Gun Behaviors and Beliefs Scale, Mini-COPE, and the Parental Stress subscale. Additional survey items were developed iteratively by the study team. Phase two of this research project will include piloting the survey among a small sample of the target population to assess clarity, relevance, and feasibility. This sample will include a local community outreach group, parents and firearm owners, health communication experts, and firearm-related researchers. Feedback from the pilot study will inform revisions prior to distribution. The survey will then be translated to Spanish to be administered in both English and Spanish.

Results: The developed survey consists of 79 items, divided into four sections (Table 1). Section A (14 items) focuses on sociodemographic data, such as parental age, education level, and household income. Section B (7 items) focuses on firearm ownership and storage practices. Section C (54 items) assesses psychosocial factors, including stressors, coping, and social support/influence. Section D (4 items) is an optional segment inquiring about participants’ willingness to participate in a semi-structured interview.

Conclusion: We developed a novel, theory-informed survey to explore the interplay between stress appraisal, coping, and behavioral adaptation within the context of firearm ownership among parents. As the need for pediatric firearm injury prevention becomes increasingly urgent, identifying modifiable upstream factors—such as parental stress and storage behaviors—is essential for developing effective, context-sensitive interventions. By incorporating validated tools and aligning with a well-established behavioral framework, this approach may provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing firearm ownership and storage behaviors.