The transition period from child to adult drives the adolescent's intense need for emotional security in the form of acceptance by peers. The Littleton, Colorado teen killers are identified as outcasts who were belittled by more popular students. As outcasts, they formed a cult which understandably appealed to those who wanted but were denied acceptance by their peer culture. Humans are born with basic emotional needs for safety and security, fearing danger when they sense being abandoned. Throughout life these needs and fears are interpreted differently.
Helpless infants have a mortal fear of being abandoned.
As we emerge from childhood, our emotional security requires constant reassurance of our lovability and acceptability. By the time children reach adolescence, these core emotional needs become focused upon self and social acceptance . Some may try to numb their emotional pain with alcohol and drugs. For every student who acts out wounded feelings in violence and rage, hundreds of thousands silently suffer an unspeakable pain of feeling unacceptable. Some may express their pain as anger and violence toward those they feel do not accept them.