Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased levels of uncertainty and social polarization in our societies, compromising young people's capacity to envision a positive future and maintain a meaningful sense of purpose in life. Within a positive youth development framework, the present study investigates the associations of a positive future orientation, presence of and search for meaning in life, and support for violent radicalization (VR) in a diverse sample of Canadian college students. In addition, we investigate the moderating role of future orientation in the association between presence of and search for a meaning in life and support for VR. A total of 3,100 college students in Québec (Canada) (69% female; Mage = 18.57, SDage = 1.76) completed an online survey during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from linear mixed-effects models indicate that a positive future orientation and a higher presence of a meaning in life were negatively and independently associated with support for VR. Search for meaning in life was not associated with support for VR. The magnitude of the negative association between presence of a meaning in life and support for VR was greater among students with a more positive future orientation. Schools and colleges are in a privileged position to implement preventive interventions to support a positive future orientation and the presence of a meaning in life among young people during these challenging and uncertain times and reduce the risk of violence related to extreme ideologies in our rapidly changing society.
Highlights
During the COVID-19 pandemic, fear and uncertainty have dominated the social landscape and jeopardized the capacity of young people to envision a positive future and maintain purpose in their lives [1, 2]
In a positive youth development (PYD) perspective, the present study investigates how a youth’s positive identity, in terms of positive future orientation and presence of and search for a meaning in life, is associated with support for violent radicalization (VR) in a sample of Canadian college students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Pearson correlations among our variables of interest indicated that search for a meaning in life and depression were both positively associated with support for VR, whereas future orientation and presence of a meaning in life were negatively associated with support for VR as well as with depression
Summary
During the COVID-19 pandemic, fear and uncertainty have dominated the social landscape and jeopardized the capacity of young people to envision a positive future and maintain purpose in their lives [1, 2]. Positive Identity and Violent Radicalization indicates that in 2017 students aged 16–18 were at higher risk of supporting violent radicalization (VR), compared to students aged 19–21 who were at higher risk in 2015 [11] This age trend suggests that societal challenges over time may render younger people more vulnerable to VR. It is essential that we invest in ways to support youth to reduce violence in society This is urgent in the present context of uncertainty and life disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a positive youth development (PYD) perspective, the present study investigates how a youth’s positive identity, in terms of positive future orientation and presence of and search for a meaning in life, is associated with support for VR in a sample of Canadian college students during the COVID-19 pandemic
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