Abstract
Objectives: We examine the association between perceived discrimination, mental health, social support, and support for violent radicalization (VR) in young adults from three locations across two countries: Montréal and Toronto, Canada, and Boston, United States. A secondary goal is to test the moderating role of location. Methods: A total of 791 young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, drawn from the Somali Youth longitudinal study and a Canada-based study of college students, participated in the study. We used multivariate linear regression to assess the association between scores on the Radical Intentions Scale (RIS) with demographic characteristics, anxiety, depression, social support, and discrimination. Results: In the full sample, discrimination, age, and gender were associated with RIS scores. When we examined moderation effects by location, RIS scores were associated with depression only in Montréal, and with social support (negatively) and discrimination in Toronto. None of the variables were significant in Boston. Conclusion: These findings suggest that an understanding of risk and protective factors for support of VR may be context-dependent. Further research should take into consideration local/regional differences.
Highlights
Violent radicalization (VR) is a significant and growing threat worldwide [1, 2]
The remaining relationships varied across locations; for example, a negative relationship between social support and discrimination was observed for Montréal and Toronto but was non-significant in the Boston area
This study raises questions about the generalizability of findings related to risk and protective factors for support of VR from one geographical setting and/or population to others
Summary
VR can be understood as “an individual or collective process whereby normal practices of dialogue, compromise, and tolerance between groups/individuals with diverging interests are abandoned and one or more groups/individuals engage in violent actions to reach a specific (political, social, religious) goal” [3]. In a context of increased social polarization, VR is affecting both majorities and minorities, targeting different forms of otherness: racial, ethnic, religious, political and genderrelated (e.g., [4]). There is interest in understanding and addressing both proximal and distal risk factors that contribute to the process of VR [5]. This shift calls for a public health approach that entails distinguishing between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention efforts [6].
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