Youth and Violent Extremism: Towards a Psychological Angle of Radicalization and Dis-Engagement

Abstract

Psychological health issues and mental disorders have been viewed as possible elucidation for radicalization relentlessly, and is the reason for important discourse amidst academic community. Although psychological or mental disorders as factors for joining extremist statuses can mostly be dismissed based on the data available (apart from some personality elements and mental disorders of individual nonconformists), this debate almost never centres on the psychological influences, for instance by factors such as harmful stress, as leading to radicalization processes, joining militant groups and for disengagement for youth. This manuscript provides an assessment in respect of the data available from various subject fields on mental health of youth who have not been protected from violent extremist beliefs or who have experienced a radicalization process. The manuscript discusses the meaning for professionals and possible ways to deal with and manage the risks that follow from these varied and difficult situations. It is asserted, that the psychological processes associated with radicalization have distressing and curative elements at the same time. That being the case, a psychological angle on this issue is necessary.