Increasing self‐esteem and empathy to prevent violent radicalization: a longitudinal quantitative evaluation of a resilience training focused on adolescents with a dual identity

2015/03/10 by Allard R. Feddes, Liesbeth Mann, Bertjan Doosje · 17 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Resilience and Mental Health #Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence #Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression

paper · doi:10.1111/jasp.12307

Abstract

Abstract Quantitative results are reported of a longitudinal evaluation of a resilience training as a possible method to prevent violent radicalization (Diamant; SIPI, 2010). A total of 46 male and female Muslim adolescents and young adults with a migrant background participated. Results show that the training significantly increased participants' reports of agency and a marginal increase was found in reported self‐esteem, empathy and perspective taking but also narcissism. Attitudes toward ideology‐based violence and own violent intentions were significantly lower after the training than before. Higher reports of empathy were related to less positive attitudes toward ideology‐based violence. These results suggest that an intervention aimed at empowering individuals in combination with strengthening empathy is successful in countering violent radicalization.

Cited by

• Understanding Collective Human Behavior in Social Media Networks Via the Dynamical Hypothesis: Applications to Radicalization and Conspiratorial Beliefs
• Explanatory model of violent behaviours, self-concept and empathy in schoolchildren. Structural equations analysis. [europepmc]
• Do Radicalized Minors Have Different Social and Psychological Profiles From Radicalized Adults? [europepmc]
• Integrating Urban Adolescent Mental Health Into Urban Sustainability Collective Action: An Application of Shiffman & Smith's Framework for Global Health Prioritization. [europepmc]
• Grassroots community actors leading the way in the prevention of youth violent radicalization. [europepmc]
• Discover Your Inner Strength: A Positive Psychological Approach to Bolster Resilience and Address Radicalization. [europepmc]
• Between Psychopathology and Ideology: Challenges and Practices in Interpreting Young Extremists Experiencing Mental Illness in the Netherlands. [europepmc]
• A Clinical and Psychopathological Approach to Radicalization Among Adolescents. [europepmc]
• Understanding Changes in Violent Extremist Attitudes During the Transition to Early Adulthood. [europepmc]
• Sympathy-Empathy and the Radicalization of Young People. [europepmc]
• Civic Engagement and Personality: Associations with the Big Five and the Dark Triad. [europepmc]
• The Severity of Cyberbullying Affects Bystander Intervention Among College Students: The Roles of Feelings of Responsibility and Empathy. [europepmc]
• Mental Health, Well-Being, and Adolescent Extremism: A Machine Learning Study on Risk and Protective Factors. [europepmc]
• PROTOCOL: Non-criminal justice interventions for countering cognitive and behavioural radicalisation amongst children and adolescents: A systematic review of effectiveness and implementation. [europepmc]
• Protocol: Interventions to Prevent Cognitive and Behavioural Violent Radicalisation: A Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-Analysis: A Systematic Review. [europepmc]
• Psychometric study of the political violence support scale in a sample of Chilean university students. [europepmc]
• PROTOCOL: Primary Interventions for Preventing Cognitive and Behavioral Radicalization: An Evidence and Gap Map. [europepmc]

Related

• Building Resilience against Violent Extremism
• Trust-building in countering violent extremism programs: a Muslim youth perspective
• Preventing Violent Extremism: A Review of the Literature
• The relationship between self-esteem and aggressive behavior: Exploring the mediating role of loneliness and sympathy for violent radicalization.
• First Steps Towards Hearts and Minds? USAID's Countering Violent Extremism Policies in Africa