Preference for Online Social Interactions and Support for Violent Radicalization Among College and University Students

• Published in: American journal of orthopsychiatry 2023-01, Vol.93 (4), p.350-363
• Main Authors: Miconi, Diana, Santavicca, Tara, Frounfelker, Rochelle L., Rousseau, Cécile
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: College Students; Female; Group Identity; Human; Internet; Major Depression; Male; Mental depression; Mental health; Online Behavior; Preferences; Radicalism; Risk factors; School Violence; Self esteem; Social Interaction; Social networks; Social Support; Socialization; Symptoms; University students; Youth
• ISSN: 0002-9432; 1939-0025
• DOI: 10.1037/ort0000681

Young people are at increased risk of supporting violent radicalization (VR), and VR processes are increasingly happening online. Despite the important role that online socialization plays in the lives of digital natives as well as in VR processes, empirical research aimed to investigate the association between online socialization and support for VR among young people is scant. This article examines the association between preference for online social interactions and support for VR among students and investigates whether this association is moderated by social support and collective self-esteem and mediated by depressive symptoms. A total of 5,598 Canadian college and university students (Mage = 22.75, SDage = 7.45) responded to an online survey. We implemented multivariable mixed-effects regression models, stratified and mediation analyses. Greater preference for online social interactions was associated with stronger support for VR. Preference for online social interactions was a risk factor for VR, particularly at low levels of public self-esteem and social support as well as at high levels of importance attributed to one's group identity. Depressive symptoms partially mediated this association. Programs aimed to foster and value multiple identities and increase social support in educational settings are urgently needed to address the possible negative consequences of the online space on young people's mental health and support for violence. Prevention programs should address the provision of psychosocial support to students reporting depressive symptoms and help them build and maintain a supportive social network, as well as enhance inclusion at the societal level and across educational institutions. Public Policy Relevance Statement The online space is an important socialization context for young people and researchers and professionals working with college and university students need to consider the complex interplay between online/offline factors in shaping the paths toward support for ideologically motivated violence. Programs should value minority identities, promote plural identities, and increase social support in educational settings both online and offline. To reduce the risks of ideologically motivated violence, intervention and policies should adopt a socioecological perspective and address not just youth's psychological distress and grievances at the individual level, but also address inequalities and injustices at the societal and educa