Development of Socio-Psychological Protection Mechanisms to Reduce Adolescents' Susceptibility to Religious Extremism

Authors

  • Mamatrayimov Jumanazar Mamatmurod ogli Nizami Tashkent State Pedagogical University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47134/pjp.v2i4.4636

Keywords:

Adolescents, Religious Extremism, Psychological Resilience, Social Support, Sociopsychological Protection, Identity Formation, Critical Thinking, Value Education, Ideological Resistance, Psychoprevention

Abstract

This study aims to identify and develop socio-psychological protection mechanisms that reduce adolescents' vulnerability to religious extremism. The research employs a mixed-method approach consisting of theoretical analysis, psychological surveys, interviews, and content analysis. It is grounded in the theories of identity development (Erikson), social-cognitive learning (Bandura), psychological resilience (Asmolov), and significance quest theory (Kruglanski). Findings indicate that adolescents are particularly susceptible to radical ideologies due to emotional instability, identity confusion, lack of critical thinking, and limited social support. Key protective factors identified include psychological resilience, family and peer support, critical media literacy, value-based education, and healthy identity formation. The study recommends the integration of psychoeducational programs, early screening, and multi-level collaboration among schools, families, and communities to effectively prevent youth radicalization.

References

Asmolov, A. G. (2014). Psychology of personality and resilience to stress. Moscow: Smysl.

Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12163

Isroilov, M. M. (2018). The role of the family in protecting youth from extremism and terrorism. Journal of Social Sciences (Uzbekistan), 3, 45–50.

Kruglanski, A. W., Gelfand, M. J., Bélanger, J. J., Sheveland, A., Hetiarachchi, M., & Gunaratna, R. (2014). The psychology of radicalization and deradicalization: How significance quest impacts violent extremism. Political Psychology, 35(S1), 69–93.

Review of Psychology, 52(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1

Rusalinova, V. M. (2018). Social-psychological prevention of extremism in adolescence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 4(2), 58–67.

Aly, A., Taylor, E., & Karnovsky, S. (2019). Moral disengagement and building resilience to violent extremism: An education intervention. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 42(12), 1014–1033. https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2018.1453565

Borum, R. (2020). Radicalization into violent extremism II: A review of conceptual models and empirical research. Journal of Strategic Security, 13(4), 1–27.

Davies, L. (2021). Education and Extremisms: Rethinking Fundamentalism and Radicalisation. Routledge.

Dechesne, M. (2019). The psychology of terrorism: Identity, group dynamics, and radicalization. Current Opinion in Psychology, 11, 79–84.

Feddes, A. R., & Doosje, B. (2020). Risk factors for radicalization among European youth. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 55, 101501.

Sobirovich, T. B. (2020). The criterion of human indicators in development and renewals in Uzbekistan. EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR), 6(8), 509-511.

Turdiyev, B. S. (2021). Cultural and educational development of society in the scientific heritage of world philosophers. Academic research in educational sciences, 2(4), 443-451.

UNESCO. (2016). Preventing violent extremism through education: A guide for policy-makers. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.

United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism. (2020). Youth engagement and the prevention of violent extremism. New York: UN Publications.

Usmonov, R. S. (2020). Psychological approaches to countering religious extremism. Tashkent: Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Ghosh, R., Chan, W. Y. A., Manuel, A., & Dilimulati, M. (2019). Can education counter violent religious extremism? Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, 25(2), 195–210.

Horgan, J. G., & Braddock, K. (2020). Rehabilitating the terrorists?: Challenges in assessing the effectiveness of de-radicalization programs. Terrorism and Political Violence, 32(4), 626–639.

King, M., & Taylor, D. M. (2021). The radicalization of youth as a growing concern for counter-terrorism policy. Security Journal, 34(1), 53–70.

Kostelny, K., Wessells, M., & Boothby, N. (2020). Psychosocial support and preventing violent extremism: A synthesis of research. Intervention Journal, 18(2), 103–115.

Moghaddam, F. M. (2020). The Psychology of Democracy. American Psychological Association.

Schmid, A. P. (2019). Radicalisation, de-radicalisation, counter-radicalisation: A conceptual discussion and literature review. ICCT Research Paper.

Selim, G. (2019). Preventing violent extremism through education: An evidence-based approach. Journal of Deradicalization, 21, 44–63.

Sieckelinck, S., Kaulingfreks, F., & de Winter, M. (2020). Neither villains nor victims: Towards an educational perspective on radicalisation. British Journal of Educational Studies, 68(3), 297–314.

Ungar, M. (2021). Multisystemic Resilience: Adaptation and Transformation in Contexts of Change. Oxford University Press.

van San, M., Sieckelinck, S., & de Winter, M. (2020). Ideological resilience: How adolescents resist radical messages. Youth & Society, 52(5), 702–720.

Downloads

Published

2025-07-12

How to Cite

Mamatmurod ogli, M. J. (2025). Development of Socio-Psychological Protection Mechanisms to Reduce Adolescents’ Susceptibility to Religious Extremism. Jurnal Psikologi, 2(4), 8. https://doi.org/10.47134/pjp.v2i4.4636

Issue

Section

Articles

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.