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

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 ideologybased 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.

Triggerfactoren in het radicaliseringsproces

“…Aan de groep kan een individu zijn eigenwaarde (zelfvertrouwen) ontlenen en de groep kan daarmee onzekerheid reduceren die gebeurtenissen in het leven met zich mee kunnen brengen (Hogg, 2014;Van den Bos et al, 2009;Doosje, et al, 2013 (Buijs et al, 2006Feddes, et al 2015;Moghaddam, 2005;Van Bergen et al, 2015). Omdat sommige personen deze worsteling sterker doormaken dan anderen, verwachten wij dat deze 'identiteitszoekers' vooral ontvankelijk zijn voor specifieke triggerfactoren gerelateerd aan de identiteit en de behoefte aan sociale binding.…”

How identity crisis, relative deprivation, personal characteristics, and empathy contribute to the engagement of Western individuals in Islamist terrorist behavior

“…Considering the levels of disadvantage many Western Muslims experience, it is not surprising that many Muslim communities find themselves treated unfairly (Silke, 2008). These feelings of marginalization also contribute to the 'us versus them' mentality and may reinforce distancing of oneself from society and becoming attracted to violent radicalization (Feddes et al, 2015). When individuals feel triggered by the existing social order that they perceive as 'unfair' , it is easier for terrorist organizations to recruit these individuals by building on related grievances, whether these grievances are national or global (Krieger & Meierrieks, 2011).…”

“…Economic deprivation is a component of Ted Gurr's relative deprivation theory (Gurr, 1968;Gurr, 1970). Gurr defines relative deprivation as a person's belief to receive less than deserved, and the term furthermore entails the perception that one's group is being treated less well than other groups (Feddes, Mann, & Doosje, 2015). He theorizes that this collective discrepancy creates frustration and, in turn, contributes to the use of violence.…”

Development and Pilot Test of the RAND Program Evaluation Toolkit for Countering Violent Extremism

“…Only four of the eight studies examined CVE programs in Western countries; this posed a challenge because we set out to design a toolkit primarily for U.S.-based programs. Second, only a lim-1 These sources are listed in the references section of this report: Aldrich (2014); Frenett and Dow (2014);Feddes, Mann, and Doosje (2015); Amjad and Wood (2009);Liht and Savage (2013); Williams, Horgan, and Evans (2011); and U.S. Agency for International Development (2011Development ( , 2013).…”

“…Only four of the eight studies examined CVE programs in Western countries; this posed a challenge because we set out to design a toolkit primarily for U.S.-based programs. Second, only a lim-1 These sources are listed in the references section of this report: Aldrich (2014); Frenett and Dow (2014);Feddes, Mann, and Doosje (2015); Amjad and Wood (2009);Liht and Savage (2013); Williams, Horgan, and Evans (2011); and U.S. Agency for International Development (2011Development ( , 2013).x Development and Pilot Test of the RAND Program Evaluation Toolkit for Countering Violent Extremism ited number of studies utilized control groups. We believe it will be critical to produce more rigorous investigations that randomly assign participants to treatment and control groups or at least incorporate pre/post investigations with a control group.…”