Current Challenges in Addressing Youth Mental Health in the Context of Violent Radicalization

Although structural violence and social inequality affect youth physical and mental health throughout the world, the problem of violent radicalization (VR) has more recently emerged as an area of concern for professionals working with youth. Radicalization is a dynamic, complex process that is generated and fueled by intercommunity frictions and conflicting political, social, and economic discourses and interests. It takes the form of a shift away from a moderate point of view to a rigid one that rejects the status quo and demands drastic societal change, although not necessarily through violence.² Violent radicalization is when radicalization includes the support of or the plan to use violent measures, including hate crimes and incidents and/or mass killings, often targeting a group characteristic (race, religion, gender orientation and identity, or political views), to achieve one’s goals of social change.