Digital media use, depressive symptoms and support for violent radicalization among young Canadians: a latent profile analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the prominent role that digital media play in the lives and mental health of young people as well as in violent radicalization (VR) processes, empirical research aimed to investigate the association between Internet use, depressive symptoms and support for VR among young people is scant. We adopt a person-centered approach to investigate patterns of digital media use and their association with depressive symptoms and support for VR. METHODS: A sample of 2,324 Canadian young people (Mage = 30.10; SDage = 5.44 ; 59% women) responded to an online questionnaire. We used latent profile analysis to identify patterns of digital media use and linear regression to estimate the associations between class membership, depressive symptoms and support for VR. RESULTS: We identified four classes of individuals with regards to digital media use, named Average Internet Use/Institutional trust, Average internet use/Undifferentiated Trust, Limited Internet Use/Low Trust and Online Relational and Political Engagement/Social Media Trust. Linear regression indicated that individuals in the Online Relational and Political Engagement/Social Media Trust and Average Internet Use/Institutional trust profiles reported the highest and lowest scores of both depression and support for VR, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: It is essential to tailor prevention and intervention efforts to mitigate risks of VR to the specific needs and experiences of different groups in society, within a socio-ecological perspective. Prevention should consider both strengths and risks of digital media use and simulteaneously target both online and offline experiences and networks, with a focus on the sociopolitical and relational/emotional components of Internet use.

Disentangling Support for Violent and Non-violent Radicalization among Adolescents: A Latent Profile Analysis.

Although support for violent and non-violent radicalization can co-occur, only a few adolescents who support non-violent radicalization also support or engage in violent acts. Yet, little is known about what factors are associated with adolescents' paths towards or away from violent and/or non-violent radicalization. Within a socio-ecological and positive youth development framework, this study investigates profiles of support for violent and non-violent radicalization among adolescents attending high schools in Quebec (Canada) and whether such profiles are differently associated with experiences of social adversity, school-, family- and peer-related factors and psychological distress. Adolescents (N = 1911; Mage = 15.7; SDage = 0.98; 48.7% girls) completed an online survey during school hours. A Latent Profile Analysis on scores of support for violent and non-violent radicalization was conducted. A multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the associations between profiles and variables of interest. We identified six profiles of adolescents. The heterogeneity of profiles suggested multiple and complex combinations of support for violent and non-violent radicalization as well as their co-existence in some but not all profiles. Adolescents who reported less discrimination, more positive school experiences and more family support were less likely to belong to profiles that supported violence. Primary prevention efforts in the field of support for violent radicalization must adopt a socio-ecological and social justice approach and consider the diversity of adolescents' profiles, attitudes and experiences.

Moving Forward in Mental Health Care for Refugee, Asylum-Seeking, and Undocumented Children: Social Determinants, Phased Approach to Care, and Advocacy.

Given the current political and climate crisis, the number of forcedly displaced individuals continues to rise, posing new challenges to host societies aiming to support and respond to the needs of those fleeing war or persecution. In this article, we turn our attention to current and historical sociopolitical contexts influencing the mental health of forcedly displaced children (ie, refugee, asylum-seeking, and undocumented) during their resettlement in high-income countries, proposing timely ways to respond to evolving needs and recommendations to redress ubiquitous structural inequities that act as barriers to education and care for the children, youth, and families seeking sanctuary.

Children of extremist parents: Insights from a specialized clinical team.

BACKGROUND: Data on children who grow up with parents adhering to violent extremism is scant. This makes it extremely delicate to inform policies and clinical services to protect such children from potential physical and psychological harm. OBJECTIVE: This paper explores the predicament of children whose caretakers were referred to a specialized clinical team in Montreal (Canada) because of concerns about risks or actual involvement in violent extremism processes. METHODS: This paper uses a mixed methods concurrent triangulation design. Quantitative data was obtained through a file review (2016-2020). Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews and a focus group with the team practitioners. RESULTS: Clinicians reported the presence of stereotypes in the health and social services network frequently representing religious extremist parents as potentially dangerous or having inappropriate parenting skills while minimizing the perception of risk for parents adhering to political extremism. Children displayed high levels of psychological distress, mainly related to family separation, parental psychopathology, and conflicts of loyalty stemming from familial or social alienation. CONCLUSIONS: Training practitioners to be aware of their own personal and institutional bias may help them to understand the predicament of extremist parents' children and implement systemic, trauma and attachment informed interventions.

Risk behaviors and well-being among Egyptian and Roma adolescents in Albania during the COVID-19 pandemic: Vulnerability and resilience in a positive youth development perspective.

Introduction: Egyptian and Roma communities represent two of the most deprived and stigmatized ethnic minorities in Albania. However, research investigating vulnerability and well-being in youth from these communities is scant. Even less is known among Egyptian and Roma adolescents who dropped-out of school. Within a Positive Youth Development framework, we investigated among Egyptian and Roma adolescents: (1) risk behaviors, well-being, and developmental assets (personal and contextual); (2) associations of developmental assets with risk behaviors and well-being; (3) specificities by ethnicity, gender, and education. Methods: A total of 201 Egyptian and Roma adolescents (Mage = 16.63, SDage = 1.80; 47% girls; 53% school dropouts) completed a series of questionnaires in a community setting in August 2020 (first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic). Results: Binomial, Poisson and linear regression models indicated that Egyptian and Roma adolescents reported similar and high levels of risk behaviors, with boys reporting overall more risk behaviors than girls. Low level of well-being and of personal and contextual assets were reported. Girls reported higher family assets, positive values and social competencies than boys. The situation of adolescents attending school was overall not better than that of youth who had dropped out. Higher positive identity was associated with higher well-being. Discussion: Intervention and prevention efforts are urgently needed to support minority adolescents' development during and in the aftermath of the pandemic. They should address the structural factors which limit the availability of personal and contextual resources in minority youth's lives. Interventions aimed at building safer neighborhoods and providing safe access to schools for minority youth should be a priority and are essential to prevent the widening of inequalities during and after this health emergency.

Preference for online social interactions and support for violent radicalization among college and university students.

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. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Violent Radicalization, Mental Health, and Gender Identity: Considerations for Future Research.

ABSTRACT: This study examines the association between gender identity, mental health, social adversity, and sympathy for violent radicalization (VR). Data were collected through an online survey in Canada. A total of 6003 eligible participants who were residents of Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, or Edmonton and aged from 18 to 35 years were included. We used Fisher exact test to assess gender differences in gender-based discrimination and we used analysis of variance tests to assess differences in scores on bullying, mental health, and sympathy for VR. We used linear regression to assess the relationship between mental health, social adversities, and sympathy for VR. Individuals who self-identified as trans and gender diverse had greater sympathy for VR than females did, experienced online victimization more frequently, and reported higher levels of psychological distress than both male and female participants. Our findings indicate that more research is needed on the association between social adversity and support for VR among this vulnerable population.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among young adults in Canada.

OBJECTIVES: Vaccine hesitancy is a multifaceted decision process that encompasses various factors for which an individual may choose to get vaccinated or not. We aimed to identify the relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy theories, general attitudes towards vaccines, current COVID-19 vaccine factors, and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. METHODS: The present research is a multi-province cross-sectional study design. Survey data were collected in May and June 2021 (n=4905) in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Multivariate ordinal regression models were used to assess the association between vaccine hesitant profiles and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, general attitudes towards vaccines, and specific factors pertaining to COVID-19 vaccines. RESULTS: Participants were aged 18 to 40 years and 59% were women. Individuals with low income, with low educational attainment, and/or who are unemployed were more likely to be vaccine hesitant. COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs and general attitudes towards vaccines are significantly associated with greater hesitancy for the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine factors including pro-vaccine actions and opinions of friends and family and trust in scientists and government as well as the country in which a vaccine is manufactured are associated with less vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSION: Conspiracy theories are distinct from criticism and concerns regarding the vaccine. Nevertheless, poverty, low level of education, and distrust towards the government are associated with higher odds of being vaccine hesitant. Results suggest it is imperative to deliver transparent and nuanced health communications to address legitimate distrust towards political and scientific actors and address the societal gap regarding general attitudes towards vaccines as opposed to focusing solely on COVID-19.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: L'hésitation vaccinale est un processus de décision multidimensionnel qui englobe divers facteurs qui contribuent au choix individuel de se faire vacciner ou non. Cet article étudie la relation entre les théories du complot autour de la COVID-19, les attitudes générales envers les vaccins, les facteurs spécifiques aux vaccins contre la COVID-19 et l'hésitation vaccinale dans le contexte de la COVID-19. MéTHODES: La présente recherche est une étude transversale multi-provinces. Les données de l'enquête ont été recueillies en mai et en juin 2021 (n=4905) en Alberta, en Ontario et au Québec. Des modèles de régression ordinale multivariés ont été utilisés pour évaluer l'association entre l'hésitation à se faire vacciner et les théories du complot autour de la COVID-19, les attitudes générales envers les vaccins et des facteurs spécifiques relatifs aux vaccins contre la COVID-19. RéSULTATS: Les répondants sont âgés de 18 à 40 ans et 59 % s'identifient comme étant des femmes. Les personnes ayant un faible revenu, ayant un faible niveau d'éducation et/ou sans emploi étaient plus susceptibles d'hésiter à se faire vacciner. L'adhésion à la théorie du complot du COVID-19 et les attitudes générales envers les vaccins sont significativement associées à plus d'hésitation à se faire vacciner contre la COVID-19. Les facteurs liés aux vaccins, y compris les actions pro-vaccins et les opinions des amis et de la famille, et la confiance envers les scientifiques et le gouvernement ainsi que le pays de fabrication du vaccin sont associés à moins d'hésitation vaccinale. CONCLUSION: Les théories du complot sont distinctes des préoccupations concernant le vaccin. La pauvreté, le faible niveau d'éducation et la méfiance envers le gouvernement sont associés à des niveaux plus élevés d'hésitation vaccinale. Les résultats suggèrent que les communications en santé devraient être transparentes et nuancées sur la santé de façon à diminuer la méfiance envers les acteurs politiques et scientifiques et à combler le fossé sociétal concernant les attitudes générales envers les vaccins plutôt que de se cibler uniquement la COVID-19.

Sociodemographic and psychological correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance in the young adult population in Italy.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that young adults are more hesitant/resistant to COVID-19 vaccine uptake than older age groups, although the factors underlying this tendency are still under debate. The current study aimed to identify the sociodemographic and psychological correlates of vaccine hesitancy and resistance among young adults (18-40 years) during the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Italy, the first country after China being hit by the pandemic and which suffered a large number of fatalities. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, web-based study conducted in Italy using an ISO-certified international survey company (respondi.com). Data were collected on 1200 participants in June 2021. RESULTS: Vaccine hesitancy/resistance was found for 25% of the sample. In multinomial logistic regression (N = 1159), being aged 30-40 years, residing in northern Italy, having lower educational and income level, being unemployed, and not knowing any friends/relatives diagnosed with COVID-19 were associated with higher odds of hesitancy or resistance. In multivariate analysis of variance (N = 1177), both vaccine hesitant and resistant young adults perceived significantly less social support from friends and family than vaccine accepting ones. Resistant individuals reported significantly higher levels of conspiracy theories and negative attitudes toward vaccines than their accepting and hesitant counterparts. Moreover, resistant individuals reported significantly lower levels of attachment to country and perceptions of a just government compared to accepting ones, with hesitant young adults scoring in between. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the idea that young adults with a hesitant (vs. resistant) attitude show a more nuanced and less extreme psychological profile. Public health messaging should capitalize on social media to provide accessible, transparent, and age-appropriate information concerning COVID-19 vaccine safety. Moreover, policy efforts improving the availability of social support systems are warranted to strengthen connectedness and foster trust in institutions amongst this particular segment of the population.

Meaning in Life, Future Orientation and Support for Violent Radicalization Among Canadian College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased levels of uncertainty and social polarization in our societies, compromising young people's capacity to envision a positive future and maintain a meaningful sense of purpose in life. Within a positive youth development framework, the present study investigates the associations of a positive future orientation, presence of and search for meaning in life, and support for violent radicalization (VR) in a diverse sample of Canadian college students. In addition, we investigate the moderating role of future orientation in the association between presence of and search for a meaning in life and support for VR. A total of 3,100 college students in Québec (Canada) (69% female; M age = 18.57, SD age = 1.76) completed an online survey during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from linear mixed-effects models indicate that a positive future orientation and a higher presence of a meaning in life were negatively and independently associated with support for VR. Search for meaning in life was not associated with support for VR. The magnitude of the negative association between presence of a meaning in life and support for VR was greater among students with a more positive future orientation. Schools and colleges are in a privileged position to implement preventive interventions to support a positive future orientation and the presence of a meaning in life among young people during these challenging and uncertain times and reduce the risk of violence related to extreme ideologies in our rapidly changing society.

Cumulative and independent effects of experiences of social adversity on support for violent radicalization during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of depression.

PURPOSE: Social adversity experiences have increased during the pandemic and are potential risk factors for both depression and support for violent radicalization (VR). However, the cumulative and independent effects of various social adversity experiences on support for VR have yet to be explored. This paper examines the cumulative and independent effects of COVID- and non-COVID-related discrimination, exposure to violence, traditional and cyberbullying victimization on support for VR. In addition, we investigate whether depression mediates the relationship between these forms of social adversity and support for VR. METHODS: A total of 6003 young adults (Mage = 27, SDage = 4.40, range 18-35) living in metropolitan areas in Canada responded to an online survey. We used multivariable regression models, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, to infer covariate adjusted associations between social adversity measures and support for VR. Additionally, we conducted a formal mediation analysis to estimate the proportion mediated by depression. RESULTS: There was a cumulative relationship between experiences of social adversity and support for VR (ß = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.32, 1.72). COVID-related discrimination and cyberbullying victimization were independently associated with stronger support for VR. Depression partially mediated the effect of cumulative social adversity, COVID-related discrimination and cyberbullying on support for VR. CONCLUSION: Prevention programs during the present pandemic should prioritize decreasing discrimination and providing psychosocial support to depressed young adults who experience social adversity. Practitioners should prioritize developing programs that foster digital literacy skills and critical thinking among young adults to address the concerning impact of cyberbullying on support for VR.

Latent class analysis of COVID-19 experiences, social distancing, and mental health.

Information is needed on the relationship between coronavirus disease (COVID-19) social distancing restrictions and their relationship with mental health. In particular, there is limited investigation into how COVID-related adversities have positively mobilized individuals. We use latent class analysis (LCA) to identify subtypes of positive and negative aspects of the experience of COVID-19 social distancing and the association of these subtypes with mental health. We conduct an online survey of COVID-19 and mental health with 3,183 adults residing in Quebec, Canada, during the first wave of the epidemic. We use LCA to identify subtypes of positive and negative aspects of social distancing. We use logistic and linear regression to estimate the associations between class membership and self-reported impact of COVID-19 on mental health and scores on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-10 (HSCL-10). We identify five classes of individuals in regards to perceived positives and negatives of social distancing related to COVID-19, named Low Impact, Freedom/Flexibility, Safety, Family/Home, and Hardships. Sociodemographic variables including age, gender, race/ethnicity, and self-reported mental health prior to COVID are associated with class assignment. Latent classes are associated with both outcomes (p < .001). Individuals in the Hardships class have greater odds of reporting a significant impact of COVID-19 on mental health, OR = 2.09, 95% CI = [1.53, 2.86], p < .001, and have higher scores on the HSCL-10, ß = .32, 95% CI = [.23, .42], p < .001, than those individuals in the Low Impact group after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Gender, age, and self-reported mental health prior to COVID-19 are independently associated with both outcomes (p < .001). We discuss study implications for public health programming and interventions to promote the mental health of at-risk populations during the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Risk and Protective Factors Associated With Support of Violent Radicalization: Variations by Geographic Location.

Objectives: We examine the association between perceived discrimination, mental health, social support, and support for violent radicalization (VR) in young adults from three locations across two countries: Montréal and Toronto, Canada, and Boston, United States. A secondary goal is to test the moderating role of location. Methods: A total of 791 young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, drawn from the Somali Youth longitudinal study and a Canada-based study of college students, participated in the study. We used multivariate linear regression to assess the association between scores on the Radical Intentions Scale (RIS) with demographic characteristics, anxiety, depression, social support, and discrimination. Results: In the full sample, discrimination, age, and gender were associated with RIS scores. When we examined moderation effects by location, RIS scores were associated with depression only in Montréal, and with social support (negatively) and discrimination in Toronto. None of the variables were significant in Boston. Conclusion: These findings suggest that an understanding of risk and protective factors for support of VR may be context-dependent. Further research should take into consideration local/regional differences.

Evaluation of a training program on the prevention of violent radicalization for health and education professionals.

This article presents a preliminary evaluation of training sessions promoting a systemic approach to violent radicalization (VR) offered to first-line health and education professionals in Quebec. We describe the rationale and content for the training program, its general principles and implementation modalities. The mixed-method evaluation indicated that the participants felt the training increased their level of confidence in dealing with VR in their work. It appeared that training also shifted participants' attitudes significantly on four items with decreases: (1) worry about the extent of VR of young people in Quebec; (2) belief that VR should automatically be reported to the police; (3) thinking that Islam favors VR; and (4) assumption that enhanced security measures would have a deterrent effect on VR. The conclusion discusses the challenges associated with violent radicalization training programs, emphasizing the delicate ethical and political questions related to the provision of training on this socially divisive topic.

Discrimination and Sympathy for Violent Radicalization Among College Students in Quebec (Canada): The Protective Role of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Religiosity.

ABSTRACT: The present study examines the moderating role of total, intrinsic, and extrinsic religiosity in the relation between perceived discrimination and sympathy for violent radicalization (VR) among college students in Quebec, Canada. A total of 931 students responded to an online questionnaire and were included in this study. Linear mixed-effects models were conducted to account for the clustered nature of the data, and moderation was assessed via interaction analysis using cross-product terms in the models. Findings indicated that both intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity had a protective role in the link between perceived discrimination and sympathy for VR and buffered the effects of sadness in response to discrimination on sympathy for VR, but not the effects of anger in response to discrimination. These results provide evidence of the protective role of religiosity in Canada, a social context characterized by an increase in religious discrimination, but which also supports religious diversity.

Conspiracy Theories, Psychological Distress, and Sympathy for Violent Radicalization in Young Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread uncertainty, promoted psychological distress, and fueled interpersonal conflict. The concomitant upsurge in endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories is worrisome because they are associated with both non-adherence to public health guidelines and intention to commit violence. This study investigates associations between endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories, support for violent radicalization (VR) and psychological distress among young adults in Canada. We hypothesized that (a) endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories is positively associated with support for VR, and (b) psychological distress modifies the relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy theories and support for VR. A total of 6003 participants aged 18-35 years old residing in four major Canadian cities completed an online survey between 16 October 2020 and 17 November 2020, that included questions about endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories, support for VR, psychological distress, and socio-economic status. Endorsement of conspiracy theories was associated with support for VR in multivariate regression (ß = 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80-0.96). There is a significant interaction effect between endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories and psychological distress (ß = 0.49, 95% CI 0.40-0.57). The magnitude of the association was stronger in individuals reporting high psychological distress (ß = 1.36, 95% CI 1.26-1.46) compared to those reporting low psychological distress (ß = 0.47, 95% CI 0.35-0.59). The association between endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories and VR represents a public health challenge requiring immediate attention. The interaction with psychological distress suggests that policy efforts should combine communication and psychological strategies to mitigate the legitimation of violence.

Egyptian and Roma Adolescents' Perspectives on Their Developmental Assets in Albania During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This mixed-method study explores the accessibility of developmental assets among Egyptian and Roma minority youth in Albania during the COVID-19 pandemic. Six focus groups were conducted in August 2020 with Egyptian (n = 16) and Roma (n = 15) adolescents (14-20 years, Mage  = 16.71; SDage  = 2.00; 14 girls and 17 boys). In addition, adolescents rated how much they experienced each developmental asset. Descriptive and thematic analyses highlighted: (1) low developmental assets and barriers to accessing resources, (2) mental health concerns and coping strategies, (3) the role of proximal contexts of life, and (4) experiences within the society in terms of discrimination, integration, and contribution to society. Inter-sectoral community-based interventions are urgently needed to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on minority youth.

COVID-19 Experiences and Social Distancing: Insights From the Theory of Planned Behavior.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to identify the relationship between COVID-19 experiences, perceived COVID-19 behavioral control, social norms and attitudes, and future intention to follow social distancing guidelines. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. SETTING: Participants responded to an on-line survey in June 2020. SUBJECTS: The study included 3,183 residents within Quebec, Canada aged 18 and over. MEASURES: Measures include perceived COVID-19 related discrimination, fear of COVID-19 infection, prior exposure to COVID-19, and prior social distancing behavior. Participants self-reported attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and perceived norms related to social distancing. Finally, we measured social distancing behavioral intention. ANALYSIS: We evaluated a theory of planned behavior (TPB) measurement model of social distancing using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The association between COVID-19 perceived discrimination, fear of infection, previous social distancing behavior, exposure to COVID-19, TPB constructs and behavioral intentions to social distance were estimated using SEM path analysis. RESULTS: TPB constructs were positively associated with intention to follow social distancing guidelines. Fear of COVID-19 infection and prior social distancing behavior were positively associated with behavioral intentions. In contrast, perceived discrimination was negatively associated with the outcome. Associations between fear of COVID-19, perceived COVID-19 discrimination and behavioral intentions were partially mediated by constructs of TPB. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 prevention efforts designed to emphasize positive attitudes, perceived control, and social norms around social distancing should carefully balance campaigns that heighten fear of infection along with anti- discrimination messaging.

Transnational evaluation of the Sympathy for Violent Radicalization Scale: Measuring population attitudes toward violent radicalization in two countries.

Countering violent radicalization is a priority in many countries, prompting research that assesses attitudes and beliefs about violent radicalization in the general population. The majority of violent radicalization assessments have been developed among specific populations, with limited investigation into the generalizability and cross-cultural applicability of measurement tools. A transcultural investigation raises questions about the implicit assumptions and norms that inform instrument development. This research examined the psychometric properties of the Sympathy for Violent Radicalization Scale (SyfoR), a measure developed for use with Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrant groups in the UK, in two convenience samples of youth and young adults in North America and Western Europe. We investigated the factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of adapted versions of the SyfoR among convenience samples of youth and young adults living in Belgium (N = 2014) and in Quebec, Canada (N = 1364) via online surveys administered to students engaged in secondary and post-secondary education. Results indicate that, in both samples, a reduced, 8-item version of the SyfoR has a 3-factor structure with good model fit statistics using confirmatory factor analysis and good internal consistency reliability. More studies are needed to assess the appropriateness of the SyfoR for use in diverse contexts and among diverse populations. The potential usefulness and harmfulness of measures of violent radicalization should balance the benefits of obtaining local data with the risks associated with pathologizing social dissent.

Socio-cultural correlates of self-reported experiences of discrimination related to COVID-19 in a culturally diverse sample of Canadian adults.

Minorities and marginalized groups have increasingly become the target of discriminatory actions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Detailed information about the manifestation of COVID-related discrimination is required to develop preventive actions that are not stigmatizing for such groups. The present study investigates experiences of perceived discrimination related to COVID-19 and its socio-cultural correlates in a culturally diverse sample of adults in Quebec (Canada). An online survey was completed by 3273 Quebec residents (49 % 18-39 years old; 57 % female; 49 % White). We used multivariate binomial logistic regression models to assess prevalence of COVID-related discrimination and to investigate socio-cultural correlates of reasons and contexts of discrimination. COVID-related discrimination was reported by 16.58 % of participants. Non-white participants, health-care workers and younger participants were more likely to experience discrimination than White, unemployed and older participants, respectively. Discrimination was reported primarily in association with participants' ethno-cultural group, age, occupation and physical health and in the context of public spaces. Participants of East-Asian descent and essential workers were more likely to report discrimination because of their ethnicity and occupation, respectively. Although young people experienced discrimination across more contexts, older participants were primarily discriminated in the context of grocery stores and because of their age. Our findings indicate that health communication actions informed by a social pedagogy approach should target public beliefs related to the association of COVID-19 with ethnicity, age and occupation, to minimize pandemic-related discrimination. Visible minorities, health-care workers and seniors should be protected and supported, especially in public spaces.