Correlates of Youth Resilience to Violent Extremism in Plateau State

Abstract

The study examined the correlates of youth resilience to violent extremism in Plateau State. Participants were 386 youths with a mean age of 27 years (SD = 6 years) in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi LGAs, comprising 228 males and 158 females. The study employed the convergent parallel mix method. Three hundred eighty-six (386) questionnaires were analysed, and sixteen (16) KII were conducted. Content analysis showed that youths were aware of violent extremism, displayed a negative perception of violent extremism, and pointed to poverty, social exclusion/racial discrimination, lack of economic opportunities, discrimination based on religion, and drug and alcohol as drivers of violent extremism. The result of multiple linear regression revealed that parents' socioeconomic status significantly predicted resilience to violent extremism (β = 1.470, p = 0.031) and accounted for an 11.8% variation in resilience to violent extremism. However, age (β = -.103, p >.05), gender (β = -.830, p > .05), religious affiliation (β = 1.263, > .05), and level of education (β = -.301, p >.05) were not significant predictors of resilience to violent extremism. The study concluded that the level of socioeconomic status of parents is pertinent to youth attitude towards engaging in violent extremism. The study recommended, from a policy perspective, the primary focus by the government on income or economic growth as one of the strategies to counter violent youth extremism.