Auto- and heteroaggressive behavior of minors with extremist and terrorist orientation of illegal acts, the influence of destructive content

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OBJECTIVE

To analyze the characteristics of auto- and heteroaggressive behavior in minors who planned and/or committed attacks on educational institutions and terrorist acts with public justification and propaganda of terrorism in the Internet space.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We examined 29 males, aged 13—18 years, with socially dangerous behavior, who planned and/or committed attacks on educational institutions (n=20), as well as terrorist acts, with public justification and terrorism propaganda in the Internet space, with the weapons use, murder or attempted murder of two or more persons (n=9), who in connection with their criminal prosecution, were subjected to a comprehensive forensic psychological and psychiatric examination at the Federal State Budgetary Institution «V. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology» of the Russian Ministry of Health.

RESULTS

In the structure of mental disorders identified by minors, schizophrenia spectrum disorders (38%), emerging personality disorders (34.5%) and organic disorders (6.9%) were more common than others. In the study group, 64% of minors demonstrated some form of suicidal behavior. All teenagers have been addicted to watching destructive content for quite a long time. Significant correlations (p<0.05) between the presence of suicidal statements by adolescents and the destructive sites fascination that justify or promote the commission of illegal actions have been revealed.

CONCLUSION

The desocializing effect of destructive content on minors, provoking mentally and psychologically immature teenagers to implement aggressive behavioral patterns, is shown. The study of the specifics of auto- and hetero-aggressive behavior in minors with various mental health disorders and the factors influencing its formation is the initial link in determining the targets for preventing the commission of socially dangerous acts.

Keywords:

minors

mental disorders

destructive content

extremism

terrorism

attacks on educational organizations

Authors:

Badmaeva V.D.

Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology

ORCID: 0000-0002-2345-3091

Karaush I.S.

Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology

ORCID: 0000-0003-1920-6175

Chibisova I.A.

Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology

ORCID: 0000-0001-8822-5607

Fedonkina A.A.

Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology

ORCID: 0000-0002-0313-5272

Received:

20.05.2024

Accepted:

04.06.2024

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