Growing Up in Polarized Societies: Youth Development, Mental Health, and Vulnerability to Radical Beliefs

Across the globe, many young people are coming of age in increasingly polarized societies characterized by social fragmentation, ideological extremism, and widespread digital influence. During adolescence and emerging adulthood, which are critical phases for identity formation, belonging, and moral development, these sociocultural dynamics can profoundly shape developmental trajectories. Polarized discourse in digital media ecosystems and exposure to algorithmically curated ideological content often reinforce social divides and intensify feelings of alienation or hostility toward outgroups. At the same time, rising rates of psychological distress among youth coincide with heightened engagement in extremist narratives, conspiracy movements, and identity-based online communities. While research has established associations between mental health difficulties, identity uncertainty, and susceptibility to radicalization, the mechanisms linking these processes remain insufficiently understood. Existing studies have largely emphasized psychopathology and risk factors for violent extremism, but less attention has been paid to broader developmental, social, and contextual influences that simultaneously foster vulnerability and resilience.This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of how developmental processes interact with sociocultural and digital contexts to shape youth well-being, identity, and ideological engagement. Anchored in Human Developmental Psychology, it emphasizes the interplay between individual change and contextual forces across adolescence and early adulthood. Rather than focusing narrowly on violent extremism, this topic encourages broader conceptualizations of radicalization and ideological involvement that include exposure to online extremist or conspiratorial communities, identity-based belief systems, and polarized digital subcultures. Integrating perspectives from Cultural Psychology and related fields, it seeks to clarify how the developmental tasks of identity formation, belonging, and meaning-making unfold within fragmented social environments and how these processes relate to both vulnerability and positive adaptation.To deepen insight into developmental and sociocultural mechanisms in polarized societies, we invite contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Developmental pathways linking identity formation, belonging, and ideological engagement across adolescence and emerging adulthood• Cognitive, emotional, and social mechanisms mediating vulnerability and resilience to radical or extremist beliefs• The role of family, peers, schools, and community systems in shaping adaptation, meaning, and connectedness• Cultural, societal, and media contexts influencing developmental outcomes and exposure to polarized or extremist narratives• Interrelations between mental health, social identity, and ideological involvement• Protective and promotive processes, including emotion regulation, coping strategies, and prosocial engagement• Implications for prevention, education, and developmental interventions that strengthen resilience and positive youth developmentArticle types: We welcome article types such as empirical, longitudinal, theoretical, and methodological contributions drawing on developmental, cultural, social, and clinical perspectives. Topic editors: Ana Kurtovic, Diego Gomez-Baya, Barbara Kalebic Maglica Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82648/growing-up-in-polarized-societies-youth-development-mental-health-and-vulnerability-to-radical-beliefs