Psychology and Law
2026. Vol. 16, no. 3, 19–42
https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2026160302
ISSN: 2222-5196 (online)
Diagnostics of dispositions of violent extremism — short version
Abstract
Context and relevance. Violent extremism remains a significant problem in the modern world (Radicalization and Deradicalization, 2025). This article presents the results of the validation of an abbreviated version of the methodology for diagnosing violent extremism dispositions in adolescents and young adults. Objective. To analyze and test the factor structure of the methodology for diagnosing violent extremism dispositions in a sample of young adults. Hypothesis. There is an acceptable factor structure for the methodology of diagnosing dispositions of violent extremism. Methods and materials. The adaptation of the methodology involved 715 students from Russian universities. The Bass-Perry Aggression Questionnaire was adapted by S.N. Enikolopov and N.P. Tsibulsky, and the S.N. Enikolopov and N.P. Tsibulsky Legitimized Aggression Questionnaire was used to assess socially acceptable aggression. Results. When checking the external validity, statistically significant associations between the dispositions of violent extremism and the scales of legitimized aggression were found. When checking the factor structure of the methodology on both samples using confirmatory factor analysis, it was revealed that the six-factor structure is acceptable. Conclusions. The paper presents a new model of a shortened methodology consisting of six scales: "dehumanization," "mysticalism," "acceptance of violence," "readiness for violence," "reductive maximalism," and "openness and peacefulness" as a counterfactor. The resulting model proved to be reliable and valid (internal and external validity).
General Information
Keywords: extremism, aggression, violence, dispositions of violent extremism, scales of legitimized aggression, adolescence, students, validation of methodology
Journal rubric: Methodological Problems of Legal Psychology
Article type: scientific article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2026160302
Funding. The research was carried out as part of the scientific research work of the RANEPA state assignment.
Acknowledgements. The authors are grateful for assistance in data collection N.A. Slutch, T.Yu. Yudina, L.A. Ozhigova.
Received 17.01.2026
Revised 30.01.2026
Accepted
Published
For citation: Khlomov, K.D., Varenov, M.A., Davydov, D.G. (2026). Diagnostics of dispositions of violent extremism — short version. Psychology and Law, 16(3), 19–42. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2026160302
© Khlomov K.D., Varenov M.A., Davydov D.G., 2026
License: CC BY-NC 4.0
References
- Andrianova, R.A., Bochaver, A.A., Guryanova, M.P., Lobyntseva, S.V., Metlik, I.V., Raschetina, S.A., Selivanova, E.I., Fomenko, E.S., Khlomov, K.D., Chernov, V.A., Shemshurin, A.A. (2022). Comprehensive prevention of aggressive behavior in an educational environment: A monograph (A.A. Bochaver, K.D. Khlomov, R.A. Andrianova, A.A. Shemshurin, eds.). Moscow: Research Institute for Childhood, Family and Education of the Russian Academy of Education Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/jjbmsy (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Barkanova, O.V. (Ed.). (2009). Methods for diagnosing the emotional sphere: a psychological workshop: A training manual. Krasnoyarsk: Litera-Print Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/vhjnqd (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Bovin, B.G., Kazberov, P.N., Dikopoltsev, D.E. (2024). Recognizing Individuals Prone to Spreading Extremist Ideology in Prison. Psychology and Law, 14(2), 17— (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2024140202
- Boykina, E.E., Gurina, O.D., Kupriyanova, E.A., Radchikov, A.S., Shpagina, E.M., Chirkina, R.V. (2024). Psychological Predictors of Deviant Behavior of Minors. Part 1. Portrait of a Special Educational Institution’s Student. Psychology and Law, 14(4), 1—14. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2024140401
- Georgadze, M.S. (2024). The experience of developing a psychodiagnostic methodology for identifying individuals who adhere to the ideology of destructive religious movements and organizations in order to prevent extremist and terrorist crimes. In: V.V. Merkuriev (Ed.), Methodology and methods of conducting criminological research and expertise (Dolgov Readings): Proceedings of the IV All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with International participation (Moscow, March 21-22, 2024) (pp. 222—230). Moscow. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/fderpo (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Gurina, O.D., Remeeva, A.F. (2024). Psychological Mechanisms of Youth Involvement in Extremist and Terrorist Organizations (Using the Example of Social Networks). Psychology and Law, 14(3), 1—12. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2024000001
- Davydov, D.G. (2017). The personal dispositions of violent extremism. Psychology and Law, 7(1), 106—121. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2017070109
- Davydov, D.G., Khlomov, K.D. (2017). Diagnostics of Dispositions of Violent Extremism. Psychological Diagnostics, 14(1), 78—98. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/zwraqt (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Dvoryanchikov, N.V., Bovin, B.G., Bovina, I.B. (2022). Radicalisation among Young People: In Search of Risk Assessment Model. Psychology and Law, 12(2), 207—223. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2022120215
- Dvoryanchikov, N.V., Bovin, B.G., Bovina, I.B. (Eds.), (2025). Radicalization and deradicalization: a socio-psychological perspective: A training manual. Moscow: MSUPE Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://psyjournals.ru/nonserialpublications/rd2025 (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Dvoryanchikov, N.V., Bovin, B.G., Melnikova, D.V., Belova, E.D., Bovina, I.B. (2023). Assessing the Risk of Radicalisation in Adolescents and Young Adults: Some Empirical Evidence. Psychology and Law, 13(3), 93—107. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2023130307
- Dvoryanchikov, N.V., Enikolopov, S.N., Sokolskaya, M.D., Fursova, I.A. (2010). Value Orientations of the Right-Wing Extremists. Psychological Science and Education, 15(5), 92—103. (In Russ.). URL: https://psyjournals.ru/en/journals/pse/archive/2010_n5/33773 (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Diveeva, K.A. (2020). Extremist Attitudes among the Krasnoyarsk Students. Sociological Studies, 10, 139—145. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.31857/S013216250010653-1
- Enikolopov, S.N., Tsybulsky, N.P. (2007). Psychometric analysis of Russian-language version of Questionnaire for aggression diagnostics by A. Buss And M. Perry. Psychological Journal, 28(1), 115—124. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/hykjqx (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Zlokazov, K.V. (2016). Social and psychological premises of destructive behavior of teenagers at school. Pedagogical Education in Russia, 5, 71—81. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.26170/po16-05-12
- Zlokazov, K.V. (2022). Impact of criminal subculture on social interaction of juvenile offenders. Penitentiary Science, 16(1), 97—106. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.46741/2686-9764.2022.57.1.010
- Zlokazov, K.V. (2023). Measuring the risk of religious radicalization of young people: construct and questionnaire. Russian Journal of Deviant Behavior, 3(2), 155—172. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.35750/2713-0622-2023-2-155-172
- Zlokazov, K.V., Voroshilova M.B. (2022). Social support, acceptance and respect by others: psychological roots of youth involvement in extremist group. In: Fundamental linguistics and problems of forensic examination: social networks as an object of scientific and expert analysis: A collection of scientific papers based on the results of an International scientific conference “Fundamental linguistics and problems of forensic examination: social networks as an object of scientific and expert analysis” (Moscow, 05—06 October 2021) (p. 75—83). Moscow: Pushkin State Institute of the Russian Language Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/zcqvzm (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Zlokazov, K.V., Karapetyan, A.A., Savva, K.M., Tagiltseva, Y.R. (2022). Methodological recommendations for educational organizations of secondary and higher education on the prevention of extremist (protest and radical) behaviors of youth. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/vywyqs (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Zlokazov, K.V., Latu, M.N., Tagiltseva, Yu.R. (2021). Influence of Identity on Extremist Attitudes Formation: An Empirical Study (Psychological and Linguistic Approach). Siberian Psychological Journal, 79, 153—167. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17223/17267080/79/9
- Zlokazov, K.V., Muslumov, R.R. (2014). Psychological peculiarities of involevement of the minor into extremist groups. Pedagogical Education in Russia, 5, 81—87. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/siicoj (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Kagan, E.S., Leukhova, M.G., Kindyakov, A.A. (2022). A statistical approach to determining conditional standards of the integrated indicator of inclination of student youth to extremism under conditions of lack of training sampling. Information technologies in modeling and management: approaches, methods, solutions: V All-Russian Scientific Conference with International participation, Tolyatti, April 20-22, 2022: collection of materials (p. 435—444). Tolyatti: Tolyatti State University Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/bzwykq (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Kazberov, P.N., Bovin, B.G. (2019). General characteristics of persons convicted of extremist and terrorist crimes. Psychology and Law, 9(1), 36—53. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2019090103
- Kirsanov, A.I., Davydov, D.G., Zavalskiy, A.V., Skribtsova, N.A. (2014). Extremism among young people and its prevention in educational organization. Psychological Science and Education psyedu.ru, 6(1), 85–99. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psyedu.2014060111
- Larina, T.I., Litsoeva, E.D., Tumakova, A.S., Bocharnikova, O.I. (2023). Portrait of a youth representative with an extreme consciousness. Original Research, 13(1), 283—293. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/bzwykq (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Madzhuga, A.G., Saidov, A.A. (2025). The system of socio-psychological determinants influencing the emergence of propensity to violent extremism among students. Siberian Psychological Journal, 95, 96—120. https://doi.org/10.17223/17267080/95/6
- Marchenko, S.A., Kolesnikova, A.S. (2024). Application of a fuzzy approach for translating linguistic meanings into a metric scale. Fundamental and applied research in computer science and digitalization: Proceedings of the symposium of the XIX (LI) International Scientific Conference of Students, Postgraduates and Young Scientists “Education, Science, and Innovation: The Contribution of Young Researchers”, Kemerovo, April 25, 2024 (p. 28—30). Kemerovo: Kemerovo State University Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/japwdr (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Pavlova, A. B. Barysheva E. V. (2025). On the question of studying extremist tendencie among youth. Vestnik of State University of Humanities and Technology, 1, 91—98. URL: https://elibrary.ru/wigukl (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Saidov, A.A. (2023). Socio-psychological factors of youth proneness to violent extremism. Higher Education Today, 2, 90—99. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.18137/RNU.HET.23.02.P.090
- Sityaeva, S.M., Yaremchuk, S.V. (2019). Subjective and objective predictors of extremist attitudes of youth. Komsomolsk-on-Amur: Amur Humanitarian and Pedagogical State University Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/bxdpuy (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Speranskaya, A.V., Kodaneva, M.S., Kolpakova, L.A., Bukalerova, L.A., Zhitkov, A.A. (2022). Diagnostic and correctional program for the prevention of the spread of the ideology of extremism and terrorism among cadets of educational institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. In: A.V. Speranskaya, M.S. Kodaneva, L.A. Kolpakova, L.A. Bukalerova, A.A. Zhitkov. Countering the ideology of extremism and terrorism among cadets of educational institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia: A practical guide (p. 21—30). Vologda: Vologda Institute of Law and Economics of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/jjbmsy (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Tupikova, V. A. Gudkova Ya. A., Ovchinnikov-Lysenko E. G. (2023). Students’ empathy in the context of extremist risks. RUDN Journal of Sociology, 23(3), 579—589. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-2272-2023-23-3-579-589
- Khlomov, K.D., Bochaver, A.A., Fomenko, M.S., Selivanova, E.I., Shemshurin, A.A. (2022). Aggression and Autonomy in Adolescence. Psychological Science and Education, 27(3), 117—128. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2022270309
- Khlomov, K.D., Varenov, M.A. (2023). On the issue of validating the methodology of violent extremism dispositions in a sample of adolescents and young adults. In: A.A. Bochaver (Ed.), Teenagers in a Megalopolis: Searching for Questions and Answers: Proceedings of the XVI International Scientific and Practical Conference, April 4-5, 2023, Moscow (p. 125—127). Moscow: HSE University Publ. (In Russ.). URL: https://elibrary.ru/urcosi (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Khlomov, K.D., Varenov, M.A., Bochkova, T.E. (2024). Validation of the Violent Extremism Disposition Questionnaire in a Youth Sample. In: A.A. Bochaver (Ed.), Teenagers in a Megalopolis: Proceedings of the XVII International Scientific and Practical Conference, April 9-10, 2024, Moscow (p. 168—170). Moscow: HSE University Publ. (In Russ.). https://elibrary.ru/gicqpg (viewed: 12.01.2026).
- Khukhlaev, O.E., Аlexandrova, E.A., Gritsenko, V.V., Konstantinov, V.V., Kuznetsov, I.M., Pavlova, O.S., Ryzhova, S.V., Shorokhova, V.A. (2019). Religious Group Identification and Ethno-National Attitudes in Buddhist, Muslim and Orthodox Youth. Cultural-Historical Psychology, 15(3), 71—82. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2019150308
- Elzesser, A.S., Kapustina, T.V., Zhdanova, D.E., Kadirov, R.V. (2022). Methods for diagnosing tendencies towards to extremism in foreign studies. Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology, 11(1), 68—79. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/jmfp.2022110107
- Buana, D.R., Juwita, M.N. (2021). Government Policy in Overcoming Religious Extremism in Indonesia: A Multidisciplinary Review between Public Administration and Psychology. RUDN Journal of Public Administration, 8(4), 423—433. https://doi.org/10.22363/2312-8313-2021-8-4-423-433
- Doosje, B., Moghaddam, F.M., Kruglanski, A.W., De Wolf, A., Mann, L., Feddes, A.R. (2016). Terrorism,radicalization and de-radicalization. Current Opinion in Psychology, 11, 79—84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.06.008
- Elmas, M.S. (2021) Perceived risk of terrorism, indirect victimization, and individual-level determinants of fear of terrorism. Security Journal,34(3), 498— https://doi.org/10.1057/s41284-020-00242-6
- Goode, E., Ben-Yehuda, N. (2010). Moral panics: The social construction of deviance. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
- Horgan, J. (2008). From profiles to pathways and roots to routes: Perspectives from psychology on radicalization into terrorism. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science,618(1), 80—94. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716208317539
- Humaidi, N.S. (2012). Causal connection between terrorism and mental illness. European Psychiatry, 27(S1), Article P-660. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-9338(12)74827-7
- Kruglanski, A.W., Gelfand, M.J., Bélanger, J.J., Sheveland, A., Hetiarachchi, M., Gunaratna, R. (2014). The Psychology of Radicalization and Deradicalization: How Significance Quest Impacts Violent Extremism. Political Psychology, 35(S1), 69—93. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12163
- McCauley, C., Moskalenko, S. (2017). Understanding political radicalization: The two-pyramids model. American Psychologist, 72(3), 205—216. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000062
- Stankov, L., Saucier, G., Knežević, G. (2010). Militant extremist mind-set: Proviolence, Vile World, and Divine Power. Psychological Assessment, 22(1), 70—86. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016925
Information About the Authors
Contribution of the authors
Kirill D. Khlomov — research ideas; annotation, writing and design of the manuscript; research planning; control over the research.
Mikhail A. Varenov — application of statistical, mathematical or other methods for data analysis; annotation, writing and formatting of a manuscript; data collection and analysis; visualization of research results.
Denis G. Davydov — annotation, writing and design of the manuscript.
All authors participated in the discussion of the results and approved the final text of the manuscript.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Ethics statement
The study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (report no. 9, 2025/03/15).
Metrics
Web Views
Whole time: 4
Previous month: 0
Current month: 4
PDF Downloads
Whole time: 1
Previous month: 0
Current month: 1
Total
Whole time: 5
Previous month: 0
Current month: 5