PROTOCOL: Mental disorder, psychological problems and terrorist behaviour: A systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Criminology
• Psychology

Background:

• Understanding the mental health profiles of individuals involved in terrorism is crucial for developing targeted interventions and prevention strategies.
• Existing research on mental health difficulties within terrorist populations is fragmented, necessitating a systematic synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize the reported prevalence rates of mental health difficulties in terrorist samples.
• To examine the temporal relationship between mental health difficulties and involvement in terrorism.
• To assess the association between the presence of mental disorders and terrorist involvement by comparing with non-terrorist samples.

Main Methods:

• A Campbell systematic review protocol outlining the methodology for data extraction and synthesis.
• Analysis sensitive to the heterogeneity of terrorism, considering different forms and roles within terrorist groups.
• Comparative analysis of mental health in terrorist versus non-terrorist samples to establish risk associations.

Main Results:

• The review will synthesize prevalence data on mental health difficulties across diverse terrorist profiles.
• It will investigate the extent to which mental health issues pre-date terrorist involvement.
• The study will determine if mental disorders are associated with increased risk of terrorist involvement.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review will provide a comprehensive overview of mental health challenges in terrorist populations.
• Findings will inform evidence-based approaches to understanding and addressing the psychological aspects of terrorism.
• The study aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between mental health and extremism.