Dangerous escapism in the context of the psychosocial immaturity and readiness for extremism

The empirical research deals with the problem of psychosocial immaturity and self-determination crisis as a source of readiness for extremist behavior. In the face of uncertainty, the increased self-determination crisis is associated with the escapist protest of the personality. The sample included 6th-9th grades students aged 13-16 (N = 67) from Gymnasium No. 25 of the city of Krasnodar. The study employed the following questionnaires: the Personality Protest Activity Scale by A.Sh. Guseinov, the Psychosocial Maturity Scale by B.K. Pashnev, the Existential Motivations Test by V.B. Shumsky. The relationship between psychosocial immaturity and self-determination crisis was strong (r = 0.51). The statistically significant mediation role of escapism in the structural model of self-determination crisis was established (Aroian-Sobel test = 2.10, p ≤ 0.05; boot a * b = 0.25, LLCI = 0.10 - ULCI = 0.46). The unformed Self-concept based on the awareness of the impossibility of being in the world, the lack of self-value and life guides lead to the destructive protest of the personality. Escapism is a destructive form of protest and determines the readiness for extremist and self-injurious behavior.