Extremism, religion and psychiatric morbidity in a population-based sample of young men.

BACKGROUND: There is growing risk from terrorism following radicalisation of young men. It is unclear whether psychopathology is associated. AIMS: To investigate the population distribution of extremist views among UK men. METHOD: Cross-sectional study of 3679 men, 18-34 years, in Great Britain. Multivariate analyses of attitudes, psychiatric morbidity, ethnicity and religion. RESULTS: Pro-British men were more likely to be White, UK born, not religious; anti-British were Muslim, religious, of Pakistani origin, from deprived areas. Pro- and anti-British views were linearly associated with violence (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.51, 95% CI 1.38-1.64, P<0.001, adjusted OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.13-1.58, P<0.001, respectively) and negatively with depression (adjusted OR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.61-0.85, P<0.001, adjusted OR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.48-0.86, P = 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Men at risk of depression may experience protection from strong cultural or religious identity. Antisocial behaviour increases with extremism. Religion is protective but may determine targets of violence following radicalisation.