What Does It Take to Make an Incel: The Role of Paranoid Thinking, Depression, Anxiety, and Attachment Patterns

Background. The term “incel” (involuntary celibate) refers to the members of an online subculture, mainly composed of hetero-sexual men. These individuals find it difficult or impossible to have a romantic and/or sexual partner, and they express extremeanger and resentment toward women, as they hold them accountable for their “inceldom.” In recent years, online and offline acts ofviolence have been perpetrated by incels, raising concern at social and political levels. This study aims to understand the personal,psychological, and psychopathological variables that may contribute to developing incel traits. Materials and Methods. A total of800 Italian heterosexual cisgender men were recruited by a link to the survey forwarded on social networks. Participants havecompleted a sociodemographic questionnaire and a set of psychometric tests to assess incels’ personality traits, attachmentpatterns, paranoia, anxiety, and depression. Results. Positive correlations among incel personality traits and psychopathologicalsymptoms and insecure attachment were found. Hierarchical regression analysis showed the significant role of paranoid thinking,insecure attachment, depression, and anxiety symptoms in the presence of incels’ personality traits. Conclusion. Therefore, theassessment of these psychopathological aspects could help clinicians, parents, and teachers to early identify young males that can becaught in the inceldom and to develop specific intervention programs to prevent violence.