New findings from the Espad Italia study, conducted by the Institute of Clinical Physiology, reveal a significant rise in violent behavior among Italian youth, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study, surveying approximately 20,000 students across nearly 250 schools, indicates that 40.6% of adolescents aged 15 to 19 reported having participated in physical fights at least once in their lives, which equates to around one million young people involved in such incidents.

In addition, roughly 13% of respondents—more than 300,000 adolescents—acknowledged having taken part in group violence, predominantly against strangers but also against acquaintances or friends.

The increase in violent incidents extends to serious acts; the percentage of students hitting a teacher has grown from 1.2% in 2018 to 3.4% in 2024, with a noted peak of 5.4% among males in 2023. The use of weapons to resolve conflicts or obtain something has also seen a rise, increasing from 1.4% to 3.4%, with male participation climbing from 2.1% to 4.6%.

Geographically, the study highlights a concerning landscape of violence against teachers in Italy, with the highest rates observed in Puglia (5.7%), Calabria (5.3%), and Lombardia (4.3%).

These statistics point to a troubling trend in youth behavior, wherein increased accessibility to weapons and a greater willingness to resort to violence indicate a disturbing normalization of aggression among adolescents.

Sabrina Molinaro, the researcher overseeing the study, emphasized the unsettling ease with which some young individuals resort to violence, stating that the increment in extreme behaviors signifies a normalization of aggression as a means of expression or affiliation.

The data suggests that for some adolescents, violent behavior may serve as a misguided method of seeking belonging within peer groups.

The study also observed gender differences, noting that although males are primarily responsible for violent acts, there is a marked increase in occurrences involving young females, who often manifest such behaviors through emotional and verbal aggression.

Digital devices are now central to these interactions, with 10.9% of students reporting having witnessed a mobile phone recording of a violent incident, and 3.4% admitted to filming such events themselves.

This raises concerns about the impact of technology on empathy and responsibility, as the act of recording and sharing violent encounters is becoming normalized.

Molinaro further cautioned against underestimating the severity of violence, especially in contexts mediated by screens, which can lead to emotional detachment.

The ability to disseminate violent content online has the potential to erode empathy and an understanding of appropriate boundaries among young people, with implications for their social and emotional development.