A Systematic Review of Systems Science Approaches to Understand and Address Domestic and Gender-Based Violence

• Published in: Journal of family violence 2023-08, Vol.38 (6), p.1225-1241
• Main Authors: Tracy, Melissa, Chong, Li Shen, Strully, Kate, Gordis, Elana, Cerdá, Magdalena, Marshall, Brandon D. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Best practice; Clinical Psychology; Clustering; Community involvement; Criminology and Criminal Justice; Dissemination; Domestic violence; Family violence; Gender-based violence; Law and Psychology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Peers; Psychotherapy and Counseling; Quality of Life Research; Review; Review Article; Risk factors; Science; Social aspects; Social dynamics; Social network analysis; Social networks; Social response; Social systems; Stakeholders; Statistics; Systematic review; Systems science; Transparency; Victimization
• ISSN: 0885-7482; 1573-2851
• DOI: 10.1007/s10896-023-00578-8

Purpose We aimed to synthesize insights from systems science approaches applied to domestic and gender-based violence. Methods We conducted a systematic review of systems science studies (systems thinking, group model-building, agent-based modeling [ABM], system dynamics [SD] modeling, social network analysis [SNA], and network analysis [NA]) applied to domestic or gender-based violence, including victimization, perpetration, prevention, and community responses. We used blinded review to identify papers meeting our inclusion criteria (i.e., peer-reviewed journal article or published book chapter that described a systems science approach to domestic or gender-based violence, broadly defined) and assessed the quality and transparency of each study. Results Our search yielded 1,841 studies, and 74 studies met our inclusion criteria (45 SNA, 12 NA, 8 ABM, and 3 SD). Although research aims varied across study types, the included studies highlighted social network influences on risks for domestic violence, clustering of risk factors and violence experiences, and potential targets for intervention. We assessed the quality of the included studies as moderate, though only a minority adhered to best practices in model development and dissemination, including stakeholder engagement and sharing of model code. Conclusions Systems science approaches for the study of domestic and gender-based violence have shed light on the complex processes that characterize domestic violence and its broader context. Future research in this area should include greater dialogue between different types of systems science approaches, consideration of peer and family influences in the same models, and expanded use of best practices, including continued engagement of community stakeholders.