Family violence, trauma, and positive change research output over time: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Three decades on from positive psychology as a theoretical construct, domestic violence research volume and characteristics, inclusive of transgenerational patterns, overlooks the potential for positive change/posttrauma growth or differences cross-culturally including indigenous and European populations in former colonial western countries. This bibliometric analysis examined volume and characteristics of peer-reviewed publications from APA PsycInfo and ProQuest concerning domestic violence over 3 periods in Australia, a former colony with an indigenous population: 1990–1998, 2000–2008, and 2010–2018. Using a descriptive repeat cross-sectional evaluation with publications categorized according to database, study type (descriptive, measures, intervention), study focus, theoretical framework, perspective, sexual relationship type, cultural background, and age, it examined research output trends, specifically aspects of positive psychology. Overall, there has been a significant increase in the volume of publications reporting on intimate partner and family violence within Australia across the 3 time periods. However, there was no statistically significant increase in reporting on study focus, positive outcomes, sexual relationship types, or cultural backgrounds. Worldwide, attitudes vary considerably toward family violence influenced by culture, religion, education, sexual relationship type, and geography. In summary, though a Poisson regression did show a significant increase in number of publications over the full time span, increasing from 1 study in 1990–1998, to 5 in 2000–2008, to 23 in 2010–2018, there remains a paucity of research output in this field. Furthermore, no lens in the literature explored positive outcomes or cross-cultural aspects of domestic violence impacting indigenous populations in former colonial western countries.