A Call for a Basic Science of Healing

Objective: In this perspective article, we call for an investment in a basic science of healing. Extensive evidence shows that most people overcome exposure to violence or other trauma, but we know surprisingly little about the assets and resources that facilitate resilience. Method: We examined all 629 articles published in Psychology of Violence since its inception to November 2023. Results: We found that only 106 articles (16.9% of all published articles) provided new data on the associations of psychosocial strengths or protective factors with violence or victimization (often along with new data on risk factors too). Further, most of those focused on identifying precursors to violence. Only 6.7% of published articles included data on pathways to healing. That is only 1 out of every 15 articles (approximately). Other major drawbacks of existing work include a limited knowledge of healing processes in diverse cultural settings around the world, with most prior research based in North America or Western Europe. Conclusions: The lack of investment in a science of healing has impeded progress in intervention, with many programs only loosely tied to what we know helps people overcome exposure to violence. We need to not only invest in a science of healing but also shift our methods to more equitable and collaborative efforts with communities. More investment in understanding pathways to healing after violence holds substantial promise for reducing the burden of trauma.