Exposure to domestic violence (DV), whether through direct victimization or witnessing violence in the home, among youth aged 15–24 is well documented. However, very little of this research has focused on refugee and immigrant youth in host countries, nor the resilience-enabling factors which protect youth from negative outcomes. To date, no comprehensive review has synthesized this body of work. This scoping review examines literature on DV exposure among refugee and immigrant youth. It aims to: (1) describe study contexts and methods; (2) identify associated risk factors and outcomes; and (3) highlight protective factors that support resilience. Following PRISMA-ScR and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, a systematic search of 13 databases was conducted for articles published between 1994 and 2024. Search terms included immigrant youth , DV and relevant synonyms. In total, 170 studies were each screened independently by two reviewers. Six articles met the inclusion criteria: participants aged 15–24, studies conducted in host countries, and focused on DV exposure, risk/resilience factors, and outcomes. Five studies were conducted in the U.S., and one in Uganda. Five used primary data, one used secondary data. All employed quantitative designs: four longitudinal and two cross-sectional. Deductive content analysis revealed key themes, including terminology variations, types of DV exposure, socio-ecological risk and resilience factors, and diverse outcomes (e.g., mental health, education, and intergenerational violence). Findings highlight the need for more contextually diverse research, particularly in low- and middle-income host countries, expanded use of qualitative and mixed-methods approaches and consistent terminology.
Maksudi et al. (Fri,) studied this question.