Conceptualizing victimization within the developmental victimology paradigm: A scoping review

This scoping review examines how victimization has been conceptualized and studied within a developmental perspective, and assesses how closely empirical work reflects the core assumptions of developmental victimology. A total of 70 studies published between 1987 and 2025 were reviewed. The analysis focused on how victimization is measured, particularly in relation to cumulative exposure and analytical strategies, as well as on the extent to which developmental timing, ecological contexts, and outcomes are incorporated into empirical designs. The findings point to a consistent gap between theoretical propositions and empirical practices. Although cumulative exposure is widely used, it is operationalized in different and sometimes incompatible ways, most often through additive measures that overlook the configuration of experiences. Developmental timing and context are frequently acknowledged but rarely examined directly, largely because of the dominance of cross-sectional designs. In parallel, outcomes tend to be treated as static measures rather than as processes unfolding over time. Taken together, the results suggest that developmental victimology currently operates more as a general framework guiding research questions than as an integrated approach capable of capturing the dynamic nature of victimization across the life course.