Creating a public facing dynamic literature map to advance the science in child maltreatment

Child maltreatment (CM) is a significant and global public health concern with a complex array of causes and consequences. Identifying the most impactful modifiable factors at all levels of the ecosystem is a significant challenge for policymakers, practitioners, students, and researchers trying to grasp the multidisciplinary literature that accompanies such complex and dynamic problems. This article describes the process of creating a public facing dynamic literature map using a novel application of Group Model Building (GMB), as systems science method, with academic and field experts to develop a qualitative map of hypothesized paths to and following CM and then link this to empirical findings. The goal of the “map” was to address the problem of creating a publicly accessible summary of knowledge across disciplines that helps identify constructs and paths that may have received greater or lesser research attention so that it reflects a high level, and updateable, summary of what is known and gaps for further research. This multi-year process creates an accessible tool through use of electronic interactive visual mapping software in the hopes of better informing practice, policy, and research innovation. The present article provides a summary of the process and introduction to an Alpha version of this electronic map.