Structural Violence and Neurobiological Adaptation: Modeling the Trajectory of Youth Outside of Care (1.0.0)
This study presents a System Dynamics (SD) model that explores the “trajectories of homelessness” among youth outside of the formal care system. Unlike traditional approaches that view runaway behavior as a discrete choice, this model reinterprets it as a neurobiological adaptation to chronic resource deprivation and systemic neglect. The model incorporates key mechanisms such as ‘Allostatic Load’ accumulation, ‘PFC-Amygdala Switching’, and the ‘Iatrogenic Effects’ of shelter policies. It utilizes Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate how structural factors create a “probabilistic vulnerability,” trapping youth in cycles of survival crime and isolation regardless of individual resilience. The uploaded code includes a Python implementation of the model to ensure reproducibility of the stochastic analysis presented in the paper.
Release Notes
This is the initial release of the “Structural Violence and Neurobiological Adaptation” model, submitted for peer review to the Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation (JASSS). Key Features: Implementation of Allostatic Load accumulation dynamics. Neurobiological switching mechanism (PFC to Amygdala) using logistic functions. Monte Carlo simulation logic for probabilistic vulnerability analysis. Includes Python source code and ODD protocol description.
Associated Publications
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.comses.net/codebases/6e19c517-d944-4f02-8af9-269016173c20/releases/1.0.0