A proposed validation framework for the system theoretic process analysis (STPA) technique

•A theoretical validation framework for the STPA technique based on the literature in closely related fields, namely risk science, social science, and operations research, system dynamics, and simulation modeling disciplines is proposed.•With this framework, it is aimed to propose a starting point in developing a formal validation framework for STPA.•The proposed framework consists of well-grounded set of tests that are elaborated as guide questions, with a focus on different steps, to assess their validity subjectively and formatively.•The framework limitations and several future research directions are elaborated in the discussion section.