Co-Creating Community Support for Pervasive Traumatic Stress: The Case of Delhi

Complex and Intergenerational trauma cause long-term, cross-generational disruptions in affect, self-concept, relationships, and other health domains. My study proposes the construct of Pervasive Traumatic Stress (PvTS) to focus on the intersections of these two trauma manifestations, foregrounding the self and relational aspects of these phenomena. Since PvTS is relatively understudied, especially in low-income countries like India, this project aims to explore the lived experiences of PvTS in marginalised Indian communities. Employing purposive, maximum variation, and snowball sampling, the study will recruit participants from the queer community, marginalized castes, working class, and religious minorities in Delhi, all of whom navigate multiple traumatic stressors. The research will unfold in two phases. The first phase will involve photo-based life story interviews, where participants will share five photographs that symbolize their experiences of trauma or resilience. These images will serve as elicitation tools during the interviews. The second phase will integrate focus groups with collective collage-making activities, fostering dialogue around community needs and support mechanisms for those experiencing PvTS. Thematic analysis, guided by a critical realist approach, will be employed to analyze data from both individual interviews and group discussions. This study seeks to amplify marginalized voices, promote healing through storytelling, and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of trauma within the Indian context.