Community support and influence on the resilience of families passing through trauma

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to understand whether community support was considered significant for families who experienced trauma. The inquiry also sought to find out whether these families acquired resilience as a result of the support received. The sample included eight adult participants living in Malta, who faced adversity. These recounted their experiences through semi-structured interviews. Results showed that the participants received community support, which positively influenced their familial resilience. In general, they valued community support, which varied according to the trauma they passed through. The community support acted as a coping mechanism for the whole family. The data included details on the self-transformative journey they experienced because of the trauma. Themes that elicited commonalities and differences among the informants were generated through Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Clarke & Braun, 2013; Braun & Clarke, 2014; Braun & Clarke, 2019; Braun & Clarke, 2021a; Braun & Clarke 2021b). The theoretical framework draws on Garmezy’s theory of resilience (1991a, 1991b, 1993). It was employed to analyse the interplay between the personal, familial, and communitarian aspects of support, and to interpret the informants’ diverse experiences. The discussion was developed through a multi-perspective approach that distinguished between what was considered supportive by the participants and what was not. The study provides implications for strengths-based and trauma-informed recommendations for community interventions, aimed at supporting families who are passing through trauma. It calls for the implementation of strategies that foster community action and development.