No Ordinary Life: Complex Narratives of Trauma and Resilience in Under-Resourced Communities

ABSTRACT

This investigation examines the occurrence and impact of chronic adversity for young adults who grew up amidst poverty and community violence. Young adults in such contexts, particularly those who have been involved with the courts, are not commonly conceptualized through the developmental lens of complex trauma but rather described by maladaptive behaviors and risk to society. This grounded theory analysis explored how participants perceive and make meaning of their experiences. Interview data revealed consistent narratives of childhood neglect and psychological maltreatment, chronic loss, intergenerational trauma exposure, and the resulting survival-based adaptation. We identified 3 primary themes across the participant narratives: (a) lack of need fulfillment; paradoxical experience of self, others, and the world; and persistent sense of purpose and meaning. Findings illuminated the complexity of ongoing struggle, adaptation, and resilience in adult survivors. The need for an increased focus in trauma-informed treatment of adults in underresourced communities is discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• community violence
• complex trauma
• emotional abuse
• neglect
• psychological maltreatment
• resilience
• urban violence

Acknowledgment

Rachel Smith is a now a clinical psychologist and Postdoctoral Fellow at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, IL. We would like to acknowledge the hard work of our research team who contributed to the data collection, analysis, and transcription in this project, including: Beth Cunningham, Bethany Dayton, April Martin, Karisa Smith, Lauren Smith, Laura Waters.