First and Second Generational Stories of Distress and Hope amongst Indian Parents and Adult Children

There has been a distinct under representation of individuals of Indian heritage within mental health services. There has been an over focus on research looking at stigma within this community and at times factors which impact this community have been overlooked, such as migration, the historical context and importance of inter-generational communication. The current study aimed to understand the stories of distress and coping across two generations of Indian individuals, and explore the changes needed to services. Four first-generation participants storied their experiences with a lack of ‘choice’ and ‘knowledge’, in their understanding of distress and coping. Five second-generation individuals constructed narratives of ‘gender’ and ‘emotional expression’. Across generations participants shared their hopes for service change. Individuals also brought items and photos which storied their coping, which converged on the importance of connecting to values and meaningful activities. The implications for future research and service development are discussed.