"Breaking the bars of my prison of fear" a trauma- and resilience-informed photovoice model as a community intervention following a human-made collective disaster.
- 1Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel.
Abstract
Introduction
Human-made collective disasters disrupt not only physical safety but also the systems of meaning, relationships, and shared narratives that sustain community life. This article presents a Trauma- and Resilience-Informed Photovoice Model (TRIPVM) as an arts-based community intervention and illustrates its implementation in the Israeli city of Ofakim following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack.Methods
Developed within a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) framework, the model integrates principles of disaster management, trauma- and resilience-informed practice, and the visual arts to support community recovery. The intervention involved 11 community groups facilitated by 22 trained facilitators and combined photography, narrative writing, structured group dialogue, and a public exhibition.Results
The article describes the model's theoretical foundations, implementation protocol, and practical application through representative examples from the intervention. The model is organized around four complementary principles: (1) constructing resilience narratives; (2) strengthening community recognition and ownership of collective narratives; (3) identifying and mobilizing individual and community coping resources; and (4) fostering agency, choice, and the reframing of traumatic experiences through artistic expression.Discussion
The proposed model extends Photovoice beyond its traditional role in participatory research by offering a practical, arts-based framework for community recovery following war, terrorism, and other human-made collective disasters.
Related
- “Unfinished intentions”: a photovoice study of community resilience and risk in historically disinvested urban neighborhoods
- Community-based sport-leisure participation and perceived community psychological resilience: a three-wave RI-CLPM study of community identification and collective efficacy
- Burnout and Resilience Following a PERMA‐Informed Happiness Intervention: A Single‐Group Repeated‐Measures Study of EFL Teachers
- Investigating the Effect of Photovoice on the Resilience and Perceived Social Stigma of Patients With Type 1 Diabetes: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Visualizing water struggles: Using Photovoice for research and community empowerment in northwest Vietnam
BibTeX
@article{malka2026breaking,
title = {{"Breaking the bars of my prison of fear" a trauma- and resilience-informed photovoice model as a community intervention following a human-made collective disaster.}},
author = {Menny Malka},
journal = {Frontiers in psychology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1948831},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903076},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - "Breaking the bars of my prison of fear" a trauma- and resilience-informed photovoice model as a community intervention following a human-made collective disaster.
AU - Menny Malka
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - Frontiers in psychology
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1948831
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903076
AB - Introduction Human-made collective disasters disrupt not only physical safety but also the systems of meaning, relationships, and shared narratives that sustain community life. This article presents a Trauma- and Resilience-Informed Photovoice Model (TRIPVM) as an arts-based community intervention and illustrates its implementation in the Israeli city of Ofakim following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack.Methods Developed within a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) framework, the model integrates principles of disaster management, trauma- and resilience-informed practice, and the visual arts to support community recovery. The intervention involved 11 community groups facilitated by 22 trained facilitators and combined photography, narrative writing, structured group dialogue, and a public exhibition.Results The article describes the model's theoretical foundations, implementation protocol, and practical application through representative examples from the intervention. The model is organized around four complementary principles: (1) constructing resilience narratives; (2) strengthening community recognition and ownership of collective narratives; (3) identifying and mobilizing individual and community coping resources; and (4) fostering agency, choice, and the reframing of traumatic experiences through artistic expression.Discussion The proposed model extends Photovoice beyond its traditional role in participatory research by offering a practical, arts-based framework for community recovery following war, terrorism, and other human-made collective disasters.
SN - 1664-1078
ER -