Qualitative study reveals relational post-detention mental health care in khwaja sira dyads, highlighting informal guru kinship networks as vital intervention targets.
Key Points
To examine how transgender khwaja sira gurus and chelas interpret and collaboratively navigate post-detention mental health sequelae as a shared relational process.
Conducted individual, semi-structured qualitative interviews with 10 guru–chela dyads (n = 20) recruited through purposive and snowball sampling across three urban sites in Punjab, Pakistan.
Mapped dyadic transcripts in parallel rows using a multi-perspective adaptation of Framework Analysis to identify convergence and discrepancies within pairs.
Identified four primary relational themes: the dera as an immediate triage space, strategic silences and partial disclosures, caregiver burden and moral expectations of guruhood, and brokered help-seeking.
Observed that dyadic perspectives aligned strongly regarding immediate acute distress but showed marked divergence regarding chronic, long-term psychological trauma.