Ethical dilemmas of a clinician/researcher interviewing women who have grown up in a family where there was domestic violence

This article attempts to illuminate some of the ethical dilemmas of a clinician/researcher interviewing women about a sensitive topic- their experience of having witnessed domestic violence in the family they grew up in, as part of a grounded theory study. Vignettes are presented to illustrate the self-reflexive process of the researcher and how she understood the effects of the interview process on her and the participants. The authors argue that doing in-depth qualitative research interviewing is an intervention in the life of the participants, especially, but not only, when the researchers are clinically-trained. However, this clinical training may also be an important resource from which to draw from, to act ethically and understand some of the complexity of the interaction between researcher and participants.peer-reviewe

Maltese youngsters with very challenging behaviour speak about school

Fourteen young persons between 10 and 18 years of age, who were in a service designed for youngsters with challenging behaviour, chose to speak about their experience at school when interviewed about significant moments in their lives. All of them had experienced a wide range of heavy losses throughout their lives and felt labelled and in some cases bullied by their school peers. Some of the youngsters who were in a special school enjoyed the positive relationship with their teachers and peers while others did not like the low level of instruction and the fact that it was not like a normal school. A number of children felt that their misbehaviour in mainstream education precipitated their placement in a specialist setting although one boy was sent to a special school simply because he was feeling unhappy. Particular teachers or heads were criticised for being too harsh or for picking on the children or not maintaining confidentiality. Therapeutic interventions are explored.peer-reviewe

The needs of Maltese families with dependent children : a focus group study among professionals

This article seeks to identify the needs of Maltese families with dependent children. The sociocultural context in which Maltese families are embedded will serve as a theoretical framework for this study. A series of six focus groups with experts in the area of family and children were moderated for the purpose of the study. These focus group sessions were audiotaped and transcribed and the results analysed using thematic analysis. This article draws on the findings of these focus groups and compares them to extant literature on Maltese families before making a number of policy recommendations. Three key themes were elicited: the need for more community work and early intervention; the need for education for life; and the need to support families achieve work-life balance. The main recommendations are: the set-up of family centres for community work and early intervention; the implementation of relationship education programmes; and more family-friendly working practices.peer-reviewe

Attitudes about remarriage in Malta

This study investigated the attitudes about remarriage of married and previously married Maltese people. Respondents were selected using stratified random sampling; 810 men and 1,196 women answered a questionnaire by means of computer-assisted telephone interviewing. The majority (67.4%) of respondents did not consider remarriage. Remarriage was more likely to be considered by respondents who were younger, previously married, nonparents, had children who were not all born within marriage, and were of higher socioeconomic status. The study highlights the differences in attitude according to gender and marital status. The fact that pro-remarriage attitudes were endorsed by 32.6% of respondents and that these were more likely to come from nontraditional family forms suggests that family life in Malta is no longer dictated by normative social imperatives. The need for the legal protection of families headed by cohabiting partners is highlighted.peer-reviewe

Child and family scholars and practitioners offer their reflections to the The Embryo Protection (Amendment) Bill, Bill no 38 (2018)

This document highlights the reflections and concerns of child and family scholars and practitioners regarding The Embryo Protection (Amendment) Bill, Bill no 38 (2018). These reflections are substantiated by current research in the area.1. Prevalence of Infertility- a research gap among Maltese families. The fertility in Malta is below average when compared to other European countries. Research on the causes of infertility here in Malta needs to be considered as high priority on our research agenda.2. Embryo freezing and their adoption. Embryo freezing and the giving up of one’s embryo to adoption are highly sensitive and complex issues that may further create distress in the couple going through the difficult journey of dealing with infertility and trying so hard to have a child. The couple’s distress may be further aggravated by the fact that even if they do agree to give up their embryos for adoption, they have no guarantee that they will in fact be adopted. Making embryos available for adoption is a complicated matter for the children themselves. These children need to come to terms with the fact that in their parents’ complex journey to have their biological children, their parents decided to increase their probability of becoming fertile by consenting to having multiple embryos and then giving up those which are unused for adoption.3. Gamete donation. Anonymous gamete donation is not acceptable, as children have a right to know the identity of their biological parents. Keeping the children’s biological parentage a secret may be detrimental to their wellbeing. The existing studies regarding the quality of parenting and family functioning show higher levels of warmth and discipline when compared to other family forms reflecting the higher motivation of donor recipient parents to have children. However they were carried out with non-disclosing parents. Several studies highlight the struggle that dual parent families face when having to disclose the nature of their children’s conception. Less positive relationships were found between mothers and adolescents in egg donation families than in donor insemination families. More research is needed to explore the mother – adolescent relationship in egg donation families.4. Surrogacy. Surrogacy is fraught with ethical concerns and merits serious legal considerations. One third of the mothers who were interviewed reported feeling upset after they gave the baby to the intended parent with one feeling severely upset. For intended parents the experience can be quite taxing. They may feel anxious, fearing that the surrogate mother may not relinquish the baby once the pregnancy is over. The relationship between the surrogate mother and the intended parents may play a crucial role in the wellbeing of the child. The most important effects of surrogacy have to do with the child’s sense of identity. Adolescents born through surrogacy did not differ in terms of their adjustment when compared to other family forms. The authors point out that one needs to keep in mind that the longitudinal study is the only study that is available worldwide. It has a small sample and although the research design is strong, it may have succeeded in recruiting well functioning families more easily. Replication possibly in other cultural contexts is recommended.5. Conclusions. Throughout the various pieces of research, it transpires that every person involved in assisted reproductive technology that is included in the proposed amendments to the Human Embryo Act faces very complex and challenging life experiences. More research is needed regarding the impact of assisted reproductive technology on the wellbeing of all the parties involved. Finally, adoption and fostering should be encouraged and promoted. Too many of our children are still being placed in children’s homes without any hope of them going back to their own parents. Moreover the WHO and the United Nations General Assembly of 2007 have recommended that children from 0 to 5 should not be placed in an institution and a process of deinstitutionalization needs to be accelerated.peer-reviewe

Children in out-of-home care in Malta : key findings from a series of three studies commissioned by the Office of the Commissioner for Children

There is more than one reason why we should be pleased with the research that is summarily described in this publication. One such reason is that this work illustrates the principle that all efforts that are made towards bettering the situation of children should rest on a solid foundation of scientific research. In this respect, this tripartite piece of research is valid in that it replaces anecdotal evidence regarding out-of-home care for children in Malta with a well-rounded body of scientific facts. This means that the recommendations that are made in this report can be more easily understood and subscribed to when they are read in the light of the findings that are presented. Another important element about this research is that it evaluates the outcome of out-of-home care solely in terms of the well-being of the children in care. This is important in view of the need to make out-of-home care in Malta more child-centred and less service-driven and ultimately more respectful of the rights of children. This research studies the entire cohort of its target group of children and it underlines the principle enunciated in Article 2 of the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child, namely that the rights of children should be enjoyed by all children without discrimination, and that any disparity among children in the enjoyment of their rights is a matter of grave injustice. Finally, it is the very subject-matter that highlights so prominently the importance of this research. The right of the child to be cared for in a social environment that is conducive to its well-being is easily the most fundamental of all the rights of the child since it is through such an environment that a child can acquire the emotional and psychological stability that is necessary to the enjoyment of almost any other right. Children thus are vulnerable because their overall well-being hinges on whether such an enabling environment is available to them. Children in out-of-home care are doubly vulnerable because of the disruptions in their natural family milieu and the difficulty in providing them with an alternative arrangement that can make up for the lack of such milieu. This research should not be seen in isolation but in the context of local policy developments in the field of out-of-home care. In this respect, I would like to mention and applaud the strong investment that has been made in recent years to shift the balance of out-of-home care from residential care to foster care, the importance of which is strongly borne out by the findings of this research. This should in no way reflect badly on the care given by religious institutions. Rather it should be seen as a development that recognizes the fact that children’s needs are best met in a family enviroment. We are also at a time where a much needed national strategy for out-of-home care is being formulated to map out the road ahead in this sector. I am confident that this research will provide a useful compass to chart such a roadmap. I cannot conclude without paying thanks to Ms Carmen Zammit, the former Commissioner for Children, who took the visionary step of commissioning the research. Heartfelt thanks are due also to the research team, led by Professor Angela Abela, to the focus groups which helped set the parameters of this research and to the the staff of the Office of the Commissioner for Children for their untiring logisitcal support. Finally, my sincere thanks goes to all the children who at the time were in care, those who had already left the care system but were ready to share their experiences as well as the carers, social workers and teachers whose participation forms the very core of this research. The only way that justice can be made to their selfless efforts is by ensuring that this research is effectively used as a tool to improve the well-being of all children in care, and that further research is carried out, as suggested in the research report, to shed more light on the reality of out-of-home care in Malta.peer-reviewe

One health, une seule santé

One Health, « Une seule santé », est une stratégie mondiale visant à développer les collaborations interdisciplinaires pour la santé humaine, animale et environnementale. Elle promeut une approche intégrée, systémique et unifiée de la santé aux échelles locale, nationale et mondiale, afin de mieux affronter les maladies émergentes à risque pandémique, mais aussi s'adapter aux impacts environnementaux présents et futurs. Bien que ce mouvement s’étende, la littérature en français reste rare. Traduit de l’anglais, coordonné par d’éminents épidémiologistes et s'appuyant sur un large panel d' approches scientifiques rarement réunies autour de la santé, cet ouvrage retrace les origines du concept et présente un contenu pratique sur les outils méthodologiques, la collecte de données, les techniques de surveillance et les plans d’étude. Il combine recherche et pratique en un seul volume et constitue un ouvrage de référence unique pour la santé mondiale

The Impact of the arrival of the Knights of St John on the commercial economy of Malta 1530-1565

StudentshipMuch has been written about various aspects of the long presence of the Knights of the Order St John on the island of Malta. Nonetheless, throughout this literature there is one noticeable omission - a study of the commercial development of the harbour area during the first decades of the Order’s rule. Despite Malta’s small size, the presence of the Order of St John (1530 -1798) ensured an inflow of foreign resources which eventually permitted very dense human settlement and an international projection beyond the island’s shores which was largely disproportionate to what would normally have occurred in such a small and sterile island. The maritime nature of the Order and the heavy dependence on imports hastened the creation of an efficient maritime communication system. The development of all these economic activities resulted in a prime economic means of generating wealth and served as a pull factor to a large number of enterprising individuals, both local and foreign. Early modern Hospitaller Malta eventually saw the consolidation of an enterprising business class, which, out of sheer necessity, grew accustomed to operating well beyond its narrow confines. In turn, this contributed to the island becoming more open to connectivity with the outside world. Hence, the main aim of this thesis is to explore in detail various economic activities taking place in Malta during this particular period which spans from 1530 to 1565. The year 1565 has been chosen as a marker since during this year there was a break in the normal chain of events due to the turmoil created by the Great Siege. In order to reach this goal the practical functioning of commerce with its agreements and disputes, its currencies, its trading posts and its nodal points shall be analyzed. Furthermore, this thesis strives to show how notarial evidence, together with that derived from records of various tribunals set up on the island at the time, supplement each other and help to fill in gaps. While discussing different methodological approaches to the study of the Mediterranean, the first chapter of this study shall also assess Malta’s place within the wider Mediterranean historiographical framework. It shall also trace the development of Maltese historiography and its contribution to the study of legal, economic and social issues relating to the sixteenth century. Furthermore, this study shall place the various series of primary sources used for its compilation in their proper context, thus allowing the reader to evaluate better the significance of the information provided. The second chapter shall evaluate how the arrival of the Order provided for the setting up of new institutions and for the promulgation of new laws in order to consolidate its authority over the island despite repeated promises to respect and honour ancient rights and privileges. The following three chapters shall each be dedicated to a particular case study which will try to address specific topics that have been largely neglected in Maltese historiography. Thus, starting with an analysis of the grain trade, which was of the utmost importance for a sterile island with an ever-increasing population, it will be followed by another case study which seeks to evaluate the role of women, their legal persona and how this affected their contribution to the island’s economic activities. The final chapter will try to establish whether there were any commercial links between Malta, often described as the frontier and bulwark of Christianity, and its neighbouring Ottoman North African territories. If such trade existed, how did merchants, both Christian and Muslim, manage to overcome religious antagonism which should have inhibited the easy flow of trade? The objective of this study shall therefore be to shed much-needed light on economic activities taking place in and around the harbour area during a largely unexplored period in Maltese history. Moreover, it shall seek to provide a better understanding of Mediterranean commercial relations since the Maltese harbour was a point of intersection not only for people of different nationalities, but even for people of different faiths, such as Muslims, Jews and Christians of different denominations. All had one common goal which unified them, that is, trading and making profit out of it.University of Exete

Learning support zones : former students' experience and perceived impact on home and work environment

This study explored how past students who attended the Learning Support Zone (LSZ) in Maltese secondary schools perceived their attendance at the LSZ and its impact on their home and work environments. In-depth interviews were conducted with eleven adults who attended the LSZ when they were in secondary school. Thematic analysis was used to elicit a set of themes. The findings highlight the multiple struggles that students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) face. The narratives highlight the positive impact of the LSZ and its staff, but the families of these students were hardly involved. Social skills, independent living skills, and emotional literacy taught at the LSZ are believed to have helped these youths enhance their motivation and perceived selfworth and deal with adversities more effectively both at home and at work. The key recommendations of the study are the re-evaluation of inclusive policies within schools, consideration of the perspective of the students, better understanding, and monitoring of students with SEBD within schools, and more active involvement of all relevant stakeholders, especially families.peer-reviewe

Children in out-of-home care in Malta : key findings from a series of three studies commissioned by the Office of the Commissioner for Children

This qualitative research explores the lived experience of ten adults aged between 22 and 27 who spent at least four years in institutional residential care in Malta. An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the in-depth interviews generated 12 superordinate themes which explored the participants’ construction of meaning around events prior to admission into care, their life experience whilst in care and the transition into independent living. Results highlight how participants made sense of considerable hardships and suggest that for 9 out of 10 adults, transition to adulthood lacked the necessary emotional, social and financial support and occurred at an earlier age and in a more abrupt manner than for young people of the same age. Discussion of these results generated recommendations in terms of service and policy development.peer-reviewe