Mediterranean melting pot : exploring the adaptation process of Maltese intercultural marriages

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the adaptation process of Maltese intercultural marriages. Six intercultural couples were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews where we discussed aspects of how they adapted to being in an intercultural marriage. The participants were selected on the basis of being married for at least two years, one of the spouses being Maltese and the other foreign, and their married life currently being based in Malta. The chosen method of data analysis was constructivist grounded theory. Data collection and analysis happened concurrently and contributed to the building of a tentative theoretical framework that maps the adaptation process of these couples. The theoretical framework was organised around a tentative core category: managing differences over time. It was further sub-divided into three conceptual categories: the adaptation process of the marital relationship, how the context influences the adaptation process and how extended families and support networks shape the adaptation process. This theoretical framework aimed to capture the idea that adapting to these intercultural marriages entailed managing various levels of differences and that this is a continuous temporal process. This study offered various sensitizing concepts and processes in order to inform local therapists working with intercultural couples. The need for further research was identified since intercultural marriages are an under-researched area in the local context despite the fact that one in ten marriages are between a Maltese person and a foreigner.