https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/5753 2026-04-26T07:52:21Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6989 Title: Attachment issues of children placed in out-of-home care : professionals’ perspectives Abstract: This paper aimed to explore professionals' perspectives on attachment issues experienced by children placed in Maltese out-of-home care placements. This research required a qualitative approach, namely Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) which allowed semi-structured interviews to be held and thus produced in-depth discussions and substantial amounts of data. The recruited participants were psychologists who had experiences with children in either foster care or residential homes. The data analysis of the participants‟ narratives, through IPA, in this research produced four major themes. The investigation delved into the understanding of attachment issues and the concept of the secure-base while analysing their effect on the development of the child. Consequently, this led to the discussion of other factors which influence the child‟s development and ability to form attachments, such as the adequacy of the environment, the age at which these issues are experienced and the ability of the primary caregiver to adapt to the child‟s needs, among other factors. Together, these findings suggest that these issues could have detrimental effects on the children and therefore, psychological support is highly beneficial and recommended. Description: H.DIP.PSY. 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6947 Title: Perceptions of the importance of verbal versus nonverbal communication in job interviews : a quantitative study Abstract: The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of University students’ perceptions concerning communication in employment interviews, with particular reference to verbal and nonverbal cues. Previous research indicates that verbal cues have an essential impact on the interviewer while nonverbal cues are also very influential. Various nonverbal cues such as smile, eye contact or appearance have been found to affect the interviewer. This study examines the opinions and beliefs concerning verbal and nonverbal communication and the influence they have on the interviewer and the hiring decision. A quantitative methodology was adopted using a purposely designed questionnaire to gather data from a sample of University of Malta students. The results found that participants’ perceptions were similar to the findings in the reviewed research. The interview was the preferred selection procedure for the majority of participants. Moreover, first impressions were believed to have a great influence on the interviewer. The results for the importance of verbal versus nonverbal cues were mixed. When asked directly most participants stated that they believed verbal cues to be more important. However, when rating specific verbal and nonverbal cues, nonverbals were perceived to be slightly more important. This study advances our understanding of university students’ perceptions about communication in employment interviews particularly in relation to verbal and nonverbal cues. Description: H.DIP.PSY. 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6946 Title: The relationship between actual and self-estimated personality traits in psychology students at the University of Malta Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between selfestimations in personality traits with actual traits measured through an International Personality Item Pool (IPIP). It primarily investigated psychology students enrolled at the University of Malta. There has been a wide array of research regarding the subject but only a handful of papers have focused on students that study psychology. As the study made use of the quantitative approach, an online questionnaire was distributed amongst the students. In total, data from 38 respondents was collected and inputted in SPSS. The results indicate that there is a relationship between the students’ self-estimations and the results obtained from the IPIP test. This has provided information which shows that the students were self-aware of their own individualistic personality traits. On the other hand, the demographic variables age group and gender were not found to affect this relationship. Finally, when looking at the courses separately, only the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) group was found to have a significant correlation with regards to the relationship between self-estimations and actual traits. This may be due to the fact that the other courses had a small sample size and thus significance was not possible. Description: H.DIP.PSY. 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/6945 Title: The psychology behind making a house a home Abstract: A crucial stage in life which encourages independence is when adults purchase their own property. At this point adults are usually free to personalise their space according to their likings and ideals, especially if they are moving to a place on their own. This process is typically different to different individuals as it is affected by the individuals’ character, style, their previous experiences, their influential contexts (like family, friends and cultural trends), their emotional processes, their thoughts and ideas, the life stage they are in as well as their lifestyle. A home reflects the choices a person does for his own home. Indeed a home can give a lot of information about the characteristics of the persons living in them. This dissertation will be analysing these differences. Specifically, which psychological factors guide people’s choices when they personalize their living space. This was enhanced by the research done where participants showed their preferences and decisions according to their personalities. It also shows certain character traits such as hobbies effect the home decor. Participants discussed how factors such as comfort, safety, privacy, organisation and practicality are considered in the home decoration process. The factors mentioned by the participants are considered important because it supports the participants mental health and if one of these is lacking it can have negative effects on the person. This shows that home decor is of great importance and influence to one’s life. A home can be used a showcase of one’s personality, on the other hand in my line of work, getting to know the person will enhance my decoration processes. Description: H.DIP.PSY. 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z