https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/9182 2026-04-10T00:41:38Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/121835 Title: All children are our children : practitioners’ perceptions of the role of counsellors’ in supporting the immigrant child’s acculturation Abstract: This study aimed at exploring how counsellors’ and other helping professionals’ perceive the role of counselling in supporting the acculuration of immigrant children and adolescents. Eleven open-ended semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven helping professionals. The data was then recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach. A total of five super-ordinate themes emerged from the analysis of the data, specifically: the challenges of acculuration; understanding acculturation; systems of acculturation; the counsellor as professional and person; and the role of the counsellor in acculuration. The findings clearly suggest that counselling is beneficial for acculturating immigrant children and adolescents. Description: M.A.TRANSCULTURAL COUNSELLING 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/18392 Title: The effect of immigration on the psychosocial development of adolescents Abstract: With the increasing immigrant population in Malta and the limited research on immigrant adolescents coming to the country, this study aimed to explore the effect of immigration on adolescents' psychosocial development. A total of 10 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with adolescents who migrated to Malta either on a voluntary or a non-voluntary basis (i.e. immigrated illegally). Data generated from these interviews were then analysed using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach. This approached resulted in one superordinate theme and five sub-ordinate themes emerging from the data. The themes were labelled as 'Who am I?', 'Stranger in a Strange Land', 'Talking the Talk', 'Growing up Maltese', 'Going Home Again', and 'School Days'. The findings suggest that the search for one‟s identity, identification with ethnic culture in the host country, language difficulties, experiencing and perceiving discrimination, parental and peer conflicts and/or support, and the school environment, all impact immigrant adolescents' psychosocial development. Significant difference between non-voluntary and voluntary immigrant adolescents' integration into the new culture was found, but gender differences were not identified. Implications for counsellors in working with immigrant adolescents are discussed. Description: M.A.TRANSCULTURAL COUNSELLING 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/17737 Title: The impact of multicultural exposure on Maltese society in the late 20th and early 21st century and its challenge for counsellors : a narrative ethnographic approach Abstract: This narrative ethnographic study is an attempt to gain deeper understanding about issues pertaining to multiculturalism and its impact on Maltese people over the last 40 years. The study is based on a priori concepts found in literature and on the narratives of lived experiences of six English speaking Maltese counsellors. The review of literature is linked to the findings resulting from the narrations of the counsellors and explored from the perspective of social constructional matters. The term „multicultural‟ is defined as multi-faceted and does not merely indicate cultural issues pertaining to multi-ethnicity. Through local literature and the interviews it is suggested that the apprehension of the Maltese people to embrace multiculturalism is rooted in their experience of being subjugated by foreign powers in the past and in the belief that embracing multiculturalism will be at the expense of traditional and moral values. It is noted that socio-economic change in Malta happened in such a rapid way between the 20th and 21st century that people seem to have great difficulty in coping with such fluidity. The participants reported that they feel challenged when working in a multicultural and a multi-ethnical environment with clients with abilities, needs and explanatory models that are different from their own and beyond their field of experience. The biggest challenges they face are related to the increase in complexity of issues pertaining to family, gender and youth. This study proposes the development of Malta specific theoretical models and training programmes that would help improve the efficiency of Malta‟s counsellors and enhance the quality of coexistence between people hailing from different cultures and civilizations in Malta. Description: M.A.TRANSCULTURAL COUNSELLING 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/10010 Title: Bridging the gap : personal experiences of irregular immigrants of integration and counselling in Malta and Finland Abstract: This study explores the potential needs and impact of counselling on irregular migrant integration. The study explores the lived experiences of 12 irregular immigrants arriving in Malta and Finland using an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Literature suggests the practical benefits of counselling in the integration and adaptation of migrants through psychological assistance, on both the individual and community level, with prominence given to trauma counselling. This study illustrates that counselling for integration necessities a more holistic approach. The national context shows important differences in the processes that influence the impact of counselling on the integration of migrants in the respective countries, particularly the legal process and the perceived lack of social support. The analysis showed that counselling has an important role to play in facilitating the needs of irregular migrants and their exploration of the past, themselves and their interaction with society. The study explored the potential barriers to counselling, both practical and in awareness, as well as restrictions and needs within the therapeutic relationship that challenge current models of interaction. In conclusion, the study presents a model for counselling with irregular migrants based on a holistic resiliency approach that cuts across systems of interaction and barriers, and has implications for the profession as well as individual therapeutic interactions. Description: M.A.TRANSCULTURAL COUNSELLING 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z