https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/328 Sat, 07 Nov 2026 02:15:01 GMT 2026-11-07T02:15:01Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150245 Title: Changes in social-emotional skills and behaviour in preschool children after participation in the promoting mental health at schools program : the social-emotional skills of parents as a mediator Authors: Supe, Inga; Martinsone, Baiba; Cefai, Carmel; Conte, Elisabetta Abstract: The social-emotional skills of preschool children develop at a rapid pace. How this development occurs is closely related to the child’s environment. The social-emotional skills of the parents themselves play an important role in the development of a preschool child’s social-emotional skills and have a strong influence on the development of children’s prosocial behaviour and a reduction in behavioural problems (both internalised and externalised).; The aim of this study is to find out how the indicators of social-emotional competence and behaviour of preschool children change after participating in the Promoting Mental Health at Schools programme, based on teachers’ assessments. What is the relationship between the social-emotional skills of parents (parents’ assessment) and the social-emotional skills and behaviour of their children (teachers’ assessment)? Do higher SE skills of parents (self-assessed) mediate the growth of children’s social-emotional skills (as assessed by teachers)?; As part of the Erasmus+ research project “Promoting Mental Health at Schools” (PROMEHS), a quasi-experimental study was carried out with pre-test and post-test measurements in experimental and control groups. It was found that in the sample of Latvian pre-schoolers, the teachers from the experimental group noticed the decrease in children’s behavioural difficulties and increase in prosocial behaviour and social-emotional skills in the experimental group were rated slightly higher in comparison with control group. Teachers rated children’s social understanding and relationship skills higher when parents indicated that the relationship with their child was better. A higher level of social-emotional competence of parents correlated negatively with children’s conduct problems. This study did not find that parents played a statistically significant role as mediators in the promotion of children’s social-emotional competence during implementation of the programme. Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150245 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150057 Title: Social-emotional skills, behavioural problems and learning outcomes of elementary school children Authors: Ozerova, Evita; Martinsone, Baiba; Cefai, Carmel; Conte, Elisabetta Abstract: A topical question for teachers and parents is how to improve students’ well-being and success at school, starting from the early stages of their education. Research shows that social-emotional competence is one of the key variables significantly impacting children’s learning outcomes and that social-emotional learning contributes to higher learning outcomes and fewer behavioural problems, even in preschool. It is of great importance to obtain more evidence on the role of social-emotional skills in school adjustment, addressing this issue as early as possible to develop a deeper understanding of how to support children after their transition to elementary school. The current research aims to analyze relationships between social-emotional skills, behaviour problems and learning outcomes in a sample of elementary school students while also addressing gender differences in these relationships.; The sample consisted of 590 elementary school students aged 7–11 years (mean age 9.14, SD 1.38), 53.2% (314) of whom were boys and 46.8% (276) were girls. The teachers completed the Social Skills Improvement System Social-Emotional Learning brief scales, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and a three-item questionnaire on their students’ learning outcomes. Higher social-emotional skills in elementary school students had significant associations with lower levels of behavioural problems and higher levels of learning outcomes. Moreover, the results indicated that teachers reported significantly higher levels of social-emotional skills and learning outcomes and fewer behavioural problems amongst girls in contrast to boys. These findings highlight the necessity to develop social-emotional skills in facilitating learning outcomes and behaviour adjustment in elementary school children. Teachers’ role as facilitators of social-emotional development must also be emphasized. Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150057 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150003 Title: Threats to press freedom and journalistic resistance in Southern European countries during COVID-19 : the cases of Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, and Malta Authors: Papadopoulou, Lambrini; Trifonova Price, Lada; Maniou, Theodora A.; Clark, Marilyn Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed newsrooms globally to economic hardship and new challenges to press freedom and journalism that undermined the duty to serve the public interest. This chapter is based on findings from a cross-national qualitative study, conducted in 2022, which examined the relationship between media, journalism, and politics in four Southern European countries with existing democratic deficits throughout the pandemic and beyond. The discussion is based on semi-structured interviews with journalists from Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, and Malta. It provides an overview of the challenges to media markets and journalistic practice as well as journalists’ strategies for maintaining their professional autonomy. Findings indicate that participants preserved to some extent their professional autonomy by adapting strategically, committing to public service, and developing new journalistic practices. The analysis in the chapter is relevant to a range of political contexts where journalism and media face similar threats. Fri, 01 Jan 2027 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150003 2027-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147482 Title: Navigating absence : a grounded theory of adults’ retrospective accounts of childhood parental incarceration in Malta Authors: Xiberras, Sarah; Clark, Marilyn Abstract: Purpose – This study aims to develop an explanatory framework for understanding how children of incarcerated parents negotiate the experience of having a parent in prison, including both the risks they face and the strengths they build. The research examines this retrospectively, by investigating how individuals who are now adults navigated parental incarceration in Malta, a small-state context where stigma and social exclusion are intensified.; Design/methodology/approach – Using grounded theory methodology and a constructivist epistemology, the study developed a substantive level theory rooted in participants’ interpretations and grounded in meanings constructed through social interactions. Framed by a risk and resilience approach, eight Maltese adults (aged 18–40) who experienced parental incarceration between ages 6–18 participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using the constant comparative method, producing four interlinked conceptual categories.; Findings – The emergent explanatory framework highlights that children of incarcerated parents face multiple risks and repercussions, including the initial loss of the parent, navigating between home and prison worlds, experiencing courtesy stigma and enduring long-term emotional and relational impacts. These findings reveal parental incarceration as dynamic and enduring. Yet, protective mechanisms such as open communication, supportive caregiving and maintaining positive contact with the incarcerated parent, mitigated adverse effects and fostered adaptation, adjustment and resilience.; Practical implications – The study emphasises the need for interventions that prioritise children’s voices, strengthen family support systems and promote resilience-building through school and community networks.; Originality/value – By centring on children’s lived experiences of parental incarceration in Malta, this study fills a critical gap in the local literature. It complements and extends international quantitative research by offering a culturally grounded, qualitative perspective that captures nuanced socioemotional processes often overlooked. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147482 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z