https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/3962 Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:12:36 GMT 2026-10-10T18:12:36Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149754 Title: The effects of vipassana meditation on interoceptive awareness, emotional regulation and resilience in Indian adolescents : a mixed-methods study Abstract: This study investigates the effects of an intensive seven-day Vipassana meditation course on interoceptive awareness, emotional regulation, and resilience in a group of Indian adolescents. Using a quasi-experimental mixed-methods approach, we gathered quantitative self-reported questionnaires from 65 participants. The experimental group consisted of 42 adolescents - 30 new students and a smaller subset of 12 old students, who had prior Vipassana meditation experience. A control group of 23 participants was also recruited. In addition, we analysed qualitative data from 16 participants, including semi-structured interviews and comments added in surveys. The quantitative findings showed statistically significant improvements in interoceptive awareness, adaptive cognitive-emotional regulation, and resilience for new students after attending the meditation course. Old students did not show statistically significant differences in interoceptive awareness and resilience but showed a significant decrease in use of adaptive cognitive-emotional regulation strategies compared to new students. Qualitative findings supported the quantitative results and additionally provided insights into how the meditation course fostered a sense of inner peace, reduced negative emotions, and improved family relations across group participants. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149754 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148978 Title: Beyond linear mediation : general executive organization with inhibitory specificity linking logical reasoning and emotion regulation in childhood Authors: Prada-Rodríguez, Eduin Alexander; Martelo-Gomez, Eder Santiago Abstract: The integration of cognitive and emotional processes represents a central issue in developmental neuroscience. During childhood, maturation of frontoparietal and frontolimbic networks supports the development of logical reasoning, executive control, and emotion regulation. A theoretical debate remains, with some models conceptualising executive components as independent mediators of emotion regulation, whereas recent approaches propose a general executive-factor organization, with domain-specific pathways, integrating differentiated emotional dimensions. This discrepancy implies competing empirical specifications of the cognitive-emotional architecture of childhood, the topic examined in the present study. A total of 391 Colombian children aged 6–11 years participated in the study. A linear mediation model was compared with a hierarchical model using structural equation modelling. The linear model, specifying executive functions as parallel mediators and emotion regulation as a unidimensional construct, showed poor fit, whereas the hierarchical specification incorporating a general executive factor showed improved, though not uniformly superior, fit once measurement and structural specifications were held comparable. Logical reasoning was significantly associated with a general executive factor explaining variance in adaptive regulation and emotional lability. Directly comparable nested models indicated that among the hierarchical specifications tested, the parsimonious model retaining one specific inhibitory-control pathway (FECI→RE_Lab) was preferred, providing structural evidence from a Latin American sample and advancing understanding of emotion regulation in educational contexts. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148978 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148756 Title: Teacher-perpetrated bullying, resilience, and student functioning : a retrospective investigation among Greek university students Abstract: Teacher bullying refers to repeated, harmful behaviour by educators toward students within a power-imbalanced relationship and is experienced by up to 90% of students globally. Resilience is the capacity to adapt and recover from adversity through individual and contextual resources. Despite the potential for resilience to moderate the negative effects of teacher bullying, research is limited. Preliminary evidence from Greece suggests that resilience factors such as self-confidence and social support can moderate these negative effects among primary students. However, whether such protective mechanisms persist across developmental transitions into university contexts remains unexplored. This cross-sectional study, explored prevalence rates and whether resilience moderated the effect of teacher bullying on psychological distress, academic motivation, and college adjustment with self-report survey data from 48 Greek university students. Results indicated 43.8% experienced teacher bullying during K-12 education. Resilience significantly moderated the relationship between teacher bullying and psychological distress, with highly resilient students reporting fewer adverse psychological effects despite bullying exposure. Findings from this culturally informed investigation help to address a critical gap in understanding how resilience operates against authority-based victimisation in contexts where traditional protective systems may become sources of risk. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148756 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148753 Title: NGO staff perspectives on educational and psychosocial support of unaccompanied refugee minors in Greece : a qualitative study Abstract: This study explores how staff members at a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Athens, Greece understand and evaluate their role in supporting unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) through educational and psychosocial interventions. Drawing on multisystemic resilience theory and Papadopoulos’ synergic approach, the literature review emphasizes how post-migration support systems, such as schools and NGOs, play a pivotal role in URMs’ adaptation, well-being, and identity development. Despite existing legal protections, URMs in Greece face fragmented services and psychosocial vulnerabilities, underscoring the urgent need for relational, stable, and trauma-informed support. The research employed a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with eight current and former NGO staff members selected through purposive sampling. Data were analysed through Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, revealing four main themes: constructing spaces of safety, navigating emotional and systemic challenges, addressing diverse needs, and staff reflections on sustainability. Findings show that staff played a critical role in fostering belonging, empowerment, and coping among URMs, but also encountered emotional strain and structural fragility due to limited state coordination, inconsistent funding, and lack of training. The study highlights the emotional, cultural, and systemic dimensions of resilience building and advocates for stronger inter-agency collaboration, professional development, and long-term planning. By centering staff voices, this research offers a grounded perspective on how NGOs support URMs' psychosocial and educational needs and contributes to filling an important gap in existing literature. The implications extend to NGO practice, educational policy, and refugee care frameworks across Europe. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148753 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z