https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/3963 Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:55:26 GMT 2026-07-17T11:55:26Z https://www.um.edu.mt:443/library/oar/retrieve/bd2799f2-07b3-4bd0-9f0f-e2c8a9d6e4b7/ https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/3963 https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148101 Title: The global reach of the social skills rating system (SSRS) and the social skills improvement system (SSIS) : adaptations and applications beyond the United States Authors: Freitas, Lucas C. Abstract: The Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) and the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), including the SEL Edition and Brief Scales, are widely used instruments for assessing children’s social skills, problem behaviours, and academic competence. This narrative overview synthesizes 195 international studies (1995–2025) applying these instruments with children and adolescents outside the United States. Studies were examined for publication trends, geographic distribution, instrument versions, informants, age ranges, participant characteristics, settings, languages, and study purposes, based on a comprehensive search of six databases, with supplementary searches identifying additional studies. Europe, the Americas, and Asia were the most represented regions, with Brazil, Canada, Australia, Iran, and Portugal contributing over half of all research. The SSRS and SSIS parent and teacher reports were most common, and school age children (6–12 years) in mainstream settings were most frequently studied. Studies primarily focused on screening and assessment, including correlational analyses, followed by intervention evaluations, and, finally, adaptation and psychometric investigations. Findings highlight the global reach, versatility, and cross-cultural relevance of SSRS–SSIS instruments while identifying gaps for future research. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148101 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146032 Title: Animated situational judgement to assess students’ learning about wellbeing Authors: Scully, Darina; Crosbie, Nisha; O’Brien, Deirdre; O’Leary, Michael Abstract: Although wellbeing and social and emotional education are key components of many school curricula worldwide, there is a lack of resources to support classroom-based assessment of students’ curricular knowledge about wellbeing. This paper outlines the systematic development and validation of the Wellbeing Situational Judgement Test (WB-SJT), an animated, scenario-based assessment of students’ learning about wellbeing in the context of the Irish lower secondary Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum. Validation data (n = 316) demonstrate acceptable psychometric properties, high face validity, and positive criterion-related associations with students’ levels of connectedness, happiness and overall psychosocial function. The potential of the WB-SJT for both formative and summative assessment purposes is discussed, along with broader implications for schools’ wellbeing education. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146032 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146031 Title: The relationship between alexithymia levels and emotional and linguistic abilities in female adolescents Authors: Artuso, Caterina; Farina, Eleonora; Belacchi, Carmen Abstract: The association between alexithymia, the difficulty in identifying, processing, and describing emotions, and linguistic competencies, particularly definitional skills, has received scant attention in research. The present study sought to investigate the bidirectional association between alexithymia and word-definition ability -a metalinguistic and metarepresentational form of explicit verbal competence- while also considering the contributions of emotional intelligence, conceptualised as implicit psychological dimensions. A sample of Italian female adolescents (N = 886; M age = 16.2 years) completed the Italian version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), a performance-based measure of emotional intelligence, and the Co.De. Scale, which evaluates the formal and content-related quality of definitions of primary and secondary emotion terms. We found an association between poorer word-definition performance and higher alexithymia scores, but also a unique negative relationship with the externally oriented thinking component. Preliminary evidence indicates the existence of a metalanguage/meta representative deficit as levels of alexithymia increase. The results highlight the value of assessing and strengthening definitional competence in emotional language as an early indicator of alexithymia risk and as a foundation for preventive and clinical interventions amongst adolescents. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146031 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146030 Title: Gatekeeping, emotional labour and the motherhood penalty amongst staff in higher education Authors: Agius Tabone, Vania Abstract: Women in academia frequently encounter institutional and cultural barriers that constrain career progression, a phenomenon commonly described as the motherhood penalty. This paper examines how gatekeeping, understood as control over access to resources, opportunities, and institutional support, shapes the emotional and professional experiences of female academics and support staff at a higher education institution in Malta. The present study draws on 31 semi-structured interviews with staff who have caregiving responsibilities, complemented by documentary analysis of institutional policies. Findings are interpreted through the FRAGILE framework, encompassing Family-friendly entitlements, Resource accessibility, Autonomy, Gatekeeping, Institutional culture, Labour (emotional), and Equity. Results show that gatekeeping restricts access to family-friendly measures, intensifies emotional labour, and contributes to cumulative career penalties. Participants describe navigating complex hierarchies marked by implicit bias and uneven access to career-enhancing opportunities. The study highlights the structural and emotional consequences of informal institutional control and underscores the need for reforms that promote equity and wellbeing in higher education. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146030 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z