Professionals’ perspectives of the mental health needs and well-being of forced migrant adolescents in Malta

Abstract

Forced migration is a scourge for modern society. Humans have evolved to the extent of transhumanism and yet, basic communication and brotherhood are nonetheless lacking. Power imbalances are causing tremendous suffering particularly on forced migrant children and adolescents. The atrocities migrants experience during the migration and post-migration processes potentially lead to mental ill-health and ill-being. Past research on migrants centred on deficit models and theories. More recently research is increasingly focusing on migrants’ strengths and resilience theories and studies. Research indicates that with the provision of protective factors migrants’ resilience is enhanced. Recent studies evidence that individual and social resilience aspects interrelating with risk factors are paramount for migrant/ adaptation, integration, and containment of psychopathologies. In this research study, I addressed the perception of mental health professionals in regard of the mental health and well-being challenges experienced by forced migrant youth in Malta. I aimed to explore these challenges together with challenges in resilience and the local available support migrant youth encounters in their resettlement or transition to Malta. I carried out six expert interviews with professionals in local organisations from which I generated themes through reflexive thematic analysis. The findings, in congruence with other research studies, suggest that acculturation and adaptation factors in the post-migratory phase can prove to be either risk factors resulting in increased prevalence of migrant youth’s mental health disorders and ill-being, or protective factors leading to resilience and post-traumatic growth. These generated themes can inform interventions and the framework for a trauma-informed care school based programme (TICP) which is not part of my research study.