Do I hear what you say? : how Maltese mental health professionals work multiculturally with sub-Saharan African asylum seekers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the multicultural counselling process that Maltese mental health professionals engage in when working with Sub-Saharan African asylum seekers. Eight mental health professionals were invited to reflect about their experience of their therapeutic work with Sub-Saharan African asylum seekers. Grounded theory was employed as methodology to guide this research study. Data was collected through one-to-one interviews, with each interview lasting between an hour and an hour-and-a-half. Each interview was audio-taped and transcribed. Data collection and analysis occurred concurrently, with the actual analysis consisting of four phases: line-by-line coding, focused coding, theoretical coding and selective coding. Constant comparative analysis was used throughout the whole process. This grounded theory analysis yielded one core category – collaborating through cultural sensitivity – and four categories, which are honouring diversity, counsellor’s self-awareness and self-reflexivity, exposure and immersion, and exchange of understanding and expectations of the role and function of counselling between client and counsellor. Each of these categories had implications for the practice of counselling and for future research. A major implication of this study is that it will serve as guideline for both counsellors and supervisors who want to work with Sub-Saharan African clients. Furthermore, this research clearly brought out the need for further specialized training for counsellors as well as supervisors in multicultural counselling competency