Social, emotional and behaviour difficulties in Maltese schools

The findings of a national project on social, emotional and behaviour problems (SEBD) in Maltese schools have shown that 9.7 per cent of schoolchildren were identified as exhibiting SEBD, which is quite close to the 10 per cent prevalence rate established by similar studies in the international field.

The findings were presented during a seminar held by the European Centre for Educational Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health at the University of Malta, in collaboration with the Education Directorates, on October 23.

Following a number of serious behaviour incidents in schools in recent years, a large scale survey was started with 10 per cent of the school population in over 100 state and non-state primary and secondary schools in Malta and Gozo. Over 7,000 students and their teachers and parents were selected to participate in the study.

The study was carried out by the University of Malta and the University of Leicester and was sponsored by the Education Directorates. It sought to explore the nature and distribution of SEBD in Maltese schools, examine the relationships between SEBD and socio-cultural factors as reflected in the school and family and community contexts, and identify the risk and protective factors for SEBD.

The findings showed that there are more difficulties in secondary (10.27 per cent) than primary schools (9.05 per cent), with a ratio of 7:6. Boys exhibit more difficulties than girls (10.46 per cent and 8.86 per cent respectively), but while boys engage in more behaviour problems, girls have higher emotional difficulties. The international boy:girl ratio of 3:1 diverges considerably from the 7:6 local ratio, suggesting that Maltese girls have significantly higher levels of difficulty when compared to their counterparts in other countries. On the other hand, female students exhibit more pro-social behaviour than boys in both primary and secondary schools. Hyperactivity is the type of most frequent difficulty exhibited by students, followed by emotional, peer and conduct difficulties respectively.

When analysed by individual, classroom, school and home factors, a number of interesting findings emerged. Attainment was the main individual level factor related to SEBD, underling the inextricable link between learning and behaviour difficulties. Students with irregular attendance, poor communication skills, and receiving psychological and/or educational interventions and support, were also more likely to have SEBD. Students coming from the Inner Harbour and Northern regions were more likely to have behaviour problems; those from Gozo more emotional ones.

Students attending streamed classes were similarly more likely to exhibit SEBD, with indications that streaming contributes to disaffection. State schools have the most difficulties in both primary and secondary levels. At the secondary level, area secondary schools and schools with unattractive physical environments had most difficulties.

The home factors which were most significantly related to SEBD were family structure and socio-economic status (SES). The families most at risk were those in the lower SES levels, particularly those living at or below the poverty line. Although children from single parents are more likely to show SEBD, this is explained by SES, as these families are more likely to live in poverty, with at least half of them living below the poverty line. On the other hand, good communication skills and attainment, non streamed classrooms, well qualified teachers, attractive school environments and high SES, emerged as key protective factors in children and young persons.

A number of recommendations were made at community, institutional, school, classroom and individual levels to address the needs which emerged from the study. The report underlined the need for preventative measures to promote the healthy socio-emotional development of children and young persons, besides providing adequate and timely support to children and young persons at risk of, or experiencing, difficulty.

It called for a multisystemic, interagency, transdisciplinary approach addressing systems such as home, school and community, and involving various agencies and services, starting as early as possible. The recommendations included:

• Systematic staff training on behaviour management, child and adolescent development, and socio-emotional literacy;

• Curricular review to ensure the curriculum is relevant to today's challenges and demands with a balance between academic and socio-emotional learning, delivered in a meaningful and engaging way, and suited to the diversity of educational needs;

• Review of the present structures of streaming, selection and examinations which are in conflict with the principles of inclusive education, equity, diversity and holistic education in the NMC;

• Review of the national policy on absenteeism in view of the current nature and distribution of habitual absenteeism;

• College behaviour-support teams providing support to schools in developing behaviour policies, staff training, socio-emotional education and emotional support for students, and parent education;

• Early screening and identification of children with SEBD to ensure early intervention and support;

• Family support, including high quality childcare facilities, flexible working systems, housing and financial support, and parenting skills programmes, starting as early in family life as possible;

• Social, economic, and educational support to families coming from low SES, particularly families close to the poverty line and single-parent families;

• Adequate support to staff in dealing with challenging behaviour.

The findings have been published in a book entitled Engagement Time: A National Study On Students With Social, Emotional And Behaviour Difficulties, written by Carmel Cefai, Paul Cooper and Liberato Camilleri. It is on sale at Agenda University bookshop.