Building resilience in school children : risk and promotive factors amongst Maltese primary school pupils

Abstract

This study was a follow up to the national study on social, emotional and behaviour difficulties which sought to establish the prevalence rate and the pattern of distribution of such difficulties in Maltese primary and secondary schools (Cefai, Cooper and Camilleri, 2008). It examined the trajectories and drivers of change, both positive and negative, from Year 1 to Year 4 in primary schools.The sample consisted of all Year 1 primary pupils who had participated in the first study and who were now in Year 4. 486 pupils attending 65 state and non-state primary schools, as well as their classroom teachers and parents were selected to participate. 79.6% of teachers, 84.2% of pupils and 61.9% of parents returned the completed questionnaires. The first part of this report provides a portrait of pupils’ behaviour in Year 4. 9.4% of Year 4 pupils have SEBD according to teachers, while the prevalence rate according to parents is 7.8%, although the difference is not significant. The most common difficulties are those related to hyperactivity, followed by conduct and emotional problems respectively. Boys appear to be more vulnerable than girls, exhibiting more difficulties and less prosocial behaviour. Both difficulties particularly conduct and peer problems, and prosocial behaviour, increased from Year 1 to Year 4.