The lived experience of Maltese psychiatrists working with mental health patients

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the lived experience of Maltese psychiatrists. To this end, I tried to understand the psychological and psychosocial realities of these professionals. For the purpose of this study, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used as it permits an in-depth analysis of their experience. In an attempt to achieve richer data, I interviewed four consultant psychiatrists using semi-structured interviews which were audio-recorded and analysed. There were four superordinate themes that have emerged from these interviews, each depicting different aspects of their experience. The first superordinate theme highlights the holistic aspect of psychiatry, when compared to other medical specialities. In the second theme, the different challenges that psychiatrists have to deal with are presented. The third superordinate theme describes the participants' thoughts on maintaining professional boundaries. The final superordinate theme delves into stigma affiliated with mental health and how it affects psychiatrists.