The Department of Psychology, Faculty for Social Wellbeing Presentation is hosting a presentation by Ms Sharon Arpa, team leader of the Research Department at the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS)

The presentation will be held on Thursday 16 March from 12:00 to 14:00 at the Psychology Lab, Old Humanities Building, University of Malta Msida Campus.

In 1995 the first European School Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) was conducted with the predominant aim of examining the prevalence of substance use (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) and related attitudes and behaviours. The latest ESPAD survey was conducted in 2015 in 35 European countries amongst 15 to 16-year-old students. The 2015 study was widened to also include the collection of data on new psychoactive substances (NPS), internet use, online gaming and gambling. Since initiating in 1995, this is the sixth ESPAD study, with the latest data-collection wave providing data spanning 20 years.

This presentation will outline the latest study results from Malta and Gozo and will examine changes in results over time. Discussions will be held exploring possibilities for collaboration between the FSWS and academics in further studies using ESPAD data to obtain results that can be used to enhance policy and practice.

The FSWS student request procedure will also be summarised to provide supervisors of students who wish to conduct research within the FSWS with updated information relevant for their role. A discussion will also be held to examine ways in which the system can be improved.

Sharon Arpa is leader of the Research Department within the Foundation for Social Welfare Services. She received a B.Psy (Hons) Degree from the University of Malta and an M.Sc. in Epidemiology: Principles and Practice from the University of London. Sharon has represented Malta in various international fora in relation to substance use, most notably at the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). In Malta she was a member of the National Commission on the Abuse of Drugs, Alcohol and other Dependencies. She sits on the International Steering Committee for ESPAD (European School Project on Alcohol and other Drugs) and is the ESPAD Principle Investigator in Malta.