An analysis of newspaper articles in Malta found no instances of the use of stigmatizing discourse, which contrasts with literature available on media-reporting in other countries, a recently published study found.

The study, commissioned by the Department of Mental Health and Office of the Commissioner for Mental health, and presented by one of the lecturer in the ddepartment of mental health  Paulann Grech, aimed to identify and explore the main discourse-types and discursive themes related to mental health found within main local newspapers articles.

As explained during the presentation of the study titled “A Document Analysis of Newspaper Articles in Malta”, mental health articles published over the past year in three main newspapers in Malta were accessed, and these were analysed as per the aforementioned aim.

At last we are talking about it! – Paulann Grech

Grech said that over the past few year, the mental health sector is Malta has been gradually receiving more attention especially in view of the introduction of a new mean health act, and the preparatory plans for a national strategy that promises to revamp current service provision.

“At last we are talking about it,” she said, noting that discourse shapes reality, and the media is a powerful source of discourse

Apart from the better performance than foreign print media, it was noted that the type of discourse used was typically neutral or negatively critical – mainly addressed at inadequacies in care provision.

 It was found through the analysis that the articles could be broken down into ten main themes – the physical state of the local Psychiatric Hospital; staff shortages; required improvements in current service delivery; queries/investigations related to specific cases of individuals with a mental illness and their treatment; the need for a national mental health strategy; awareness initiatives; the need for further professional training; general information articles about mental health; and experiences of mental illness.

Grech did however note that care must be taken to not simply speak on behalf of service users, because this might be portraying them as if they are incapable of speaking up themselves.

“What we also need is people with mental health issues to be able to tell us what they need from mental health services.”

Through the study it was maintained that there is an urgent need to empower people with mental health problems to speak up, and act as community spokespersons and direct informants to journalists. Particularly because this may help to put a human face to mental health problems.

Media skills programmes were also suggested with the goal of train individuals who have experienced mental health problems and who are willing to act as spokespeople.

“We have no reason to be ashamed of having been to Mount Carmel.” – mental health patient

A panel discussion between various stakeholders in the area of media and mental health was held after the study was presented to expand further on the points made in the study, and getting a deeper insight into what further improvements can be done on the issue.

The panelists were Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, a consultant in Public Health Medicine, Health Information and Research, and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Malta; Flora Tanti, a service user and second year UoM student; Maria Muscat, a journalist with the Public Broadcasting Services; Rachel Attard, Editor-in-Chief with the Malta Independent; Mariella Vassallo, a service user; and David Spiteri Gingell, a senior manager consultant and service user.

Muscat opened the discussion by suggesting an additional study analyzing visual media too, and Attard added on to this by nothing that when she had previously worked on Bondiplus they found it particularly difficult to find individuals to go public.

Gingelli remarked how the situation is now better than ever before, although he did emphasize that there must be a constant stream of information, and not reporting only when a particularly noticeable event takes place.

Tanti touched on the impact social media, explaining how people of all ages that are more vulnerable are finding themselves in this realm of freedom of speech, where it is possible to hide behind a screen and not take into consideration what people on the other end will receive their comments.

Azzopardi Muscat agreed, maintaining that, with so much penetration on Facebook, the platform must be analysed to further understand what is going on on social media.

Attard noted that we may see more stigmatizing discourse on social media because of the lack of filter between the writer and the platform, explaining how any particular story goes through many editors in a newsroom.

Vassallo added that we need to increase awareness to allow people with mental health issues to feel comfortable and speak out.

“We have no reason to be ashamed of having been to Mount Carmel.”

Muscat pointed out that finding people willing to go public is difficult, partly because it could even potentially hurt the individual themselves. “I suggest that people take note of people who might have mental health issues and reach out.”

The discussion ended with Gingell putting an emphasis on raising awareness on the importance of coping tools for people with mental health issues, as experience taught him that a success story is only so whilst one is able to cope with their situation.

Educating our children is the key to stop stigma – Coleiro Preca

President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, ended the conference by showing how there has been an improvement on the island in this area, bringing up when the Richmond Foundation had been founded and the community around Villa Chelsea was up in arms after it was suggested that it would be turned into the first residential mental health home.

“Back then talking about mental health was like talking about something from another planet.”

She insisted that if we wanted to change the cultural mentality then focus must be put on educating the children, with a particular emphasis on social media due to it being a direct cause and affect with regards to depression because of cyberbullying and other related issues.