Suelle Micallef Marmara’ was recently awarded the degree of Master in Transcultural Counselling from the University of Malta joint with the University of Maryland USA.

In part of fulfilment of the degree, Ms Micallef Marmara’ submitted one research project which studied the effect of immigration on the psychosocial development in adolescents. From this research, there emerged the degree of how much diversity affects the individual from both a psychological and a sociological perspective. Adolescents were found to be struggling to find their place within the new culture due to their differences. It brought about massive changes of habitual environment including language, social networks, and culture together with psychological and emotional difficulties, whereas, if they were to be accepted with their differences, immigration might have a different effect on the adolescents ’psychosocial development.

Reading for this degree has enriched Ms Micallef Marmara’s skills to improve her effectiveness in the role as a professional transcultural counsellor in Malta dealing with a vast population coming from different cultures.

The research work disclosed in this publication is partially funded by the Strategic Educational Pathways Scholarship (Malta). This Scholarship is part-financed by the European Union – European social Fund (ESF) under Operational Programme II-Cohesion Policy 2007-2013, ‘Empowering People for More Jobs and a Better Quality of Life’.