Enabling counsellors: the social construction of disability among Maltese counsellors

ABSTRACT

Counselling is generally recognised by persons with disability as a valuable service. However, persons with disability tend to be a particular client group which is often avoided by counsellors. In this study I investigated the social construction of disability among six Maltese counsellors. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. Findings showed that the social construction of disability among Maltese counsellors is influenced by three main forces, namely by the international and national politics of disability, by the Maltese social and cultural context, and by the counsellors’ professional training and cultures of practice. Findings of this research indicate the need for further training among Maltese counsellors about persons with disability and disability issues.

KEYWORDS:

• Disability
• counselling
• social construction
• thematic analysis
• social model of disability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy Camilleri-Zahra

Amy Camilleri-Zahra is an assistant lecturer at the Department of Disability Studies, University of Malta, Malta. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the same university and her research interests are disabled women's issues, social representations of disability, and counselling and disability.