MAPA - origins aims and perspectives

By Brother Saviour Gatt,  FSC,
Hon. President. MAPA


"Democracy means respecting the dignity of every person"

      A. Adler and R. Dreikurrs

"Social interest means
the interest in and the
feeling with the community.
It is the capacity to identify
with the community"   A. Adler

"The task of individual psychology is to comprehend the uniqueness of the individual."

With such changes it is not surprising that the methods and also the content of ‘What we should be teaching in school’ are being constantly questioned and often rejected by students as outdated and useless. This brings about not only discouragement but also discontent in the teaching profession. The teacher is unsure about his/her role today. Again, discipline and control may still he familiar words but they have lost their meaning because their application in the classroom is often not effective, if at all possible.

Parents, on the other hand, are made to face a similar situation in relation to their own siblings at home. Parents are not only finding it difficult to understand their children, but they are unable to form meaningful relationships with them, to the detriment of the family as a whole. Parental inadequacy seems to stem from a lack of training and preparation for parenting. While the doctor, engineer, nurse. etc, spend long years in training in order to acquire their particular expertise in order to apply it in their various roles, the parent is simply expected to raise a family, most of the time relying on his/her own resources and experience as a child him/herself.

Thus, the original objective of forming a ‘cooperation group’ was to bring together teachers and parents, and others who work with them - counselors anti social workers - so that through discussion and other styles of learning they will help individuals, each fulfil his/her role as formal and informal education of children and adolescents. The main aim of the group was to study and find more effective and practical ways of meeting the needs of teachers, parents and children of all ages.

An effective means of achieving this aim and object was devised first by Dr.Afred Adler and later by Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs and their followers. Democracy is the mainstay of this system. while ‘social interest’ is the resulting outcome as people develop ways of cooperating with responsibility and in respect. This is the basis and backbone of  Adler’s individual psychology.

Alfred Adler is still not known enough in Malta and as a consequence he has had little impact on education and psychology in these Islands. Nevertheless, Adler has a great deal to offer in order to bring about a reversal of the dangerous trend mentioned above that may lead, if no immediate action taken, to greater problems in our society, especially among adolescents themselves.Since the group’s humble beginning on December 4, 1991, the group grew slowly but steadily. In March 1993 the group launched the Adlerian method at the first National Alfred Adler Education Week. With the full support and encouragement of the Hon. Minister of Education, the Director of Education. the Faculty of Education of the University of Malta and the Malta Union of Teachers, we were able to bring to Malta three distinguished professors from the United States of America to introduce the practical aspects of Adlerian  Psychology to the teaching and ever to the industrial communities on the Island, We were proud to host various seminars to over a thousand teachers, counselors, social workers, youth leaders, industrialists and of course parents.

On November 19,1993, the MALTA ADLERIAN PSYCHOLOGY ASSOCIATION (MAPA.) was founded with 160 members. The original objective of the Alfred Adler Cooperation Group was maintained. Thus the Association’s task today is to bring together professional and non-professional persons who have at heart both a successful education system and a strong family structure in Malta. About 45% of the membership are regular participants at the monthly meetings. Recently a small number of members have been trained to lead local study groups within the Association. The ambition of the Association is the eventual founding of the ALFRED ADLER INSTITUTE OF MALTA. similar to those long established in many countries in Europe. the U.S.A. and Israel.

The task ahead is first to sensitize our society about the relevance of ‘Individual Psychology and to win support from the general public. Our challenge is great, but then “Children (are) the challenge”.

Bro. Saviour Gatt, FSC.