Financial problems and serious work problems are more stressful to the Maltese than the death of a loved one or getting divorced, according to new research. 

Titled ‘Stressful life events and perceived repercussions amongst the Maltese population’, the report was carried out by the University of Malta’s Faculty for Social Well-being.  

The purpose of the study was to bring to the fore the endless stressful situations that impede many from getting on with their life. One issue that stands out in the research but does not surprise faculty dean Andrew Azzopardi is that people are increasingly concerned about financial issues.

“The more time passes, the more people are becoming obsessed with money, and the more difficult it is becoming to navigate the financial challenges,” he said. 

'Consumerist nation'

Azzopardi said the economic model of the last 10 years promoted affluence and people appeared to believe their relevance relied on how much wealth they generated. 

“We have turned into a consumerist nation where the value of money supersedes all other factors of well-being,” he said.

A total of 434 people over the age of 18 were interviewed over the phone during the research, carried out in February and led by Anna Grech and research support officers Graziella Vella and Giulia Borg. 

Respondents were asked if they ever experienced a set of 21 traumatic life events and then asked how stressful they perceived the event to be and how it impacted them socially and psychologically.

Traumatic life events included: failing exams, bullying, work problems, break-ups, miscarriage, death of a loved one, caring for a sick relative, being abused by a parent or a partner, being sexually assaulted and having serious financial problems. 

The most stressful experiences

Financial problems topped the list of the most stressful traumatic experiences, cited by 17% of respondents. Out of those who faced such issues at some point in their life, 68% described the stress levels as ‘very high’, with 49% saying it caused psychological problems. 

This was followed by experiencing severe problems at work that led to official complaints or being sacked – something experienced by 13% of respondents. Of these, 60% said it led to ‘very high’ stress levels and 48% said they faced psychological repercussions. 

Data also showed that, out of the 12% who were mistreated physically or psychologically by a partner, 59% ranked stress levels as ‘very high’, with 67% experiencing psychosocial repercussions. 

High levels of psychological harm – 58% – were reported by the 7% who were separated from a parent as a child and the 4% who were sexually abused or assaulted. 

The traumatic event that was experienced by most people was the death of a loved one, with 82% of respondents having experienced it. Of these, 40% said this was ‘very stressful’ and strongly suffered psychologically.

The second most common traumatic event was living with or caring for someone seriously ill – something experienced by 33% of respondents. Of these, 45% found it very stressful. 

Just over 16% reported a change in their daily lifestyle due to a chronic illness of who 47% struggled psychologically. 

This was followed by financial problems and experiencing a break-up, separation or divorce – both experienced by 17% of respondents. When it came to relationship breakdowns, 41% found them ‘very stressful’. 

The report also showed that 14% of respondents experienced bullying during their school years, with half experiencing it more than three times. Some 45% of these said this left a psychological impact on their lives. 

Out of the 4% who terminated a pregnancy, 20% found it ‘stressful’ and 13% ‘very stressful’, while 31% said it led to psycho-social problems. Stress levels soared to 55% for those who had a miscarriage or were not able to conceive – something reported by 10% of respondents.