Munchausen's by proxy : a study conducted within a local context

Abstract

The aim of this study is to research the rare phenomenon of Munchausen's Syndrome By Proxy (MSBP) and apply it to a local context. Local research on the topic is scarce and thus the researcher wanted to focus on why MSBP is a taboo subject. Apart from the lack of awareness, the study also goes into detail regarding the two main debates concerning the topic. First, there is the conflict of whether MSBP is more of a mental illness than child abuse, and secondly, whether MSBP is more of a product of genetics or environmental influences (Nature versus Nurture). Besides, the study also goes into the secondary themes of MSBP – specifically, offender profiles, MSBP treatment, the impact of technology and the controversies of past research. To highlight the local research used in this study, four Maltese professionals coming from medical and social work backgrounds were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. They were asked on their experiences in learning about MSBP as well as tackling such cases. Moreover, these professionals were required to provide their opinions regarding the MSBP themes mentioned above. The findings gathered were compared and contrasted with what the study has researched on the field. Hence, this study has incorporated a variety of criminological, medical, psychological and sociological perspectives in order to uncover the different layers of MSBP.