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PhD candidate presents research on death and bereavement at the European Grief Conference in Porto
Ms Graziella Vella, a PhD candidate within the Department of Counselling at the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, presented her doctoral research at the , held in Porto, Portugal, between Wednesday 9 September and Friday 11 September 2026. Conducted under the academic supervision of Dr Roberta Attard and Prof. Jeannie Wright, Ms Vella delivered her research paper during a parallel session on 10 September.
The presentation, titled "Bereaved for Life: Death, Bereavement & Grief in Maltese Society" and co-authored with Dr Roberta Attard, examined how death, grief, and mourning are discursively framed and experienced within contemporary Maltese society.
The presentation included empirical data from a nation-wide survey adapting the Death Attitude Profile - Revised (DAP-R), carried out as part of a research project within the same the Faculty with Prof. Andrew Azzopardi, alongside elite qualitative interviews forming part of her doctoral research, with key social and clinical stakeholders.
The research highlighted a fundamental cultural paradox, that is, while 95% of respondents accept death as a natural aspect of life, 90% view it as a "grim experience," 59% actively push away death-related thoughts, and 47% feel Maltese society remains closed to discussing mortality openly.
Ms Vella’s research also addressed how rapid demographic shifts, with foreign nationals now comprising over 22% of Malta's population, and gradual secularisation are re-shaping traditional bereavement practices. The presentation contrasted historical customs, such as strict black mourning attire and universal Church burials, with emerging contemporary practices including "celebration of life" ceremonies, online commemorations, and secular arrangements.
The study emphasised the persistent taboo and public avoidance surrounding mortality, underscoring the urgent need for therapeutic "safe spaces," public education, and the formulation of a comprehensive national Death Policy.
The European Grief Conference is an international forum for researchers, educators, clinicians, and practitioners in bereavement care. Organised by Bereavement Network Europe (BNE) in partnership with the Irish Hospice Foundation, the Danish National Center for Grief, the University of Maia, and the Portuguese Society for Emotion-Focused Therapy (SPTFE), the 2026 conference focused on advancing research across systemic levels of support.
Ms Vella’s paper contributed directly to Conference Tiers Level 0 (Grief in Society) and Level 1 (The Universal Experience of Grief), providing valuable insights from the Maltese and broader Mediterranean context.
