Carmel Cefai, Phd (Lond) is the Director of the Centre for Resilience and
Socio-Emotional Health, and Head of the Department of Psychology, at the
University of Malta. He was a visiting fellow at the School of Education, University
of Leicester, UK, Honorary Visiting Scholar at Flinders University, Australia, and
Fulbright Scholar at the Prevention Research Centre at Pennsylvania State
University, USA. He is joint founding honorary chair of the European Network for
Social and Emotional Competence (ENSEC), founding co–editor of the International
Journal of Emotional Education, and associate editor of the international journal
Emotional Behaviour Difficulties. He is the director of the Masters programme in
social, emotional and behaviour difficulties at the University of Malta, coordinator of
a longitudinal study on risk and resilience in children, coordinator of an international
project on the promotion of mental health in schools, and coordinator of an EU
project on resilience in education. His research interests include educational resilience,
social, social and emotional health in children and young people and social, emotional
and behaviour difficulties in children and young people. His recent books include
Social and Emotional Education in Primary School: Integrating Theory and Research
into Practice (2014, with V. Cavioni), Building Resilience in School Children (2011,
with L. Camilleri), Nurture Groups The Maltese Experience (2010, with P.
Cooper), Promoting Emotional Education (2009, with P. Cooper), Healthy Students
Healthy Lives (2009, with L. Camilleri), Promoting Resilience in the Classroom: A
Guide to Developing Pupils’ Emotional and Cognitive Skills (2008), and Engagement
Time: A National Study of Students with Social, Emotional, and Behaviour Difficulties
in Maltese schools (2008, with P. Cooper and L. Camilleri).
Recent Publications:
Cefai, C. and Cavioni, V. (2014) Social and Emotional Education in Primary School:
Integrating Theory and Research into Practice. NY, USA: Springer Publications.
Cefai, C., Ferrario, E., Cavioni, V., Carter, A. and Grech, T. (in press) Circle Time for
Social and Emotional Learning in Primary School. Journal of Pastoral Care in
Education.
Askell-Williams, H., Cefai, C. and Fabri, F. (2013) Maltese students’ perspectives
about their experiences at school and their mental health. Australian Journal of
Guidance and Counselling, Special Issue Psycho-Educational Assessment, 1-19.
Askell-Williams, H., Cefai, C., Skrzypiec, G.K., and Wyra, M.D. (2013) Educational
community stakeholders’ perspectives about school teachers’ responsibilities and
capabilities for mental health promotion in Maltese schools. Malta Review of
Educational Research, 7 (1), 27-51.
Camilleri, L. and Cefai, C. (2013) Identifying the Factors that Influence Change in
SEBD Using Logistic Regression Analysis. World Journal of Education, 3 (4), 96104.
Cooper, P. and Cefai, C. (2013) Evidence based approaches to social, emotional and
behaviour difficulties in schools. Korean Journal of Educational Policy, Special Issue
The Responsibility of the School for Promoting Students’ Social-Emotional
Character, and Moral Development and Preventing Bullying: Implications for
Educational Policy, 81-101.
Cooper, P. and Cefai, C. (2013) Understanding and Supporting Students with Social,
Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties: A Practical Guide for Staff in Schools. EMonograph, Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health, University of Malta.
Cefai, C, Cooper, P and Vella, R. (2012) A whole school approach to positive
behaviour in a girls secondary school. International Journal of Inclusive Education,
DOI:10.1080/13603116.2012.708362.
Cefai, C (2012) .Building Resilience in Children with SEBD. In T. Cole, H. Daniels
and J. Visser, (editors) The Routledge International Companion to Emotional and
Behavioural Difficulties. Routledge: London.
Lam, S, Jimerson, S., Kikas, E., Cefai C. et al (2012) Are Girls and Boys Equally
Engaged in School around the World? The Results of an International Study across 12
Countries. School Psychology International, 50, 77–94.
Arpa, S., Camilleri, L., Cefai, C., et al (2012) Evaluation of School Based Prevention
Programmes. Unpublished report presented to Ministry of Justice, Malta
Cefai, C and Cooper, P (2011) Nurture Groups in Maltese schools: Promoting
inclusive education. British Journal of Special Education, 38(2), 65-72.
Cefai, C, Camilleri, L, Cooper, P and Said, L (2011) The structure and use of the
teacher and parent Maltese Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. International
Journal of Emotional Education, 3(1), 4-19.
Cefai, C and Camilleri, L. (2011) The dietary habits of Maltese university students.
Malta Medical Journal, Vol 23 (2), 6-12.
Cefai, C. and Camilleri, L. (2011) Building Resilience in School Children. Risk and
promotive factors amongst Maltese primary school children. Malta: Euro-Centre for
Educational Resilience & Socio-Emotional Health, University of Malta.
Cefai, C. (2011) A framework for the promotion of social and emotional wellbeing in
primary schools. In R. Shute et al. (editors) International perspectives on mental
health and wellbeing in education. Australia: Shannon Research Press.
Cefai, C with Camilleri, L (2011) La dieta degli studenti universitari maltesi. In G.
Nuvoli (ed) Rapporto con il cibo e comportamento alimentare. Ricerche psicologiche
e socioeducative sul momento dei pasti in eta' evolutiva. Milano: FrancoAngeli
Cefai, C, Grech, T, Mallia Borg, F.et al. (2011) Education with Heart. Social and
emotional education as a core competence in Maltese primary schools. Unpublished
consultation document presented to the Education Directorates, Ministry of Education
and Employment, Malta.
Camilleri, L., Cefai, C and Cooper, P. (2011) Social, Emotional and Behavioural
Difficulties in Maltese Schools: A Multilevel Model. Journal of Research in
Educational Sciences, 11, 1(3): 3-15.
Cefai, C. and Cooper, P. (2010) Students without voices: the unheard accounts of
students with social, emotional and behaviour difficulties. European Journal of
Special Needs Education, 25 (2):183–198.
Cefai, C. and Cooper, P (2010) Nurture Groups in Primary School. The Maltese
Experience. VDM Verlag Dr Muller Publications
Cefai, C. (2010) There are no losers, everybody wins. Promoting educational
resilience in the classroom. In A. Matsopoulos (ed) From Risk to Resilience:
Applications for Schools and the Family. Athens: Papazisis Publishing
Cefai, C. (2010) Minn tallab għal prinċep: Ħrafa jew possibilta’ ? In C. Borg
(ed) Lorenzo Milani: Bejn il-bieraħ u llum. Malta:Horizons [From a Pauper to a
Prince: Myth or Reality? In C Borg (editor) Lorenzo Milani: From yesterday to today.
Malta:Horizons]
Cefai, C. (2010) The inclusive education of students with social, emotional and
behaviour difficulies. In A.Azzopardi (ed) Making Sense of Inclusive Education.
VDM Verlag Dr Muller Publications
Cefai, C. and Camilleri, L. (2009) Healthy Students Healthy Lives. The Health of
Maltese University Students. Malta: European Centre for Educational Resilience &
Socio-Emotional Health, University of Malta
Cefai, C. and Cooper, P. eds (2009) Promoting Emotional Education. Engaging
Children and Young People with social, emotional and behaviour difficulties London:
Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Cefai, C, Cooper, P and Camilleri, L (2009) Social, emotional and behavioural
difficulties in Maltese schools. International Journal of Emotional Education, 1 (1):
8-49
Cooper, P and Cefai, C (2009) Contemporary values and social context: implications
for the emotional well-being of children. Journal of Emotional and Behaviour
Difficulties, 14(2) : 91-100
Cefai, C. and Cooper, P. (2009) Emotional Education: Connecting with students’
thoughts and emotions. In In C. Cefai & P. Cooper (Eds.), Promoting Emotional
Education. Engaging Children and Young People with social, emotional and
behaviour difficulties London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Cooper, P and Cefai, C (2009) Emotional Education. International Journal of
Emotional Education, 1 (1): 1-3
Cefai, C. (2008) Promoting Resilience in the Classroom. A Guide to Developing
Pupils’ Emotional and Cognitive Skills. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Cefai, C, Cooper, P and Camilleri, L (2008) Engagement Time: A national study of
students of students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in Maltese
schools. Malta: European Centre for Educational Resilience & Socio-Emotional
Health, University of Malta
Cooper, P, Jacobs, B., Martin Maeve, with written contribution from Cefai, C. (2009)
Caring to Make a Difference: Educating Children and Young People with Social,
Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties: An International Research Review A Report
to the National Council for Special Education Ireland.
Cefai, C (2007) Resilience for all: a study of classrooms as protective contexts,
Journal of Emotional and Behaviour Difficulties, 12(2):119-134
Cefai, C. (2007) Educational Resilience. Journal of Emotional and Behaviour
Difficulties, 12(2):87 – 89
Cefai, C., Fenech, L. and Gatt, E. (2007) The views of newly qualified teachers on
Initial Teacher Education for students with Individual Educational Needs. In P.
Bartolo et al. (eds) Responding to Student Diversity Conference Proceedings. Malta:
Faculty of Education, University of Malta
Bartolo, P., Janik, I., Janikova,V., Hofsass, T, Koinzer, P., Vilkiene, V., Calleja, C.,
Cefai, C. et al. (2007) Responding to Student Diversity Teacher’s Handbook.
Malta: Faculty of Education, University of Malta
Cefai, C. and Cooper, P. (2006) Social, emotional and behaviour difficulties in Malta:
An Educational Perspective. Journal of Maltese Education Research, 4(1): 18-36