Shaping recovery: Maltese drug court participants’ perceptions of salient factors in their treatment journey

This study explores the perceptions of individuals enrolled in Malta’s drug court treatment programme, with the aim of identifying the core elements shaping their recovery journeys according to their perceptions. Adopting a qualitative design, the research draws on in-depth interviews with twenty-one male and one female participant actively engaged in treatment at the time of the study. Findings reveal that this journey is not solely a product of structured interventions or legal mandates but is co-constructed through a complex interplay of interpersonal relationships, programme design, and personal agency. Utilising Reflexive Thematic Analysis, three central themes were generated centred around the transformative power of interpersonal interactions and therapeutic relationships; the evolution from resistance to engagement with structured requirements; and participants’ developing sense of self-responsibility and inner strength. While grounded in Malta’s unique legal and social setting, the findings contribute to the global drug court discourse by affirming the value of participant-led inquiry, and supporting a more person-centred, relational model of drug court practice. Ethical clearance for the research was obtained from the relevant authorities.