Tali Malka (Sup. Prof. David Roe & Prof. Stephen Levin),
 talimalca@walla.co.il

Background

Tali holds a master’s degree in social work from Tel-Aviv University. She specialized in rehabilitation of people with disability in mental health. Tali currently work as a regional manager and supervisor at the Case Management Service by Dialog. Tali has past experience as a case manager in the Rehabilitation Unit, Ministry of Health and as a manager of a housing service.

Current Research

“Predictor of Motherhood Efficacy among Women with Serious Mental Illness”

A review of the research literature reveals two approaches for dealing with the subject of motherhood among women with SMI. These approaches will be examined in the present study via two theoretical models: One approach emphasizes the limitations that the illness and the need to cope with psychiatric symptoms impose on the women’s ability to cope with pregnancy and the parental role. The medical model will be used to examine this approach. This model will examine whether a deterministic relationship exists between factors linked to the SMI and the parental efficacy of the mother who is coping with the illness. The other approach emphasizes the contribution of the motherhood experience to the mental state, functioning, and self-image of women who are coping with SMI, and suggests that certain psychosocial variables regulate the impact of the illness on parental functioning. The recovery model will be used to examine this approach. This model will examine whether resilience variables moderate the relationship between factors linked to the SMI and the parental efficacy of the mother who is coping with the illness. In addition, the present study will investigate the extent to which these models are unique to mothers with SMI.

Research Interests

Motherhood, Serious Mental Illness, Parental Role, Parental Stress, Motherhood Efficacy

Publication List

• Malka, T., Zisman-Ilani, Y., & Roe, D. (Accepted 2014). The Impact of the mother role among women with serious mental illness on their illness and recovery process: A systematic literature review. Society and Welfare, Quarterly for Social Work (Hebrew).