Parents want more help navigating modern parenting, study finds

Parents in Malta would like greater support and guidance on modern parenting challenges, particularly adolescents’ emotional needs and the use of technology and social media, according to a recent study.

Parents also believe that parenting campaigns should continue to emphasise the importance of spending quality time with children, mutual respect, and nurturing positive relationships.

The study, titled The Impact of Positive Parenting Campaigns on the Maltese Population, was carried out by Vincent Marmarà, Danika Marmarà and Angela Abela and published in the international Global Health Promotion journal.

Chair of Positive Parenting Malta Ruth Sciberras said that the publication places Malta on the international map in the field of positive parenting. The research analysed two national campaigns conducted in Malta between 2016 and 2024 as part of the Strategy for Positive Parenting.

These campaigns, carried out by Positive Parenting Malta, which falls within the Social Policy and Children’s Rights Ministry,  aimed to transmit simple but strong messages about the importance of positive family relationships.

Sciberras said that while initiatives are important, their effectiveness must be measured to guide future campaigns and policies.

A message that stuck - spend quality time with family

Parents reported that the message that resonated most strongly with them was the importance of spending quality time with their children, which she said reflects the core mission of Positive Parenting Malta.

Statistician Vincent Marmarà presented an overview of the findings. He noted that one had to keep in mind the short duration of the campaigns. The first campaign, held between February and June 2019, targeted parents of young children and included billboards across Malta and Gozo, primetime television spots and Facebook posts.

Its key messages focused on spending more quality time with children, being a better and more positive parent, and improving communication with children.

The importance of quality time was a key take-home messaged for parents who heard about the positive parenting campaigns.

The second campaign, conducted between June and October 2020, targeted parents of adolescents and consisted of television storyboards, Facebook posts and radio advertisements. This campaign highlighted spending time with children, building positive parent–child relationships, and ways of educating and guiding adolescents.

The impact of the campaigns was assessed through two surveys carried out after each campaign, with sample sizes of 800 and 600 respectively.

In both cases, the message most remembered by parents was the importance of spending quality time with their children.

For the first campaign, one in four parents reported having heard about it, and it received an average effectiveness score of 2.8 out of 5. The main messages recalled were how to be a better parent and how to communicate more effectively with children.

For the second campaign, one in five respondents were aware of it, and it achieved a higher average effectiveness score of 3.2 out of 5 – having been built on experience following the first campaign.

Parents most often recalled messages about building positive parent–child relationships, educating and guiding adolescents, and adopting a positive approach to parenting teenagers.

Parents of adolescent children spoke about the need for support in understanding their children's emotions.

Social Policy and Children’s Rights Minister Michael Falzon said that research shows early life experiences have a lasting impact, underscoring the crucial role of parents. He stressed the importance of safeguarding and nurturing the family as a space of love and guidance, even in the face of challenges.

Professor Angela Abela, deputy chair of Positive Parenting Malta,  said that the way people are brought up influences the partners they choose and how they raise their own children, highlighting the long-term value of positive parenting. She described this as a form of heritage that deserves sustained investment.

Abela noted a lack of international research on the impact of positive parenting campaigns. Many existing initiatives focus on behaviours that harm children, but these were found to be less effective because parents felt judged. In contrast, positive campaigns helped build closer connections with families.

Abela emphasised that it is essential to reach both mothers and fathers, particularly those who are harder to engage, as this is where meaningful change can happen and people can be supported to reshape their parenting journey.