A PhD study entitled – Early co-parenting programmes with parents of infants with a highly reactive temperament: A randomised study using Parents as Partners (PasP) aims to help Maltese-speaking parents communicate better with their infants.

This study has been supported by the HSBC Malta Foundation and the findings were discussed during a conference held at the Valletta Campus of the University of Malta in December.

It investigated the usefulness of the so-called ‘Parents as Partners’ co-parenting programme for parents who described their infants as having a highly interactive temperament.

It was explained that the study found that following specific training, the parents learnt to use more effective parenting strategies, helping to reduce their infants’ levels of reactivity.

Dr Ingrid Grech Lanfranco PhD, the author of the study, said, ”thanks to the HSBC Malta Foundation who sponsored my PhD study I believe that this research provides crucial findings which will help us raise a happier, more successful younger generation.”

She added that ”parents participating in the study reported less conflict in their relationship as a couple and more effective interaction with their child/children after participating in the Parents as Partners co-parenting programme, which was the intervention used in this study.”

”The changes in the parenting relationship brought about more positive parent-child interactions as well as reduced adverse child reactivity,” she said.

Jesmond Apap, Head of Global Markets at HSBC Bank Malta, said, “for HSBC Malta, supporting the younger generation has always been an important mission.

Apap added that the Bank has offered support in this regard across many fields, including, but not limited to, environmental protection, financial literacy skills and education in general.”

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