Embargoed: Wednesday, 23 February 2005
Australian parenting expert Professor Matt Sanders is helping UK parents tame their children through a new reality television program and a national parenting study.
The University of Queensland Psychology Professor took part in the ITV program, “Driving Mum and Dad Mad” (which began airing on 16 February 2005) to rescue five families whose children were pushing their parents to the limit.
Cameras tracked the families over eight weeks as they put Professor Sanders’ Triple P – Positive Parenting Program – advice into practice to re-build relationships, tackle discipline and set rules and limits.
Tantrums and aggression were among the behavioural problems captured on film, with three-year-old Cameron kicking his mother if he didn’t get daily presents, and six-year-old Aaron swearing and fighting with his siblings.
Professor Sanders said all the families benefited from going through the Triple P course, and he hopes that the thousands of parents who watch the series will also benefit.
With a research grant from the UK government, Professor Sanders, in collaboration with the University of Manchester, is running “The Great Parenting Experiment”. More than 2000 UK parents will be assessed to see whether watching “Driving Mum and Dad Mad” helped them to improve their children’s behaviour and reduce their own stress levels.
At present, the impact of such programs is relatively unknown.
“The Great Parenting Experiment will be a significant study from which we can measure the impact of reality television on population change; we may even show that the media is an effective way for governments to address social issues,” said Professor Sanders.
The Triple P course is already used widely around the world and in Australia – it was commercialised by UQ’s main technology transfer company, UniQuest, and licensed to Brisbane-based Triple P International.
“Too often academic research lays collecting dust on university shelves instead of being taken out into the community where it has the potential to solve major social problems; UniQuest’s assistance in disseminating my research ensured I could make a difference,” said Professor Sanders
Contact details:
• Julia Renaud, Corporate Development Manager, UniQuest. Telephone: 07 3365 4037 Mobile: 0438 436 179 or Email: j.renaud@uniquest.com.au
• Melinda Midgley, Marketing Manager, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, Telephone: 07 3365 8820, Email: m.midgley@uq.edu.au
• Leanne Wilkinson, Marketing Manager, Triple P International. Telephone: 07 3367 1212 or Mobile: 0419 797 134 or Email: Leanne@triplep.net
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