The cultural expectations of Maltese couples in long-term relationships have shifted from prioritizing children to prioritizing companionship, a new local study on relationships has revealed.

The study released on Thursday, titled Sustaining Relationships: The Expectations and Lived Experiences of Maltese Couples - is the second major study carried out by the National Centre for Family Research, within the President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society. The launch was presided over by President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

Qualitative research in the form of interviews found that cultural meanings attached to expectations of long-term couple relationships were described as changing over the years.

"Some participants stated that traditionally couples gave priority to having children through marriage, whereas couples today were described as giving more priority to companionship and enjoying each other in a long-term relationship," explained expert from the National Centre for Family Research, Professor Suzanne Piscopo.

Other central emergent themes which were found to be expected from a long-term relationship were love, trust, respect, fidelity, communication, reciprocity and shared quality time.

Speaking about the research, President Coleiro Preca said that what caught her attention the most was the effect of quality time of couples on the well-being of the individuals, which is becoming more limited with the hectic lifestyle of modern life.

"We know that today it is more difficult to make time for each other, but that does not mean it should be a hurdle when it comes to investing more in our relationships," she said. 

Featuring 23 interviews with heterosexual couples, the study is a more in-depth exploration into the wellbeing of relationships that was developed in response to the outcomes of the first nationwide survey on life and relationship satisfaction in Malta, published in 2016.