The Effect of Parental Involvement on Academic Motivation and Achievement Among Elementary School Students: A Quantitative Study

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of parental involvement on academic motivation and achievement among elementary school students. A quantitative, correlational-predictive research design with mediation analysis was employed. Data were collected from 512 parents and 512 matched students (grades 3-5) across 28 elementary schools in Tamil Nadu, India. The Parental Involvement in Education Scale (PIES, α = .92), the Academic Motivation Inventory for Children (AMIC, α = .88), and standardized academic achievement scores were utilized. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that parental involvement significantly predicted academic achievement (β = .44, p < .001), accounting for 31.7% of the variance. Structural equation modeling confirmed that academic motivation partially mediated this relationship (indirect effect β = .22, 95% CI [.16, .29], p < .001). Home-based involvement (β = .31) and academic socialization (β = .27) emerged as the strongest predictors. Independent samples t-test revealed significant differences in parental involvement between urban and rural settings, t(510) = 5.62, p < .001, d = 0.78. One-way ANOVA indicated significant differences across socioeconomic groups, F(2, 509) = 12.34, p < .001, η² = .046. These findings highlight the pivotal role of parental involvement in fostering academic motivation and achievement and offer actionable recommendations for school-family partnership programs.