Parental involvement in school and quality of life: a longitudinal study with Portuguese parents during the COVID-19 pandemic period

ABSTRACT

Objectives

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, the lockdown periods were particularly challenging for families, and were marked by school closures and disruptions in work and educational routines, that may have significantly impacted children’s well-being. The present study aims to analyse Parental Involvement in School (PIS) during the period of COVID-19 in Portugal and its relation to children’s Quality of Life (QoL). The level of PIS was assessed at two times: (T1) during the first lockdown and (T2) at the end of the school year.

Method

The sample consisted of 131 parents, aged between 29 and 55 years, and 71.8% were mothers. The family’s sociodemographic characteristics were assessed, as well as the Parental Involvement in School and the children’s QoL.

Results

In general, the results revealed that families evaluate child’s QoL as higher in T2 and PIS and authoritative style were significant predictors of children’s QoL in the two times and a mediation effect of the authoritative style was found.

Conclusion

Based on these results, the article discusses practical implications to promote PIS and children’s QoL.

KEY POINTS

What is already known about this topic:

1. During the pandemic, different contexts provided children with different learning opportunities.

2. Parental involvement in school is associated with better outcomes, however its relationship with quality of life remains understudied.

3. There are few studies that investigate inequalities in parental involvement in school during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

What does this topic add:

1. Parents reveal more positive perceptions regarding their involvement and children’s quality of life after a period of lockdown due to COVID-19.

2. Parental involvement in school could be a protective factor that allows families to thrive in the face of adversity, in this case a period of lockdown.

3. The higher socio-economic status and higher educational level of the parents seem to have a positive contribution to parental involvement in school.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• parental support
• parental involvement in school
• parenting styles
• children quality of life

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Institutional review board statement

The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Scientific Commission of the Psychology and Sciences Education Department, University of Algarve, Reference No. E-UAlg/2020/20694.

Informed consent statement

Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by national funds through the FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia—as part of the project CIP—Ref [UID/PSI/04345/2020].