Work

Contextual and socio‑demographic moderators of gendered parental involvement in children’s education: A comparative study of two rural communities in Bihar, India

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This comparative study examines how gender, socio demographics, and local circumstances shape parental involvement in two rural Bihar communities using Epstein's six-dimension framework. A stratified sample of 400 parents (two villages, 200 per village) completed face to face surveys measuring all the six-dimensions of Epstein framework. Composite scores yielded acceptable reliability. Independent samples t-tests revealed large gender gaps in Learning at Home and Community Collaboration in Town 1, and significant Father Mother differences in Decision Making and Community Collaboration in Town 2. Multiple regressions indicated that Education and Gender were consistent predictors of Communicating, Volunteering, and Learning at Home. Theoretically, the study extends Epstein's dimensions by integrating it with a contextualized, grounded family-systems approach. Empirically, it shows that community context and parental education shape the gendered enactment of specific involvement dimension, revealing dimension-specific mechanisms of role negotiation. Policies that address local norms and resource constraints can foster more equitable family–school partnerships in rural South Asia.

Source: International Journal of Educational Development

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2026.103520

Authors: Gideon Yeboah, Puneeta Pandey

Institution: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

Language: English

Topic: Parental Involvement in Education

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Gender equality, Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,490