Chidinma Chikwe

Purpose: Parental involvement in education is widely recognized as a critical factor influencing children's academic success. This qualitative study seeks to explore the varied aspects of parental engagement and understand its direct and indirect effects on student outcomes. The objective is to delineate how different forms of involvement contribute to academic achievement and to identify the barriers that parents face in engaging with their children's educational processes. Methodology: The study employed a qualitative methodology, focusing exclusively on semi-structured interviews to gather comprehensive data from 24 participants, including parents, students, and teachers. The interviews aimed at achieving theoretical saturation and were analyzed using NVivo software to facilitate a thorough thematic analysis. The participant selection was purposive, ensuring a diverse demographic representation to capture a wide range of experiences and insights. Findings: Three main themes were identified from the analysis: Types of Parental Involvement, Impact of Involvement on Student Outcomes, and Barriers to Parental Involvement. Under these themes, multiple categories were explored, such as Emotional Support, Academic Assistance, and Financial Support, which significantly enhanced academic performance and student well-being. Barriers identified included work and time constraints, economic factors, and cultural attitudes, which hindered effective parental engagement. Conclusion: The study underscores the significant positive effects of diverse types of parental involvement on students' academic outcomes and emotional well-being. It also highlights several socio-economic and cultural barriers that can restrict parental engagement. Addressing these barriers is crucial for facilitating more effective parental involvement, which is essential for optimizing student achievement.

This study aims to investigate the predictive relationship between empathy, adaptive behavior, and neurodevelopmental functioning in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Understanding how these factors interplay can inform targeted interventions to enhance the quality of life and developmental outcomes for this population. The study employed a cross-sectional design with a sample of 330 adolescents diagnosed with ASD, aged 12 to 18 years. Participants were assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3) for neurodevelopmental functioning, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) for empathy, and the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition (ABAS-3) for adaptive behavior. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and linear regression using SPSS-27. Descriptive statistics revealed mean scores of 85.45 (SD = 15.23) for neurodevelopmental functioning, 52.30 (SD = 8.57) for empathy, and 70.12 (SD = 10.34) for adaptive behavior. Pearson correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between neurodevelopmental functioning and both empathy (r = .56, p < .001) and adaptive behavior (r = .67, p < .001). The regression analysis indicated that empathy (β = .38, p < .001) and adaptive behavior (β = .52, p < .001) significantly predict neurodevelopmental functioning, explaining 55% of the variance (R² = .55, p < .001). The study findings highlight the significant roles of empathy and adaptive behavior in predicting neurodevelopmental functioning in adolescents with ASD. Interventions focusing on enhancing these areas could positively impact the overall development and daily functioning of individuals with ASD. Future research should utilize longitudinal designs to further explore these relationships and examine the effectiveness of targeted interventions.