Parental Involvement and Academic Achievement: A Conceptual Framework Based on Epstein’s Theory in the Malaysian Context

Abstract

Parental involvement is widely acknowledged as a critical determinant of student academic success, yet its impact varies across cultural and socio-economic contexts. This conceptual paper explores the relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement within Malaysian primary education, drawing on Epstein’s Theory of Overlapping Spheres of Influence as the theoretical foundation. The paper conceptualizes parental involvement through three dimensions; home-based activities, school-based participation, and parent-teacher communication and examines how socio-economic status and parental education level moderate these relationships. By integrating these contextual factors, the study proposes a framework that explains variability in parental engagement and its influence on learning outcomes. This work contributes to theory by extending Epstein’s model to a non-Western setting and incorporating moderating variables that reflect socio-cultural realities. Practically, the proposed framework offers insights for educators and policymakers to design targeted parental engagement strategies that promote equity and reduce achievement gaps. The paper concludes by outlining implications for future research and policy development aimed at fostering effective family-school partnerships in diverse educational environments.