The role of parental involvement and emotional intelligence in students’ academic achievement: A correlational study at Woldia Millennium Secondary School, Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Parental involvement and emotional intelligence are widely recognized as important influences on academic success, yet their roles may vary across cultural and educational contexts. In Ethiopia, limited empirical work has examined how family engagement and emotional intelligence shape secondary school students’ performance. This study investigates the contributions of parental involvement and emotional intelligence to academic achievement at Woldia Millennium Secondary School, while also exploring potential gender differences. Using a quantitative correlational design, data were collected from 300 students through validated self-report questionnaires and academic records. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analyses examined the relationships and predictive contributions of parental involvement and emotional intelligence. The findings indicate that parental involvement is a strong positive predictor of academic achievement, emphasizing the importance of active family engagement. Emotional intelligence showed a negative association with achievement, while gender differences emerged: girls demonstrated higher academic performance and parental engagement, and boys scored higher in emotional intelligence. These findings underscore the central role of parents in supporting students’ learning and highlight the need for culturally sensitive emotional intelligence initiatives and gender-responsive educational strategies. They provide actionable guidance for teachers, school leaders, parents, and policymakers to enhance student outcomes in secondary education. • Parental involvement is a strong positive predictor of academic achievement among secondary school students in Ethiopia. • Emotional intelligence shows a context-dependent negative association with academic performance. • Female students exhibit higher academic achievement and parental engagement, while males score higher in emotional intelligence. • Combined parental support and emotional intelligence explain 23.9% of the variance in academic achievement. • Findings offer actionable guidance for teachers, parents, and policymakers on gender-responsive, culturally sensitive educational strategies.