The Role of Parents in Supporting the Learning Motivation of Elementary School Students in Indonesia

Abstract

Parental involvement is an important contextual factor in sustaining elementary school students’ motivation to learn. This review aimed to synthesize evidence on the role of parents in supporting learning motivation among elementary school children in Indonesia. A structured literature review with descriptive-narrative synthesis was conducted using journal articles published between January 2016 and December 2025. Searches were performed through Google Scholar, GARUDA, and national journal portals using keywords related to parental roles, attention, support, and learning motivation. Seven empirical articles meeting the eligibility criteria were included and appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The studies involved 334 fifth-grade students; six employed quantitative correlational designs and one used a qualitative descriptive design. All studies reported a positive association between parental involvement and learning motivation. Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.381 to 0.612, while the explained variance reported by three studies ranged from 22.3% to 67.3%. Three principal forms of parental involvement were identified: emotional and motivational support, learning guidance and monitoring, and the provision of learning resources and a conducive home environment. Overall, consistent and autonomy-supportive parental involvement is associated with stronger learning motivation. However, the correlational evidence does not establish causality, highlighting the need for longitudinal, experimental, and multisite studies.