2025/01/01 by JD Musendo · 1 voice
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Collaborative Teaching and Inclusion #Family and Disability Support Research #Parental Involvement in Education
paper · doi:10.17037/pubs.04678137
openalex publication_date 2025/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/01/21 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01
BACKGROUND: Parental involvement is essential to supporting the education of children with disabilities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where educational resources and support systems are constrained. Despite the growing interest in this area, evidence regarding parental involvement interventions that are theory-informed, context sensitive, and relevant to supporting the education of children with disabilities remains limited. STUDY AIM: This PhD research aimed to develop, pilot test, and evaluate the feasibility of a participatory intervention co-designed to promote parental involvement in the education of children with disabilities in Malawi. METHODS: A sequential, multi-phase, mixed-methods design was utilised, guided by the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions. The methodology comprised four interconnected studies. First, a systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to evaluate interventions promoting parental involvement in the education of children with disabilities, focusing on literature published between 2000 and 2021. This was followed by a formative qualitative study that employed semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 25 participants (teachers, community leaders, parents/caregivers, and children with disabilities), exploring barriers and facilitators of parental involvement in Malawi. Insights from these studies informed the co-design of the Tiyanjane programme (Chichewa for “Let’s Unite”) through participatory workshops and consensus meetings that applied the Behaviour Change Wheel(BCW) framework. Finally, a mixed-methods feasibility assessment was conducted to evaluate the pilot intervention’s acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, and limited efficacy, using pre- and post-intervention surveys, observational monitoring, and qualitative interviews structured around the Bowen Framework (Bowen et al. 2009). KEY FINDINGS: The systematic review identified key limitations in the relevance and rigour of existing interventions, particularly their applicability to LMIC contexts. The qualitative study highlighted three core behavioural determinants of parental involvement in Malawi: capability (e.g., caregivers’ ability to learn, adapt, and take action), opportunity (e.g., practical access to schools, clear communication channels, opportunities for meaningful participation), and motivation (e.g., role definition, confidence and optimism, and perceived benefit). These insights informed the co-design and pilot of the Tiyanjane intervention. The 12-week programme was delivered to 21 participants (parents/caregivers, teachers, and community leaders) with high attendance levels (95%), retention (100%), and consistent and structured delivery by facilitators. The pilot demonstrated feasibility in this rural setting, and participants described enhanced collaboration and support between families, schools, and communities. Areas for further strengthening include the inclusion of male caregivers and attention to children with a broader range of impairments. The study also recognises that children with disabilities are not a homogeneous group, and future work should explore how the intervention performs across diverse disability types and household contexts. CONCLUSION: Tiyanjane, a culturally grounded and contextually appropriate intervention, offers early evidence of feasibility in Malawi. While pilot findings indicate acceptability and relevance, further testing through a larger-scale study is recommended to evaluate its adaptability, sustainability, and long-term outcomes.