Abstract

Objectives: To examine the extent of parental engagement in their children´s schooling associated with the family atmosphere and how that impacts student confidence and, ultimately, school dropout rates. Methodology: A descriptive and correlational study with a sample of 350 students. Results: The average values for parental engagement was 3.87, family atmosphere, 4.11, student confidence, 3.76 and school dropout propensity, 1.69. The study highlights a correlation between family environment and parental participation of 0.43, student confidence resulting from their parent´s participation in their schooling of 0.21 and 0.36 for family environment. There was a negative correlation between student confidence and school dropout propensity of -0.25. Just the 5.4% of the phenomenon was explained by the model with negative associations between confidence and family environment with a weight of -0.246 and -0.014 with the inclination to abandon studies. Conclusions: Based on the fulfilled study objectives, CBM students´ family environment and student confidence favors school attendance. More parental participation in their children´s schooling is recommended, however, to deter the propensity of student dropout rates which was low at CBM, overall. It also serves to promote opportunities for reading as a family, reflection and raising awareness about the importance of learning. Parental participation also encourages students to engage in academic, sports as well as cultural and artistic activities offered by the school and increase their self-worth and sense of belonging.

Keywords Self-confidence; School Dropout; High School Education; Family; Participation