PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL-BASED PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT AND READINESS FOR COLLABORATION

Abstract

In the contemporary educational context, the rise in students’ emotional difficulties increases the need for accessible and effective school-based psychological support. Parents’ perceptions and their readiness to collaborate with professional services are crucial for the timely identification of difficulties and the successful implementation of interventions.This study examines the association between parents’ perceptions of school-based psychological support and their readiness to collaborate with professional services in contexts of children’s emotional difficulties. Guided by a descriptive–correlational design, data were collected via two Likert-type scales (10 items each): a Perception of Psychological Support scale and a Readiness for Collaboration scale, complemented with a demographic questionnaire. The sample comprised 122 parents of primary-school children (ages 6–15), surveyed through Google Forms under full ethical safeguards (voluntary participation, anonymity, informed consent). Descriptive statistics indicated a moderate average perception of school psychological support (M=22, SD=12; range 10–50) and a high level of parental readiness to collaborate (M=41, SD=4; range 10–50). Pearson correlation revealed a strong, statistically significant relationship between perception and readiness (r=0.65, p<.001). Parents reporting prior positive experiences with school-based support demonstrated higher readiness (t(120)=5.62, p<.001). Parental knowledge about the school psychologist’s role correlated positively with readiness (r=0.58, p<.001). Multiple regression showed that perception (β=0.62, p<.001), information (β=0.15, p=.006), and prior experience (β=0.12, p=.021) jointly explained 45% of the variance in readiness (F(3,118)=32.8, p<.001). Subgroup analyses suggested higher readiness among mothers, older parents, those with higher education, full-time employment, parents of younger pupils (6–10), and among families facing salient emotional difficulties (e.g., anxiety, anger outbursts) compared with withdrawal/shyness profiles. Findings underscore perception as a key predictor of collaboration, highlighting the need for transparent communication, parent-focused psychoeducation, flexible counseling formats, and systematic partnership-building to strengthen early identification and effective school-based interventions. Practical implications include establishing clear school–family collaboration protocols, maintaining regular feedback channels, and defining measurable indicators of progress. Future research should longitudinally examine the causal impact of parental perceptions and test the effectiveness of specific psychoeducational programs. Implementing these recommendations is expected to increase parental engagement, enhance the quality of support, and contribute to better educational and psychosocial outcomes for students.