Parental Transformational Leadership and Parent Self-Efficacy in Students’ Behaviour Management in Rwandan Secondary Schools

Abstract

Parental transformational leadership and parent self-efficacy are increasingly recognised as important factors in students’ behaviour management and school–home collaboration. This study examined the relationship between parental transformational leadership and parent self-efficacy in students’ behaviour management in Rwandan secondary schools using a convergent mixed-methods cross-sectional design. Quantitative data were collected from 308 parents through structured questionnaires, while qualitative data were obtained through interviews with Head Teachers, Directors of Studies, and Directors of Discipline. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression analysis, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings showed that although parents demonstrated strong involvement in basic caregiving responsibilities and moral guidance, their participation in school-based communication, collaborative decision-making, volunteering, and community engagement remained relatively limited. Parents also reported moderate self-efficacy, with stronger confidence in supporting academic activities than in influencing students’ behaviour and collaborating with schools. Correlation analysis indicated a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between parental transformational leadership and parent self-efficacy in students’ behaviour management (r = .798, p < .001). Regression analysis further showed that parental transformational leadership significantly predicted parent self-efficacy (B = .683, β = .798, p < .001), explaining 63.7% of the variance in parent self-efficacy (R² = .637). Qualitative findings supported the quantitative results by showing that parents who demonstrated proactive leadership behaviours, including guidance, supervision, communication, and collaboration with schools, were generally more confident in managing students’ behaviour. The study concludes that strengthening parental transformational leadership may enhance parent self-efficacy and improve school–home collaboration in Rwandan secondary schools.