The multi‐faceted effects of gender in parental involvement: The results of a systematic literature review

Parental involvement (PI) in a child's education, both at home and school, is a well‐researched topic, but there is limited focus on gender differences in PI. The aim of this systematic literature review was to investigate how the gender of students, parents and teachers influences PI and student achievement. Eighty‐five databases within the EBSCO Discovery Service were searched for studies that were published in English, focused on at least one form of PI, examined the gender of at least one actor (student, parent, or teacher), focused on K‐12 education, and presented original empirical results. Following a quality assessment using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, 43 studies were included, published from 1990 to 2024. The temporal, geographical and methodological characteristics of the studies were analysed, alongside thematic areas and the main findings. Findings revealed that most studies were from the global North, where mothers' involvement is typically higher, while in the global South, fathers' involvement tends to be greater. Single parenthood was associated with lower PI, although its impact on gender differences in achievement remains debated. Few studies examined teacher gender, and there was a significant lack of qualitative research on this topic, indicating areas for further investigation. Context and implications Rationale for this study: This systematic literature review covers the temporal and geographical characteristics (year of publication, location, target group studied), methodological characteristics (sample size, variables, methodology), and the main results of studies published between 1990 and 2024 on parental involvement/engagement and the effects that the gender of different actors (parent, student, teacher) have on involvement and its outcomes. Furthermore, the review synthesises the results of the literature in the following topics: gender differences in parental involvement (PI); the interaction effect of family structure and gender on involvement, gender differences and the impact of involvement on achievement; the combined effects of parenting principles and involvement on child outcomes, and gender differences and the relationship between higher education choices and involvement. Why the new findings matter: Our findings highlight that the effectiveness of PI does not only depend on its intensity or frequency. The characteristics of effective forms of involvement are also linked to the gender of its main actors (parent, student, teacher), gender interactions and gender role expectations within the cultural context. Implications for researchers and policymakers: For researchers, the lack of research including teachers' gender as an independent variable may be an important implication, as it represents a significant blind spot in gender research on this topic. An important implication for policymakers or school administrators facing the introduction of institutional good practices to increase PI is that it is of paramount importance to explore the values and stereotypes of gender roles in a given socio‐cultural context before any new policy is introduced and that more intensive involvement is not always associated with higher academic achievement, so that the different forms and actors of involvement should be given special attention.