Father involvement and self-efficacy in generation alpha children aged 3–6 years: a correlational study in Malang City, Indonesia

Laili Khusnul Khotimah; Janneke Janneke

doi:10.33474/thufuli.v8i1.25063

Authors

Laili Khusnul Khotimah Universitas Islam Malang
Janneke Janneke University of Netherland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33474/thufuli.v8i1.25063

Keywords:

Self-efficacy, Generation Alpha , Early Childhood, Correlational Study, Father Involvement

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between father involvement and self-efficacy in Generation Alpha children aged 3–6 years in Blimbing District, Malang City. A quantitative correlational design was employed with 80 fathers selected through purposive sampling. Father involvement was measured using the Early Head Start paternal involvement instrument, and children's self-efficacy was assessed using the Indonesian Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children across three dimensions: academic, social, and emotional. Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality testing confirmed normal data distribution, and Pearson product-moment correlation was used for hypothesis testing. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between father involvement and children's overall self-efficacy (r = .542, p < .001), with social self-efficacy showing the strongest association (r = .552), followed by emotional (r = .431) and academic self-efficacy (r = .392). Father involvement accounted for 29.4% of the variance in children's self-efficacy scores. These findings confirm that active paternal engagement is a meaningful predictor of early childhood self-efficacy, underscoring the importance of promoting involved fatherhood as a deliberate parenting strategy to support the holistic development of Generation Alpha children in the digital era.

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