Parents’ Attitudes and Stress Levels Associated with Assisting Children’s Distance Learning in Western Indonesia

Abstract

The Indonesian government implemented distance learning to reduce the viral spread during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. A preliminary study based on interviews with 10 parents found that some parents had problems accessing the internet during their children’s online classes and that they used an excessive amount of data. Parents also had difficulty dividing their time between working and assisting their children with their online learning. This study aimed to determine parents’ attitudes and stress levels associated with assisting their children’s distance learning in western Indonesia. A descriptive research method was utilized, and the research population consisted of parents with school-age children undergoing distance learning in western Indonesia. The accidental sampling technique was used, and 384 respondents were involved. The research instrument was a questionnaire. Univariate analysis was used to analyze the data. The results showed that 1.6% of the respondents had a low stress level, 49.7% had a medium stress level, and 48.7% had a high stress level. The results also revealed that more than half of the respondents (51.3%; n=197) had a positive attitude toward assisting their school-age children during distance learning. Given that this study involved a substantial sample of parents, the findings have implications for academic institutions and community leaders in western Indonesia and similar region. The findings indicate that efforts could be made to educate parents about their stress and attitudes associated with distance learning and the effects these have on their children’s learning.