Designing a School–Family–Community Ecosystem Partnership Model to Enhance the Psychological Capital of Elementary School Students

Abstract

This study aimed to design a school–family–community ecosystem partnership model for enhancing the psychological capital of elementary school students. This qualitative study was conducted using a grounded theory approach. The study population comprised university faculty members, specialists, and experts with theoretical knowledge or practical experience in school–family–community partnerships and students’ psychological capital. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, which continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. After 21 semi-structured, in-depth interviews, no substantially new data emerged. The collected data were analyzed according to the Strauss and Corbin grounded theory framework through open, axial, and selective coding. The rigor of the study was assessed using the criteria of credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability. The analysis generated 240 open codes, 51 axial codes, and 18 selective codes. The causal conditions comprised parental awareness and commitment, participatory planning by schools, families, and local institutions, and teachers’ belief in collective efficacy for students’ psychological development. The central phenomenon consisted of integrated and synergistic school–family–community participation and the enhancement of students’ psychological capital through continuous ecosystem interactions. A culture of cooperation and mutual trust, sustainable communication infrastructures, and participatory cultural values emerged as contextual conditions. Supportive educational policies, accessible financial and educational resources, and the development of communication and partnership competencies were identified as intervening conditions. The principal strategies included designing joint school–family educational programs, establishing local psychoeducational support networks, and implementing regular, needs-based participatory activities. The anticipated outcomes included sustained improvements in hope, self-efficacy, and resilience, stronger socioeducational cohesion, a more synergistic educational environment, positive academic identity, and greater intrinsic motivation among elementary school students. Enhancing elementary students’ psychological capital requires a structured, continuous, and synergistic partnership among schools, families, and communities. The proposed model provides a context-sensitive framework for educational policymaking, collaborative interventions, and the development of supportive learning environments.