Emotional Gaps in Affectionate Communication within Minangkabau Families: Perspectives of Parents, Children, and Teachers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32939/ijcd.v8i1.7050Keywords:
Emotional communication, emotional gap, parenting, minangkabau family, children’s emotional well-beingAbstract
Emotional communication within the family plays an important role in supporting children’s emotional development and psychological well-being. However, in everyday parenting practices, expressions of affection are not always interpreted similarly by parents and children, potentially creating emotional gaps within family relationships. This study aimed to explore emotional gaps in affectionate communication within Minangkabau families from the perspectives of parents, children, and teachers. The study employed a qualitative approach with an exploratory-descriptive design. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews involving 12 parents, 6 primary school children, and 6 primary school teachers selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis with an inductive approach. The findings revealed a discrepancy between parents’ parenting intentions and children’s emotional experiences. Parents tended to express affection through discipline, responsibility, and behavioral control, whereas children perceived affection through emotional presence, safety, attention, and warm communication. Limited emotional availability and dominant anger-based responses encouraged children to develop protective strategies, such as remaining silent, avoiding communication, and seeking emotional support outside the family. Teachers observed that these conditions affected children’s behavior, emotional well-being, and learning motivation at school. This study highlights emotional gaps as a cross-contextual relational phenomenon involving both family and school environments. The novelty of this study lies in its multiperspective approach, integrating the perspectives of parents, children, and teachers simultaneously to understand affectionate communication within the Minangkabau cultural context. The findings emphasize the importance of emotional presence in parenting and more sensitive collaboration between families and schools in supporting children’s emotional well-being, while providing an empirical foundation for the development of culturally responsive family counseling services and parenting education programs.
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