Abstract
This study is the first of its kind in Zimbabwe to examine the factors that raise and lower hope for academic
achievement among parents of neurodivergent (ND) learners enrolled in private schools. Parental hope is
a strong predictor of learner success; however, without contextual understanding of the factors that sustain or diminish that hope, efforts to promote it risk being ineffective. Theoretically, this study contributes to expanding hope theory into the intersecting domains of inclusive education and parental engagement within African contexts.
Guided by an interpretivist paradigm, the research employed a qualitative phenomenological case study
design with supportive quantitative elements. Forty-two parents from Zimbabwe’s two largest cities
completed Snyder’s Adult Trait Hope Scale, a recognised self-assessment instrument, as well as an
adapted Situational Hope Scale to reflect on their parental hope in school contexts. Thirteen participants
were purposively selected for in-depth phenomenological interviews, enabling exploration of the lived
experience and meaning-making processes behind their hope trajectories.
Findings revealed that poor collaboration between schools and parents, deficit-based screening, and
unclear professional guidance lowered parental hope. Conversely, early detection, exposure to strengthsbased neurodiversity awareness, evidence of learner progress, and a broader focus on child well-being raised hope. When the quantitative and qualitative findings were interpreted together, they revealed a
paradox: Zimbabwean parents reported high overall hope despite the challenges of supporting ND learners in a high-stress educational environment. Parental agency emerged as a central construct, enabling families to navigate systemic gaps and sustain hope through self-directed effort.
The study concludes that while Zimbabwean parents receive limited formal guidance in supporting their
children’s learning, they demonstrate deep commitment to education and resilience in sourcing
alternative support. This research underscores the importance of collaborative partnerships between schools and families in inclusive education and contributes theoretically by integrating parental agency and contextual hope into Hope Theory. Zimbabwean private schools remain aspirational and could
strengthen their relationship with ND families by prioritising collaboration, teacher training, and parent
education.