School Dropout Research Articles

Analyzing Dropout in Alcohol Recovery Programs: A Machine Learning Approach.

Background: Retention in treatment is crucial for the success of interventions targeting alcohol use disorder (AUD), which affects over 100 million people globally. Most previous studies have used classical statistical techniques to predict treatment dropout, and their results remain inconclusive. This study aimed to use novel machine learning tools to identify models that predict dropout with greater precision, enabling the development of better retention strategies for those at higher risk. Methods: A retrospective observational study of 39,030 (17.3% female) participants enrolled in outpatient-based treatment for alcohol use disorder in a state-wide public treatment network has been used. Participants were recruited between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019. We applied different machine learning algorithms to create models that allow one to predict the premature cessation of treatment (dropout). With the objective of increasing the explainability of those models with the best precision, considered as black-box models, explainability technique analyses were also applied. Results: Considering as the best models those obtained with one of the so-called black-box models (support vector classifier (SVC)), the results from the best model, from the explainability perspective, showed that the variables that showed greater explanatory capacity for treatment dropout are previous drug use as well as psychiatric comorbidity. Among these variables, those of having undergone previous opioid substitution treatment and receiving coordinated psychiatric care in mental health services showed the greatest capacity for predicting dropout. Conclusions: By using novel machine learning techniques on a large representative sample of patients enrolled in alcohol use disorder treatment, we have identified several machine learning models that help in predicting a higher risk of treatment dropout. Previous treatment for other substance use disorders (SUDs) and concurrent psychiatric comorbidity were the best predictors of dropout, and patients showing these characteristics may need more intensive or complementary interventions to benefit from treatment.

Cyberbullying Menurunkan Dua Kali Motivasi Belajar Siswa

Motivation to learn is a critical factor for achieving academic success. Low motivation can lead to serious issues such as school dropout and involvement in criminal activities. This study aims to explore the factors that influence student learning motivation. A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 198 junior and senior high school students selected through convenience sampling. The study was conducted in April and May 2024. Data were collected via questionnaires distributed through the g-form platform and shared via social media. Bivariate analysis was performed using chi-square and t-tests. Meanwhile a multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association of cyberbullying and other factors to learning motivation. Results indicated that cyberbullying (p = 0.013), school bullying (p = 0.032), and school type (p = 0.041) significantly influenced student learning motivation (p 0.05). Our multivariate analysis revealed that incidents of cyberbullying were the most influential factor, reducing student learning motivation by a factor of two (AOR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.16-3.82). These findings highlight the need for preventive efforts against cyberbullying through educational programs and campaigns promoting the responsible use of digital devices, as well as increased parental supervision.

Study on University Dropouts In the Context of the Romanian Education System Reform

After 2010, the Romanian university system registered an increase of dropout cases. This aspect requires to identify and implement some alternative methods of action at the national level with the unique scope to prevent and combat early university dropout. The good motivation of the students for their studies is increasingly low. Some of the causes which determine this phenomenon are well known and quite difficult to remove, as for example the financial and intellectual development level of the family from where they come. These aspects can often be decisive factors in the emergence of the school dropout phenomenon. But these aspects are certainly not the only causes. This is the reason for which other aspects, which determine the students to dropping out the school and can be more easily corrected, must be identified. The aim of this paper is to present these aspects, emphasizing the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to limit absenteeism and university dropout. For this purpose, we present a questionnaire applied at "Ovidius" University on a target group of students. The participants consisted of 500 students from 5 faculties of our university. With this questionnaire we want to identify patterns and trends in the evolution of absenteeism and university dropout.

The Role of Educational Stakeholders in Mitigating Socio-Economic Shocks Causing Students to Drop Out of School in East Shewa, Ethiopia

This study analyses the role that key education stakeholders play in mitigating socio-economic shocks causing students to drop out of school. The study investigated the role of teachers, parents, support providers, and administrators in four districts of East Shewa zone in Oromia Region, Ethiopia, with respect to their understanding of the severity of school drop-out, collaborative actions to combat it, and context-based handling of shocks. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was employed. Pertinent data were collected from second-cycle primary schools in the areas of Adea, Dugda, Gimbichu, and Fentalle, which were selected based on cluster sampling. Semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions were utilised for the purposively selected participants and a binary-mode questionnaire for the randomly selected groups of teachers in the targeted schools. Data were collected and analysed systematically by means of percentage points and thematic analysis. The findings show that though causes of school drop-out were diverse from place to place in accordance with the socio-economic conditions of the respective communities, the actions taken to combat school drop-out were not cognisant of the communities’ socio-economic conditions as they did not consider the varied nature of shocks. While school drop-out was understood to be a misfortune among supportive groups, teachers, and supervisors, it was not equally understood so by parents, who appeared as representatives of the community. Strategies that different education stakeholders used to combat factors leading to school drop-out were not focused and context friendly.

Who stays? Who goes? Motivation and tendency to drop out in music schools.

Based on self-determination theory, this study examined the extent to which the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and social relatedness in instrumental lessons explain the quality and quantity of motivation, which are responsible for persistence and dropout in music schools. This study also investigated whether parental involvement contributes to dropout. A total of 140 music students from Austria (37.16% male, 62.1% female, 0.8% diverse) were surveyed using a quantitative questionnaire. The central variables are the tendency to dropout (dependent variable) and, as predictors, the motivational regulation styles, the satisfaction of basic psychological needs in the classroom and parental involvement. The results of a structural equation model indicated that satisfaction of basic needs in class and parental involvement, mediated by motivation, predicted dropout tendencies. Autonomous motivation in lessons is negatively associated and controlled motivation is positively associated with the tendency to drop out of music schools. Satisfaction of basic psychological needs during lessons and parental involvement predicts autonomous motivation. However, basic psychological needs cannot predict controlled motivation but parental involvement can predict controlled motivation to a limited extent. Finally, this study emphasizes the practical importance of need satisfaction and parental involvement in motivation and continuing to play a musical instrument.

Studyholism as a New Potential OCD-Related Disorder: What Evidence Have We Gathered until Now? A Narrative Review.

In 2017, Loscalzo and Giannini introduced the new potential clinical condition of studyholism (or obsession toward study) and a comprehensive model including its possible antecedents and outcomes. Then, emphasizing the value of avoiding an aprioristic (addiction) framework in analyzing problematic overstudying, they suggested conducting research on this new construct to unveil its internalizing and/or externalizing nature while also avoiding the over-pathologizing of a common behavior such as studying. Seven years after the first publication about studyholism, growing evidence concerning its antecedents suggested that studyholism might be defined as an OCD-related disorder (or, more generally, as an internalizing disorder). Moreover, the research about its outcomes highlighted that it is a problem behavior deserving attention as it is associated with academic, psychological, physical, and social downsides. Therefore, this paper aims to review the scientific literature published concerning studyholism to illuminate if it might be conceptualized as an OCD-related disorder based on its symptomatology, antecedents, and impact on individuals' academic, physical, and psychological functioning. Given that it is a new construct, it is of critical value to systematize the findings gathered until now as it can help scholars interested in students' well-being to have a clear understanding concerning the importance of screening studyholism since childhood, as this will help favor academic success and well-being and reduce the risk for school dropout. Finally, this paper presents an agenda for future research on studyholism, and it highlights the importance of further analyzing problematic overstudying using different theoretical perspectives (such as the behavioral addiction conceptualization) to unveil its real nature.

Exploring the Unexpected: the Relationship Between Higher Family Income and Dropout Risk

This study investigates the paradoxical influence of family income on school dropout risks among Brazilian public-school students. Discussing previous results that challenges traditional perspectives on school dropout by examining how students from higher family income show higher dropout risk. We hypothesize that this is due to flexible capitalism changes in our societies labor market and to the devaluation of schools as a meaningful place for student’s life projects. Analyzing data from 15,924 Brazilian high school and middle school students using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and univariate models, the study reveals that students from higher-income families are more likely to drop out when they perceive school as less relevant for their future careers. This unexpected finding suggests that, unlike most literature on this field, higher income students might be at greater risk of dropout due to the pressure to enter the workforce and the perceived lack of school's alignment with their career aspirations. This study contributes to the understanding of school dropout in the global south, proposing the need for educational reforms that align with contemporary labor market realities.

Rural Roads, Child Labor, and Schooling in Rural Ethiopia

New roads bring new opportunities including access to employment. However, new employment opportunities might encourage early school dropout and school absenteeism. We investigate the link between rural roads, children’s labor allocation, and educational outcomes by focusing on the recent Ethiopian road construction program. In the analysis, we combine household panel data with novel road network data. To address endogeneity concerns, we combine a difference-in-difference estimation model with a matching technique. Our findings consistently show that road access does not encourage school absenteeism or school dropouts to join the labor force. The findings remain consistent across gender and age groups.

SCHOOL DROPOUT AND STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC TWELVE YEARS BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS OF RWANDA

The school dropout rate reduces significantly the school productivity including the students academic performance mostly in twelve years basic education in Rwanda. The purpose of this study therefore sought to establish the relationship between school dropout and students academic performance in public twelve years basic education schools of Burera District in Rwanda.Correlation research design was employed. The target population was 3575 people and Yamane (1967) formula was used to get the sample size of 360 respondents. Questionnaire and interview guide were used during data collection. IMB SPSS software version 20 was used in management of quantitative data. The findings revealed that 79.2% strongly agreed that Poor attendance can lead to school dropout. It was also noted that 79.4% strongly agreed that getting low Scores in examination can be considered as poor learning perspective. The findings also revealed that there is a statistical relationship between school dropout and students academic performance in public twelve years basic education schools. It was recommended that personal and social consequences of dropping out, accountability systems must emphasize dropout prevention measures.

STRATEGI DINAS PENDIDIKAN DAN KEBUDAYAAN KOTA PROBOLINGGO DALAM MENGATASI PERMASALAHAN ANAK PUTUS SEKOLAH

In its implementation, this compulsory education program did not run as expected due to the many obstacles faced by the government. One of them is that there are still cases of students dropping out of school and unable to continue their education to a higher level. This type of research is descriptive qualitative, namely research that aims to describe or explain a situation or event The results of this research regarding the Performance of the Probolinggo City Education Office in Overcoming the Problem of Out-of-School Children, it can be concluded that the Probolinggo City Education Office has demonstrated performance that leads to overcoming the problem of out-of-school children. The Probolinggo City Education Office intervened in subsidizing education costs through the Education Operational Assistance Program and the Smart Probolinggo Program to increase school participation rates and minimize school dropout rates.

Understanding Child Marriage Among Girls in Nigeria: A Focus on Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State

The right of choice in marriage is universal and it is enshrined in international human rights instruments. Yet, many girls under 18 years enter into marriage without a chance to exercise that right. This has proved problematic as the situation often results in negative outcomes including school drop-out, pregnancy risks, diseases and sexually transmitted infections, unhappiness, and even death. This study therefore examined the factors influencing child marriage among girls in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. It specifically investigated the cultural and sociodemographic factors influencing child marriage among girls in the study area. The ethno-cultural theory of pedogamy guided the study. The mixed method research design was employed with structured questionnaire and key informant interviews utilized in the collection of data. Data was retrieved from 183 respondents, and it was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study hypothesis was tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Results from the study showed that the practice of arranged marriage and beliefs that marriage brings honour to a girl and her family contributes to child marriage. Also, ignorance of fundamental human rights among girls and peer influence, as well as financial difficulties in families, illiteracy among parents and weak enforcement of legal sanctions against child marriage contributes to the practice of child marriage. The study recommends, among others, promotion of education and awareness programme that challenge cultural beliefs that perpetuate child marriage, and implementation of interventions that address poverty in Nasarawa Eggon LGA.

The ripple effect of school dropout: exploring the nexus between school dropout, deviance, and subsequent arrest amongst children in India

PurposeThis paper aims to measure the prevalence of deviant behaviour among children who have dropped out of school and their subsequent arrests by the criminal justice system. The paper further analyses the relationship between the factors attributed to deviant behaviour and the subsequent arrests by the criminal justice system.Design/methodology/approachUsing a semi-structured interview schedule, data was collected from 330 children who had already dropped out of school, remained on the streets or worked. The interviews took place in the presence of either of the children’s parents, with their consent.FindingsThe research identified 12 significant factors contributing to children dropping out of school. It also found six factors responsible for deviant behaviour. Furthermore, the study revealed that about 70% of the respondents were involved in one or more deviant behaviours. Among them, 51% had been detained by the Police in the past two years. Additionally, the linear regression model results positively predict the nexus among the six factors responsible for deviant behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited to male children who had dropped out of school, as female children were excluded. In connection with measuring deviant behaviour, it was challenging to discern whether it occurred before students left school, after or both.Practical implicationsThe study suggests several measures, including policies such as early intervention programmes, providing quality education, mentoring and counselling for students and parents, vocational education opportunities, creating drug-free environments, career guidance, peer mentoring, community engagement, substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation programmes, to prevent school dropout and subsequent deviant behaviour.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is unique to India. The moderation regression model represents an exceptional finding. This study constitutes another addition to the field of child welfare while also indicating scope for future research.

Pre-Randomization Predictors of Study Discontinuation in a Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundParticipant discontinuation from study treatment in a clinical trial can leave a trial underpowered, produce bias in statistical analysis, and limit interpretability of study results. Retaining participants in clinical trials for the full study duration is therefore as important as participant recruitment.ObjectiveThis analysis aims to identify associations of pre-randomization characteristics of participants with premature discontinuation during the blinded phase of the Anti-Amyloid treatment in Asymptomatic AD (A4) Study.DesignAll A4 trial randomized participants were classified as having prematurely discontinued study during the blinded period of the study for any reason (dropouts) or completed the blinded phase of the study on treatment (completers).SettingThe trial was conducted across 67 study sites in the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia through the global COVID-19 pandemic.ParticipantsThe sample consisted of all 1169 A4 trial randomized participants.MeasurementsPre-randomization demographic, clinical, amyloid PET and genetic predictors of study discontinuation were evaluated using a univariate generalized linear mixed model (GLMM), with discontinuation status as the binary outcome, each predictor as a fixed effect, and site as a random effect to account for differences among study sites in the trial. Characteristics significant at p<0.10 were then included in a multivariable GLMM.ResultsAmong randomized participants, 339 (29%) discontinued the study during the blinded period (median follow-up time in trial: 759 days). From the multivariable analysis, the two main predictors of study discontinuation were screening State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores (OR = 1.07 [95%CI = 1.02; 1.12]; p=0.002) and age (OR = 1.06 [95%CI = 1.03; 1.09]; p<0.001). Participants with a family history of dementia (OR = 0.75 [95%CI = 0.55; 1.01]; p=0.063) and APOE ε4 carriers (OR = 0.79 [95%CI = 0.6; 1.04]; p=0.094) were less likely to discontinue from the study, with the association being marginally significant. In these analyses, sex, race and ethnicity, cognitive scores and amyloid/tau PET scores were not associated with study dropout.ConclusionsIn the A4 trial, older participants and those with higher levels of anxiety at baseline as measured by the STAI were more likely to discontinue while those who had a family history of dementia or were APOE ε4 carriers were less likely to drop out. These findings have direct implications for future preclinical trial design and selection processes to identify those individuals at greatest risk of dropout and provide information to the study team to develop effective selection and retention strategies in AD prevention studies.

Enhancing high-school dropout identification: a collaborative approach integrating human and machine insights

Despite its proven success in various fields such as engineering, business, and healthcare, human–machine collaboration in education remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to highlight the advantages of human–machine collaboration for improving the efficiency and accuracy of decision-making processes in educational settings. High school dropout prediction serves as a case study for examining human–machine collaboration’s efficacy. Unlike previous research prioritizing high accuracy with immutable predictors, this study seeks to bridge gaps by identifying actionable factors for dropout prediction through a framework of human–machine collaboration. Utilizing a large dataset from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), two machine learning models were developed to predict 9th-grade students’ high school dropout history. Results indicated that the Random Forest algorithm outperformed the deep learning algorithm. Model explainability revealed the significance of actionable variables such as students’ GPA in the 9th grade, sense of school belonging, self-efficacy in mathematics and science, and immutable variables like socioeconomic status in predicting high school dropout history. The study concludes with discussions on the practical implications of human–machine partnerships for enhancing student success.

Severe magnitude of dental and skeletal fluorosis and its impact on society and environment in a part of Manbhum-Singhbhum Plateau, India

BackgroundNumerous approaches have been adopted to evaluate limited freshwater resources and the associated health hazards due to excessive amounts of fluoride in drinking water. The study aims to assess the degree and severity of dental and skeletal fluorosis and examine the broader effects of fluorosis on human health and society in the Manbhum-Singhbhum Plateau region, India.MethodsThe Community Fluorosis Index (CFI) and Dean’s Index have been used to measure the magnitude and severity of dental and skeletal fluorosis. Questionnaire surveys, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and appropriate statistical methods have been applied to identify the social impacts. Risk-prone zones have been identified through overlay analysis using geoinformatics.ResultsAbout 54.60% of people in 67 villages of this part of the Manbhum-Singhbhum Plateau are affected in varying degrees of fluorosis ranging from very mild to mild, moderate, and severe dental fluorosis. Among these 67 villages, Janra (Manbazar I) and Hijla (Barabazar) have the most severely affected people. School dropout (n = 426), social isolation (n = 149), remarriage (n = 21), and physically disabled (n = 75) have also been reported. The study shows that about 414.29 km2 of the Manbhum-Singhbhum Plateau comes under the high-risk-prone category.ConclusionsThe societal and environmental awareness of the fluorosis-affected individuals is almost absent in this region. Economic hardships, lack of education, inadequate health care facilities, water scarcity, and lack of awareness increase the magnitude of health hazards and societal vulnerability of the people in this region, who are largely dependent on natural resources.

Living Donor Availability Improves Patient Survival in a North American Center: An Intention-to-treat Analysis.

Assess the impact of having a living donor on waitlist outcomes and overall survival through an intention-to-treat analysis. Living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) offers an alternative to deceased donation in the face of organ shortage. An as-treated analysis revealed that undergoing LDLT, compared to staying on the waiting list, is associated with improved survival, even at Model for End-stage Liver Disease-sodium (MELD-Na) score of 11. Liver transplant candidates listed at the Ajmera Transplant Centre (2000-2021) were categorized as pLDLT (having a potential living donor) or pDDLT (without a living donor). Employing Cox proportional-hazard regression with time-dependent covariates, we evaluated pLDLT's impact on waitlist dropout and overall survival through a risk-adjusted analysis. Of 4,124 candidates, 984 (24%) had potential living donors. The pLDLT group experienced significantly lower overall waitlist dropouts (5.2%vs. 34.4%, P<0.001) and mortality (3.8%vs. 24.4%, P<0.001) compared to the pDDLT group. Possessing a living donor correlated with a 26% decline in the risk of waitlist dropout (adjusted hazard ratio 0.74, 95%CI 0.55-0.99, P=0.042). The pLDLT group also demonstrated superior survival outcomes at 1- (84.9%vs. 80.1%), 5- (77.6%vs. 61.7%), and 10-year (65.6%vs.52.9%) from listing (log-rank P<0.001) with a 35% reduced risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio 0.65, 95%CI 0.56-0.76, P<0.001). Moreover, the predicted hazard ratios consistently remained below 1 across the MELD-Na range 11-26. Having a potential living donor significantly improves survival in end-stage liver disease patients, even with MELD-Na scores as low as 11. This emphasizes the need to promote awareness and adoption of LDLT in liver transplant programs worldwide.

Empty Heart Disease: Teaching and Learning in China.

Drawing on 15 years of experience teaching psychoanalytic theory and therapy primarily from an object relations perspective to Chinese psychotherapists onsite and online, the authors present their learning about Chinese culture, social history, and philosophy, and the Chinese way of communicating about emotional experience. Their essay is imbued with the Chinese use of metaphor and psychosomatic symbolization, particularly involving the heart. They elaborate on the Chinese concept of Empty Heart Disease, comparing and contrasting it to Western concepts from literature, sociology and psychoanalysis, namely spleen, anomie, dead mother, and schizoid, empty, false, and narcissistic self-states. They expand upon and extend the empty heart concept to various age groups and symptom presentations in China, illustrated by a vignette from individual psychoanalysis with a woman and three vignettes from applied psychoanalysis of a couple with no intimacy, a child with an obsessive psychosomatic symptom, and an adolescent school dropout who was self-harming and suicidal in response to academic pressure. Having emphasized the connection between symptom presentations and social life and times, they discuss the impact of trauma, its transgenerational transmission in China, and the impact of unprecedented economic growth and social change on individuals, couples and families.

Kontribusi Pemerintah Kota Bitung dalam Memajukan Pendidikan Non-Formal melalui Bantuan Sosial kepada PKBM

This research illustrates how the Bitung City Government's policy through social assistance for the distribution of the implementation of non-formal education programs in the center of community learning activities in an effort to increase the level of graduation of the community in Bitung City through the Equality Examinations program. As well as how the Bitung City Government's policy related to budget assistance to the center of community learning activities can accommodate the needs of people who drop out evenly and have the same opportunity in the fulfillment of educational services in Bitung City. Thus, this research focuses on two things, namely 1) Analyzing a non -formal education budget assistance policy issued by the Bitung City Government; 2) Knowing the optimization of social assistance to the center of community learning activities for justice and equity in education for people of Bitung City. The research uses a qualitative approach with a type of descriptive research by collecting data that researchers will use, namely through: in-depth interviews, observations and documentation studies. Through this research, it is known that the Bitung City Government has tried to strengthen the non-formal education sector through social assistance in the operational budget for equitable implementation of equality education programs at the center of community learning activities; the conclusion is that the Bitung City Government must maintain the aid policy for the long term by making a Mayor Regulation Consider the number of high school dropout communities and the limitations of the community learning activity center itself.

School Dropout, Absenteeism and Coverage of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in South Africa: Are Those Most at Risk Reached?

School attendance or completion is important for adolescents’ development. Adolescents who drop out or are regularly absent from school are at higher risk of adverse sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. However, there is little evidence evaluating SRH service coverage among adolescents in and out of school. In the context of a large-scale combination HIV and pregnancy prevention intervention funded by the Global Fund, we compared the SRH intervention coverage and SRH risks among adolescent girls who dropped out of school with those who were still in school or who had completed grade 12 in South Africa. Among those still in school, we compared the SRH intervention coverage and SRH risk profiles of those with high versus low or no absenteeism. In 2017 to 2018, we conducted a household survey of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years in six of the ten combination intervention districts. Of 2515 participants, 7.6% had dropped out of school. Among the 1864 participants still in school, 10.8% had high absenteeism. Ever having had sex, and condomless sex were more prevalent among dropouts compared with non-dropouts. Dropouts were more likely to access SRH services such as condoms and contraceptives, except the combination prevention intervention services which were more likely to reach those who had not dropped out and were equally likely to reach those in school with high versus low/no absenteeism. Combination SRH prevention programmes can improve the accessibility of SRH services for adolescents in school/who complete school.

Inequality in educational opportunity in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study provides lower-bound estimates of inequality in educational opportunity from 2020 to 2021—during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. We also analyze the relationship between school- and local-specific characteristics and inequality in educational opportunity. Using school dropout status as a student’s outcome, our study reveals that children’s and parental characteristics were the most relevant circumstances at the primary level. However, at the secondary level, access to computers and the internet were more important circumstances contributing to inequality in educational opportunity. The estimated inequality in educational opportunity in 2021 is slightly higher than that in 2020, indicating an increase in inequality from circumstances beyond children’s control. School quality and local social and economic factors could be potential drivers to improve equality in educational opportunity in Thailand.