Adjustment and socioeconomic status: how do these factors influence the intention to dropout of university?

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of adjustment and socioeconomic status on the intention by undergraduate students to dropout of university. The sample comprises 955 students from a university in South Africa and a quantitative research approach was used to test the hypotheses. Regression analyses results showed that social adjustment and institutional attachment significantly predicted the intention to dropout, whereas academic adjustment and personal-emotional adjustment could not predict the intention to dropout. In addition, the results showed that socioeconomic status significantly moderated the relationship between academic adjustment and the intention to dropout of university; however, socioeconomic status could not moderate the relationship between institutional attachment and the intention to dropout of university. The results highlight the need for students to be supported in dealing with adjustment challenges during the transition to university. Furthermore, the results encourage universities to consider various academic needs of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds to improve their academic experiences.