Intersectoral vulnerabilities in secondary school dropouts: A systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23074765Keywords:
school dropout, secondary education, academic performanceAbstract
This study examines the socioeconomic, academic, and family factors associated with secondary school dropout, distinguishing between recorded withdrawal and completion, as well as between prediction and intervention indicators. To this end, 30 reports of primary studies (2021–2026) were collected through searches targeting publishers and DOIs, and the findings were classified according to population, design, outcome variable, and three interrelated domains. Although the review followed PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA-S guidelines, the absence of a complete database export, a selection process audit, and a formal risk-of-bias assessment precludes it from being considered a fully reproducible systematic review. Regarding the results, evidence from various regions links dropout to material deprivation, youth employment, low academic performance, grade retention, chronic absenteeism, school disengagement, parental education levels, and household instability. However, cohort studies nuance simplistic explanations; for instance, the relevance of skills and aspirations varies by stage; in one case, self-perceived health showed no independent association after adjustments, and in another, there were no significant correlations at the household level. Furthermore, better predictive performance does not equate to verified prevention. In conclusion, material, academic, and family conditions interact in a context-dependent manner, without supporting a universal causal hierarchy.
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