When being at university (also) means leaving home : Can family support make a difference to dropout intentions?
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Data
2025
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inScience Press
International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends 2025 (InPACT 2025)
International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends 2025 (InPACT 2025)
Resumo
Dropout is a major concern in higher education (HE) across countries, with long-lasting consequences. Previous research has shown that undergraduate students living away from home may be at higher risk of dropping out of HE, comparatively to those that keep living with their families, but results have been inconsistent. Moving away from home, living and studying independently are major steps for young people. While studying outside family homes may give HE students greater opportunities to exercise autonomy, it also brings added challenges that may interfere with students’ academic adaptation, and lead to dropout. One factor for optimum academic integration may be the support students receive from their families. This study aimed to: (1) compare students away from home with students living with their families in their levels of dropout intentions (DOI), and in a set variables potentially related to dropout; (2) identify predictors of DOI and (3) examine the moderating role of perceived family support on the links between specific predictors and DOI. A stratified sample of 584 Portuguese undergraduate students aged <23 years (mean age = 20.18, SD = 1.3), selected through a convenience quota method, was assessed for psychological, academic and economic variables through self-report instruments. Descriptive, (M)ANOVA, regression and moderation analyses were conducted. The findings showed that students away from home (n = 300; 51.4%) presented higher levels of dropout intentions, academic exhaustion, vocational, and economic difficulties, and lower levels of academic self-efficacy, well-being, perception of course value, and satisfaction with education. Students away from home also perceived higher levels of social support, namely family support. No differences were found in the levels of social connectedness to campus or autonomy difficulties between the two groups. Academic exhaustion, vocational, autonomy difficulties, perception of course value and social connectedness to the campus were significant predictors of DOI, explaining 43% of the variance. Moderation analyses showed that the effects of academic exhaustion, autonomy difficulties and vocational difficulties (the three strongest predictors of DOI) were weakened when students perceived moderate levels of family support (but not for higher levels). Overall, students away from home are at greater risk of emotional, academic and economic difficulties, and should receive differentiated attention from HE institutions. Despite being at distance, families play a protective role in preventing student dropout. Families may need help in providing support that enables their young adult students to thrive on their academic path, while fostering autonomy and competence.
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Palavras-chave
EDUCATION, DROPPING OUT, UNIVERSITIES, HIGHER EDUCATION, FAMILY SUPPORT, EDUCAÇÃO, ABANDONO ESCOLAR, ENSINO SUPERIOR, UNIVERSIDADES, APOIO FAMILIAR
Citação
MENDES, TERESA PAULA GAMEIRO POMPEU, GONZALEZ, BARBARA ISABEL DINIZ, Albuquerque, S, Correia, S V & Paulino, A P O 2025, When being at university (also) means leaving home : Can family support make a difference to dropout intentions? in C Pracana & M Wang (eds), Psychological Applications and Trends 2025. inScience Press, pp. 526-530, International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends 2025 (InPACT 2025), Budapest, Hungary, 26/04/25. https://doi.org/10.36315/2025inpact123