Prediction of early dropout in higher education using the SCPQ

Figures & data

Table 1. Dimensions of CPQv2 scale

Dimension	Description	Sample
Academic integration (7 Items)	Refers to a student’s potential to manage and rely on academic experiences, based on academic performance and intellectual development in the academic context (Clark et al., 2014; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980, Pascarella & Terenzini, 1983).	In general, how satisfied you with the quality of instruction are you receive here?
Academic motivation (8 Items)	Is based on the student’s interest and enjoyment while performing academic tasks. Studies like Robbins et al., 2004) and Clark et al. (2014) examined the academic motivations of students with potential academic performance and persistence concerns	In general, how enthusiastic you are about doing academic tasks?
Academic efficacy (5 Items)	Refers to a student’s confidence in performing an academic task and obtaining good results (Bandura, 1997). However, “efficacy beliefs change over time within the same individual based on the perceived success or failure of the tasks performed” (DeWitz et al., 2009, p. 23).	How confident are you of getting the grades you want?
Financial strain (4 Items)	Focuses on students’ concerns about financial difficulties that can influence their academic performance and decision to drop out. Students evaluate the costs and benefits linked to the studies in which they are enrolled, implying that their initial commitment to the institution will change over time (A. F. Cabrera et al., 1992; Donoso & Schiefelbein, 2007).	How difficult is it for you or your family to handle the costs of college?
Social integration (7 items)	Is based on the social involvement and engagement of a student with their peer group, in this case, with other university students (Clark et al., 2014; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980, Pascarella & Terenzini, 1983).	How strong is your sense of connectedness with the faculty, students, and staff on this campus?
Collegiate stress (4 items)	Refers to the feelings of anguish and pressure that the student feels because of persistence in studying, for example, the stress generated by a student working a part-time job while studying and trying to obtain good grades.	Overall, how much stress do you experience while attending this institution?
Academic advising (5 items)	Refers to the effective opinions derived from the academic advising and institutional communication processes. Academic intervention programs, such as academic advising and counseling, have a positive effect in the short term on the improvement of preuniversity academic deficiencies and the strengthening of remediation programs in institutions (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Stewart et al., 2015).	How satisfied are you with the academic advice you receive here?
Degree commitment (6 items)	Refers to the level of personal importance that a student gives to obtaining a degree, in addition to the value that students and their support networks place on completing the degree (Davidson et al., 2009).	At this point in time, how strong would you say your commitment is to earn a college degree either here or elsewhere?
Institutional commitment (4 items)	Refers to the degree of trust and satisfaction with the selected university (Davidson et al., 2009). It predicts and estimates persistence in various retention models (Bean & Eaton, 2000; Nora et al., 2005, Roksa et al., 2020)	How much thought have you given to stopping your education here?
Scholastic conscientiousness (4 Items)	Refers to the timely performance of a student’s academic responsibilities, that is, the execution and completion of academic obligations and work in a timely manner.	How often do you turn in assignments past the due date?

Table 2. Descriptive and comparative demographic variables and CPQ scale based on dropout

	Dropout		Test	p -value	Effect size
	No (n = 626)	Yes (n = 75)
Gender, n (%)			χ2(1) = 0.20	0.653	V = 0.02
Male	104 (16.6)	14 (18.7)
Female	522 (83.4)	61 (81.3)
Age, mean (SD)	20.63 (3.80)	20.49 (3.63)	t(699) = 0.30	0.766	d = 0.04
Academic integration, mean (SD)	0.75 (0.50)	−0.83 (0.46)	t(699) = 26.07	< 0.001	d = 3.19
Academic motivation, mean (SD)	−0.51 (0.50)	−0.47 (0.50)	t(699) = −0.67	0.506	d = −0.08
Academic efficacy, mean (SD)	0.78 (0.42)	−1.11 (0.46)	t(699) = 36.44	< 0.001	d = 4.45
Degree commitment, mean (SD)	1.21 (0.61)	0.15 (0.62)	t(699) = 14.19	< 0.001	d = 1.73
Financial strain, mean (SD)	−0.51 (0.69)	1.32 (0.68)	t(699) = 21.74	< 0.001	d = 2.66
Social integration, mean (SD)	−0.29 (0.47)	−0.27 (0.43)	t(699) = −0.08	0.935	d = −0.01
Collegiate stress, mean (SD)	−1.18 (0.61)	−1.17 (0.58)	t(699) = −0.17	0.866	d = −0.02
Academic advising, mean (SD)	−1.05 (0.62)	−1.59 (0.62)	t(699) = 0.46	0.649	d = 0.06
Institutional commitment, mean (SD)	1.52 (0.70)	0.34 (0.68)	t(699) = 13.84	< 0.001	d = 1.69
Scholastic conscientiousness, mean (SD)	0.72 (0.58)	−0.76 (0.57)	t(699) = 0.55	0.582	d = 0.07

V: Cramer’s V; d: Cohen’s d

Table 3. Effect of demographic variables and the CPQ scale on dropout

	B (SE)	Wald	OR (95% CI)	p-value
Gender (female vs. male)	−0.09 (0.05)	3.152	0.92 (0.83–1.01)	0.076
Age	−0.02 (0.04)	0.223	0.98 (0.92–1.06)	0.637
CPQ
Academic integration	−0.38 (0.16)	5.754	0.68 (0.50–0.93)	0.016
Social integration	−0.06 (0.04)	1.819	0.94 (0.87–1.03)	0.177
Degree commitment	−0.52 (0.15)	11.632	0.60 (0.44–0.80)	0.001
Collegiate stress	0.03 (0.02)	2.837	1.03 (0.99–1.07)	0.092
Academic advising	0.07 (0.05)	1.864	1.07 (0.97–1.19)	0.172
Academic motivation	−0.11 (0.07)	2.588	0.89 (0.78–1.02)	0.108
Scholastic conscientiousness	−0.10 (0.07)	2.294	0.90 (0.79–1.03)	0.130
Institutional commitment	−0.88 (0.19)	21.083	0.42 (0.29–0.60)	< 0.001
Financial strain	1.00 (0.23)	19.198	2.72 (1.74–4.25)	< 0.001
Academic efficacy	−0.73 (0.22)	10.792	0.48 (0.31–0.75)	0.001

B: regression coefficient; SE: standard error; OR: odds ratio; CI: confidence interval

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Data availability statement

The full dataset is not available for this study. Contact the first (EJL) or last author (JGP) for access to specific variables.