Predictors of Early High School Dropout: A Test of Five Theories

This study compared the adequacy of 5 theories to predict dropping out of high school before the 10th grade. These theories include full mediation by academic achievement and direct effects related to general deviance, deviant affiliation, family socialization, and structural strains. Nested latent...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of educational psychology 2000-09, Vol.92 (3), p.568-582
Main Authors: Battin-Pearson, Sara, Abbott, Robert D, Hill, Karl G, Catalano, Richard F, Hawkins, J. David, Newcomb, Michael D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
Antisocial Behavior
Biological and medical sciences
Deviance
Dropout Characteristics
Dropouts
Educational psychology
Elementary school students
Family Relations
Family Relationship
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Grade 10
High School Students
High Schools
Human
Human Sex Differences
Male
Peer Relations
Prediction
Predictor Variables
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Pupil and student. Academic achievement and failure
Racial and Ethnic Differences
School Dropout
School dropouts
Secondary schools
Socialization
Socioeconomic Status
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Summary:This study compared the adequacy of 5 theories to predict dropping out of high school before the 10th grade. These theories include full mediation by academic achievement and direct effects related to general deviance, deviant affiliation, family socialization, and structural strains. Nested latent variable models were used to test these theories on prospective data from an ethnically diverse urban sample. Poor academic achievement mediated the effect of all independent factors on school dropout, although general deviance, bonding to antisocial peers, and socioeconomic status also retained direct effects on dropping out. Therefore, none of the theories tested was fully adequate to explain the data, although partial support was obtained for each theory. Implications for prevention of early high school dropout are discussed.
ISSN:0022-0663
1939-2176
DOI:10.1037/0022-0663.92.3.568