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. 2023 Sep 15;8(1):38.
doi: 10.1038/s41539-023-00189-4.

Examining the role of civic attitudes in the link between family wealth and school dropout among tertiary vocational students

Catrin Finkenauer  1 , Maartje Boer  2 , Jenna Spitzer  3 , Dominic Weinberg  4 , Kirsten Visser  5 , Merel Jonker  6 , Gonneke W J M Stevens  2
Affiliations

Examining the role of civic attitudes in the link between family wealth and school dropout among tertiary vocational students

Catrin Finkenauer et al. NPJ Sci Learn. .

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between family wealth and school dropout among vocational education students (n = 1,231; mean age=17.81). It investigated whether (1) family affluence and adolescents' own perceptions and experiences of their family wealth (i.e., perceived family wealth, financial scarcity) predict dropout, (2) adolescents' civic attitudes (i.e., system justification, institutional trust) explain the association between family wealth and school dropout, and (3) trust in teachers buffers against the risk of dropout among students with lower civic attitudes. Multivariate models revealed that financial scarcity predicted dropout. Financial scarcity showed an indirect only effect on dropout through lower institutional trust, but not through system justification. Trust in teachers was neither associated with dropout, nor a moderator. Controlling for mental health problems did not affect these results. This study helps explain how students' experienced and perceived family wealth can affect their educational attainment, by reducing their trust in social institutions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Path model results of Model 2c (n = 1,218).
Diagram shows odds ratios (OR), standardized coefficients (β), and correlations (r). Two indirect effects were found (1) effect of perceived family wealth on dropout via institutional trust: OR = 0.947, LL = 0.893, UL = 0.988, (2) effect of financial scarcity on dropout via institutional trust: OR = 1.086, LL = 1.025, UL = 1.169.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Probability of school dropout, by family wealth indicators (n = 1,218).
Predicted probabilities were based on the total effects from Model 2c, calculated while holding all covariates at their means.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Hypothesized path model.
The association between Family wealth indicators (i.e., family affluence, perceived family wealth, financial scarcity) and school dropout mediated by civic attitudes (i.e., system justification and institutional trust).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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