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

School dropout carries significant individual and societal costs, leading to worse economic prospects, reduced well-being, and a substantial economic burden. Research consistently shows a strong link between socioeconomic status (SES) and school dropout, with students from lower SES backgrounds more likely to drop out. However, using family wealth (operationalized as family affluence, perceived family wealth, and financial scarcity) as a measure of SES provides a more accessible and accurate assessment for adolescents, who may lack detailed knowledge of their parents' income or education. This study focuses on the under-researched role of adolescents' civic attitudes (system justification and institutional trust) in explaining the relationship between family wealth and school dropout, particularly within the context of vocational education where dropout rates are high. The study hypothesizes that lower family wealth leads to lower civic attitudes, increasing dropout risk, and that trust in teachers might buffer this effect. The study also controls for mental health problems, which are known to influence both SES and dropout.

Existing research extensively documents the association between SES and school dropout, often using objective measures like family income or affluence. However, this research overlooks adolescents' developing awareness of their family's socioeconomic position and their subjective experiences. Studies suggest that adolescents' perceptions of family wealth and their experience of financial scarcity are crucial factors influencing their behavior and well-being, often surpassing objective SES indicators. Furthermore, adolescents' civic attitudes, shaped by their interactions with social institutions, can influence their academic motivation and behavior. Lower family wealth is associated with more stressful environments, potentially leading to lower civic attitudes and a higher risk of dropout. Conversely, higher family wealth is linked to greater trust in institutions and a stronger belief in societal fairness, fostering academic success. Trusting relationships with teachers, particularly important for at-risk adolescents, may also act as a protective factor.

This pre-registered study (osf.io/ezjuf) used data from the YOUth Got Talent project, involving 1,231 first-year tertiary vocational education students in the Netherlands. Data collection occurred between September 2019 and February 2020, employing self-report questionnaires administered in classrooms. Official school registration data from October/November 2020 determined school dropout status. Family affluence was measured using the Family Affluence Scale (FAS), perceived family wealth through a single-item question, and financial scarcity with the Psychological Inventory of Financial Scarcity (PIFS). Civic attitudes were assessed using system justification and institutional trust scales. Teacher trust was measured with the Teacher Support Scale. Mental health problems were assessed using the revised Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-R). Background characteristics included gender, age, and migration background. Path analysis using Mplus 8.8 tested the hypotheses, employing a stepwise approach with logistic regression and mediation models. Model fit was assessed using Chi-square difference tests and information criteria. Standard errors were adjusted for the hierarchical structure of the data (students nested within classes). Indirect effects were estimated using the product of relevant path coefficients, with significance evaluated using bootstrap confidence intervals.

Descriptive analyses revealed that 10.39% of students dropped out. Univariate models showed that lower family affluence and higher financial scarcity predicted dropout, while perceived family wealth did not. Controlling for financial scarcity eliminated the association between family affluence and dropout. Mediation models demonstrated significant model fit improvement when including civic attitudes. Financial scarcity indirectly predicted dropout through lower institutional trust. Perceived family wealth also showed an indirect effect on dropout, mediated by institutional trust, but the total effect was approximately zero. System justification did not mediate the relationship between family wealth and dropout once institutional trust was considered. Adding teacher trust as a main effect or moderator did not improve model fit. Including mental health problems as covariates improved model fit but did not alter the significant indirect effects. Hyperactivity/inattention was the only mental health problem significantly associated with dropout.

This study expands upon existing research by focusing on adolescents' subjective perceptions and experiences of family wealth. The finding that financial scarcity, rather than family affluence, strongly predicts dropout highlights the significance of adolescents' lived experiences. The mediating role of institutional trust indicates that a lack of trust in social institutions may contribute to dropout. The lack of a mediating effect for system justification suggests that the fairness of the overall system may be less relevant than the trustworthiness of specific institutions like schools. The non-significant role of teacher trust may be due to factors like the timing of the measures or the general nature of the teacher trust scale. Future research should explore the factors that might strengthen the role of teacher trust in this context. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding how socioeconomic disparities influence trust in institutions and shape academic trajectories.

This study demonstrates the significant role of experienced financial scarcity and institutional trust in predicting school dropout among vocational students. While family affluence is a factor, it's the subjective experience of financial strain that holds greater predictive power, operating through its impact on trust in institutions. Future research should explore the directionality of these relationships, examine other aspects of family SES, utilize more comprehensive measures of perceived family wealth, and distinguish between different types of dropout. Investigating ways to foster institutional trust, particularly within educational settings, could provide valuable insights for interventions.

This study's findings are based on a sample of vocational students in the Netherlands and may not generalize to other educational contexts or countries. The correlational nature of the data prevents causal inferences. The single-item measure of perceived family wealth and the relatively small indirect effects observed warrant further investigation. The study did not distinguish between different types of dropout (e.g., complete withdrawal vs. switching programs), potentially affecting the strength of indirect effects. The potential influence of other family SES aspects and the limitations related to measuring teacher trust also merit consideration in future studies.