The importance of perceived quality of instruction, achievement motivation and difficulties in self‐regulation for students who drop out of university

• Published in: British journal of educational psychology Vol. 93; no. 3; pp. 758 - 772
• Main Authors: Wild, Steffen, Grassinger, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley 01.09.2023; British Psychological Society
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Achievement motivation; Achievement Need; College Administration; College Students; Colleges & universities; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dropouts; Dropping out; Educational psychology; Educational Quality; Female; Humans; Learning; Learning processes; Learning Strategies; Male; Messinstrument zur Identifikation von Studienabbruchneigung im dualen Studium (MISANDS) (ZIS 265); Motivation; Polls & surveys; Quality of education; quality of instruction; Self Management; Self regulation; Self-Control; self-regulated learning; Structural equation modeling; Structural Equation Models; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Students; Universities; university drop out; university freshman; Universität; university freshman; quality of instruction; self-regulated learning; university drop out
• ISSN: 0007-0998; 2044-8279; 2044-8279
• DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12590

Background: Starting a study programme at an university, students are confronted with rising requirements regulating their learning processes and motivation. Both difficulties due to this regulation and the quality of instruction are associated with students dropping out from a study programme in the research. Aims: The purpose of this research is to analyse the interplay and effect of difficulties in self‐regulated learning, achievement motivation (i.e. academic self‐concept, subject interest), and perceived quality of instruction in dropping out from an university study programme. Sample: We sampled 2301 cooperative students in their first academic year. The average age was M = 22.12 (SD = 3.02), and 1167 were male (50.7%). Method: This cross‐sectional study used structural equation models for hypothesis analysis. Three years after the survey, dropout information from the university administration was matched to the survey data. Results: The results indicate associations between academic self‐concept, subject interest and difficulties in regulating one's motivation with dropout. An indirect effect was found between perceived quality of instruction and dropout via academic self‐concept, subject interest and difficulties in regulating one's motivation. Conclusions: The relevance of perceived quality of instruction, self‐concept, subject interest and difficulties in motivational regulation and consequences for dropout is illustrated.