Predicting Dropout From Organized Football: A Prospective 4-Year Study Among Adolescent and Young Adult Football Players

Previous studies have shown that enjoyment is one of the key predictors of dropout from organized sport, including organized football. However, prospective studies, particularly studies focused on long-term dropout, are largely lacking. Drawing on the basic principles of interdependence theory, in the present prospective study among 1,762 adolescent and young adult football players (27.1% women, mean age 17.74 years, SD = 1.35), we tested the predictive value of sport enjoyment, perceived alternatives, and restraining forces on football players' short-term (6 months) and long-term (4 years) dropout from organized football. As anticipated, the results of the logistic regression and follow-up analyses indicate that players' enjoyment was the main predictor of (short-term and long-term) dropout. In addition, relative to remainers, dropouts perceived more alternatives in terms of other sports, had fewer family members involved in their football club, and were older at the time they started playing organized football. We conclude that particularly measures aimed at enhancing sport enjoyment may prevent players from dropping out from organized football in both the short and long term. In addition, dropout rates may be reduced by attracting and engaging youth at a very young age (from 6 years), and their siblings, parents, and other family members as well.

Burnt Out and Dropping Out: A Comparison of the Experiences of Autistic and Non-autistic Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Autistic students are more likely to drop out of university, while facing both challenges and opportunities within university environments. This study compared the experiences of autistic and non-autistic current United Kingdom students, in terms of thoughts about dropping out, burnout, mental health and coping, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Burnout was of particular interest as this is a relatively unexamined phenomenon for autistic students. Seventy autistic and 315 non-autistic students, completed a mixed methods questionnaire with standardized measures of burnout (personal and academic), mental health (depression, stress, and anxiety), and coping styles (adaptive and maladaptive). We also included qualitative questions about dropping out and COVID-19 experiences. We found autistic participants experienced higher rates of burnout and mental health symptoms and were more likely to have thought about dropping out. Reasons given for thinking about dropping out, for both groups, focused on poor mental well-being, doubts about university, and academic challenges. For autistic participants, further analyses did not identify specific predictors of thinking about dropping out, but for non-autistic participants, this was predicted by maladaptive coping styles and academic burnout. Academic and personal burnout predicted one another for autistic students, and age, maladaptive coping, autistic characteristics, stress, and anxiety additionally predicted burnout for non-autistic students. Similarities in experiences during the pandemic were noted, with both groups experiencing negative social implications, difficulties adjusting to emergency online learning, and poorer psychological well-being. Moving forward from COVID-19, universities must find ways to enhance both academic and social support, to enable equal opportunity within Higher Education for autistic students.

Nocebo effect in multiple system atrophy: systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled clinical trials

Background Nocebo effect is prevalent among neurological diseases, resulting in low adherence and treatment outcome. We sought to examine the nocebo effect in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in multiple system atrophy (MSA). Methods We searched RCTs in MSA from Medline since September, 2021. RCTs for drug treatment conducted in adult MSA patients with more than 5 cases in each treatment arm were included. We assessed the number of dropout due to placebo intolerance. We also did a symptomatic/disease-modifying subgroup analysis based on two different treatment purposes. The STATA software was used for statistical analysis. Overall heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochran Q and I2. Results Data were extracted from 11 RCTs fulfilling our search criteria. Of 540 placebo-treated patients, 64.2% reported at least one adverse event (AE) and 7.5% reported dropout because of AEs. The chance of dropping out because of an AE and experiencing at least one AE did not differ between placebo and active drug treatment arms. Besides, the pooled nocebo dropout rate in the symptomatic subgroup was similar to that of the disease-modifying subgroup. Conclusion In MSA RCTs, nocebo dropout rate was not at a low level among neurological disorders. Nocebo effect was an important reason of dropout because of AE in placebo and active drug treatment arms. Different treatment purposes may not influence nocebo effect.

MCDM Approach to Assess Dropping Out of Education by Children

A lifelong process to learn new things is education which has a continuous focus on the learners. In the life as well as evolution of mankind, the education plays a significant role through the creation of knowledge, attitudes and awareness among the children as learners for the betterment and sustainable society. In the present study, different significant reasons for dropping out of education by the children in the province of Odisha in India were found through literature and experts’ opinions. Then, the “Step Wise Assessment and Ratio Analysis (SWARA)” method was utilized to rank these significant reasons based on their preferences.

Factors Leading to Secondary School Dropout In Bangladesh: The Challenges to Meet the Sdg’s Targets

Bangladesh is regarded as a success story for rapid economic development and changes in social indicators that have taken place in the last couple of decades. Enrolment in education, especially women's education, has reached a desirable level. However, the dropout rate in secondary education is still a concern, which has not been reduced to the desired level. This research aims to understand better the undisclosed causes of dropout at secondary level schools. The primary data were collected from 790 former secondary school level students and 1580 parents/guardians, enabling in-depth and systematic analysis of the issue.. The method used in this study is quantitative with logit analysis. The study results showed that students’ perceptions on education, working experience, low socio-demographic status (SDS), family size, total number of siblings, food deficit, distance of the school, bullied by peers/teachers have a significant effect on increasing the probability of dropping out of school. Contrariwise, parents’ academic support, NGO membership of family members, mobility to the local power structure, and government’s social safety net programmes support are significant variables to reduce the probability of dropping out. The research reveals that financial problems are severely engaged to increase the dropout rate, and non-financial factors together aggressively play a catastrophic role and lead the academic life of the dropout student towards the end. The study suggests authorities for rapid response to reduce dropout, which leads Bangladesh to achieve SDGs targets and eventually become an upper middle-income country by 2041. J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 47(2): 173-190, December 2021

Proactive Student Psychosocial Support Intervention Through Life Coaching: A Case Study of a First-Year Chemical Engineering Extended Curriculum Programme

Higher Education Institutions in South Africa continue to experience considerable dropout rates of students during the first year, especially those from previously marginalised population groups. The aim of this research was to evaluate how the use of life coaching interventions providing first year students with psychosocial support, influenced their first-year experience. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected through a questionnaire at the end of the academic year, approximately four months after the intervention, to evaluate students’ experiences of the intervention. Results indicate that students felt that the intervention helped them avoid dropping out of university prematurely, respond better to failure during the year, and improve their self-awareness and academic performance. In conclusion, the results suggest that the use of life coaching intervention as a proactive means of harnessing student agency, may be beneficial to their academic performance, and in improving their lives in general. The study recommends that further research be conducted to explore the use of small group life coaching for providing students with psychosocial support, and also explore this intervention’s cost-effectiveness in different contexts.

Drop-out, stop-out or prolong? The effect of COVID-19 on students' choices

PurposeThe aim of the paper is to identify the causal effect of the COVID-19 induced crisis on students' decisions about their educational plans. The authors hypothesise that students adjusted their decisions by delaying graduation, dropping out or change the field of education because of increased uncertainty about future employment and monetary returns.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical approach is based on a survey done during the first wave of COVID-19 in Slovenia. The probability of dropping out, prolonging or stop-out is designed by applying probit and probit with insturmental variables empirical model.FindingsPrimary orientation towards work increases the probability of dropping out and financial constraints increase the probability of prolonging studies. The same holds after accounting for endogeneity. However, the authors do not find that poor job expectations due to COVID-19 affect students' decisions to prolong, drop-out or stop-out. The authors also find that the primary orientation toward work or study explains the differences in the probability of each outcome that is not influenced by enrolment in a particular field of study.Research limitations/implicationsThe results cannot be read as an objective prediction of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on college failures. However, the study provides insight into how students' expectations change their intentions to prolong, drop-out, or stop-out during periods of high uncertainty. The extent, to which measured intentions are realised, however, is uncertain.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the response diversity and motives behind students' study decisions represents extremely valuable insights for economic policy. Mapped apprehensions, augmented by heterogeneity in personal and financial characteristics, are relevant for policymakers. In terms of future research, it would be interesting to analyse what changes occurred over a five-year period, specifically which field of study was most affected by students' adjusted plans due to the pandemic.Social implicationsStudents have always been a special group in the labour market. After the initial shock of closing activities, studying online and the drastic decrease in student work due to COVID-19, the decision was made in spring 2020 to continue on the chosen path or not. This paper provides insight into the changing decision students made about their educational plans.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first to highlight the implications of COVID-19 for the adaptation of student plans in the transition from school-to work in Europe. It departs from the classical literature of college failures, as specific macroeconomic conditions influence students to reconsider their educational decisions. Moreover, the paper also contributes to the rapidly growing literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household-level labour market outcomes, particularly with respect to job search and labour supply decisions in general.

Learning of Science among Students at Risk of Dropping out (Sardo) Using Technology-Driven Intervention

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of Technology-Driven Intervention in improving science learning among Alegria National High School students at risk of dropping out. This study focused on two groups of twenty (20) Grade 8 Students at Risk of Dropping Out. Ten SARDOs served as the control group and received work text intervention, while the other ten SARDOs received technology-driven intervention. Both groups performed POORLY in Science knowledge at the start of the experiment, according to the results. T-test results also revealed that both the work text intervention and the technology-driven intervention were effective in the learning of SARDOs. The mean gain scores of SARDOs that used technology-driven intervention, on the other hand, were significantly higher. The study concludes that a technology-based intervention is more effective than a traditional intervention for students at risk of dropping out.

Academic Engagement and Dropout Intention in Undergraduate University Students

The relationship between engagement and the intention to drop out was the focus of this research. Following an empirical–analytical approach, a sample of 1,122 university students responded to a questionnaire designed to measure the engagement and the intention to drop out of school. The results confirmed that undergraduates who considered dropping out had lower scores on the engagement scale. These data are relevant for the adoption of preventive measures against academic dropouts.

A Thematic Analysis of the Reported Effect Anxiety Has on University Students

The number of university students experiencing mental health issues in the UK is increasing and a high number of students are dropping out of university as a result. Literature highlights a lack of knowledge regarding this topic and the significance in educating society. The aim of this qualitative study was to provide further insights as to why students are experiencing anxiety and into help-seeking behavior amongst university students. A thematic analysis was used to analyze a total of 118 blog entries of students discussing the impact of university on mental health. Findings highlighted three main themes: Balancing priorities, Fear of failure, and Critical incidents. These themes are discussed in terms of possible risk factors contributing to students experiencing anxiety while at university. Findings together with recommendations listed in this study offer higher education staff and institutions the opportunity to explore areas of focus and improve university students’ mental health.