The Role of Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Connectedness in Dropout Intention in a Sample of Italian College Students

Dropout is a critical concern in higher education, with a considerable number of students
leaving within the first two years of university. Dropout affects students’ well-being and their
academic and career prospects, and institutions’ retention and graduation rates. The aim of this study
was to explore the mediating role of motivation and cognitive strategies for learning in the relationship
among self-efficacy, connectedness, and university dropout intention. A total of 790 Italian college
freshmen were involved in this study. The sample was recruited through a web survey consisting
of the Academic Motivation Scale, Perceived School Self-Efficacy Scale, University Connectedness
Scale, and Self-Regulated Knowledge Scale-University. The freshmen’s intentions to drop out were
assessed with five questions. The average age of the freshmen was 20.9 years, most of them were
female, and were attending a degree program in the medical area. The results show that self-efficacy
is the most important predictor of dropout intentions, followed by university connectedness. Selfregulated knowledge has an important role in predicting dropout intention by acting as a mediator
between self-efficacy and motivation.This study underlines the importance of investing in training
and orientation interventions in order to develop the skills to face