Academic Stress and Socio-Demographic Variables as Predictors of University Dropout Intention

Introduction. University life brings with it several demands that students may perceive as stressful, with effects on well-being, performance, and other institutional behaviours, such as university dropout. This is a highly prevalent phenomenon all over the world, with negative consequences for students and society. This paper examines academic stress and its relationship with university dropout intention, and the importance of certain socio-demographic variables. Method. The sample consisted of 1096 first- and second-year students at a Spanish university. The average age was M = 19.33 (SD = 3.58), and 723 were female (66%). This cross-sectional study used descriptive and inferential statistics (categorical regression). Results. Women, second-year students, students in Health Sciences, and students with an intention to drop out of university had higher scores in academic stress. Sex, course year and knowledge area explain 16.5% of academic stress. Then, a regression model was developed showing that sex, course year, knowledge area, and academic stress were able to explain 10% of university dropout intention, with academic stress having greatest weight. Discussion and Conclusion. These results highlight the role of socio-demographic variables in the perception of academic stress and suggest that higher levels of academic stress are associated with a higher probability of dropping out. This study contributes to the understanding of the role of academic stress in university dropout, potentially enabling the development of more complex models or more specific preventive interventions.