Psychological Factors Associated with School Dropout Intention of Secondary School Students

School dropout in Romanian mainstream education has become an increasingly concerning phenomenon, especially among ethnic minority groups such as Roma students. This paper examines the psychological and individual factors involved in students’ intention to drop out of secondary school in a rural area. The study investigates factors such as ethnic identity, school involvement, self-efficacy, resilience, and ethnic victimization. A cross-sectional correlational design was applied to a sample of 138 Romanian, Hungarian, and Roma adolescents enrolled in lower secondary schools in Mureș County, Romania. The results highlight that the intention to drop out of school is significantly associated with loneliness, lack of behavioral engagement, and experiences of victimization. Teacher support and resilience emerged as protective factors, mitigating dropout intention. Implications for educational policies and intervention programs are discussed, emphasizing the need for culturally responsive strategies in Romanian schools.