Abstract

Studies on early school dropout point to the influence of personal, school, and social factors on the intention to continue or leave the educational system, which can sometimes be mediated by a gender-differential socialization. The main objective of this study was to determine if the gender moderator variable influences the determining aspects of premature dropout, and, if so, in what directionality and intensity. To this end, following a systematic literature review, an ad hoc questionnaire was developed, which underwent an exhaustive process of validity and reliability through Delphi method and exploratory factor analysis, prior to the development of a confirmatory factor analysis to verify measurement invariance. The sample consisted of a total of 1,157 Spanish students enrolled in the fourth year of Secondary Education, Learning and Performance Improvement Programs, the first year of a Middle Grade Training Cycle, Basic Vocational Training, Therapeutic-Educational Classrooms, and Socio-Educational Inclusion Classrooms. Data analysis was carried out through a descriptive study, complemented by a multigroup correlational analysis. The results show a lower intention of students of the feminine gender to drop out of studies, coupled with a greater perception of the usefulness of studies and a higher appreciation that the effort required for academic achievement is necessary. However, lower scores are found in the perception of academic efficacy compared to their peers of the masculine gender, despite having higher grades. These results may be explained by the greater need for training among individuals of the feminine gender to access the labor market, better adaptation to the school context, and a gender-differential socialization that influences academic aspects.