Autoprotección de la Valía e Intención de Abandono Escolar Temprano

Abstract

Background: Early school dropout is a significant issue in Spanish schools. Students sense of competence and selfworth can be affected when facing academic failure. This study examines the role of self-protection strategies in the intention to drop out of school early, focusing on self-handicapping, self-affirmation, and defensive pessimism. Method: A sample of 570 students from 2nd and 3rd grade of Compulsory Secondary Education in Galicia, Spain, participated in the study. The Motivational Strategies for Self-Protection questionnaire (EMAP; Rodriguez, 2000) was employed to assess self-protection strategies. Analysis of variance and logistic regression were utilized to investigate the links between self-protection strategies and the intention to drop out. Results: A strong correlation was found between self-handicapping and the intention to drop out, indicating that self-handicapping is a significant predictor of this intention. Conclusions: The relationship between self-affirmation and the intention to drop out challenges the notion that this strategy always benefits school engagement. These results underscore the importance of addressing self-protection strategies in educational interventions to prevent dropout.