WCP 2025

Background Adolescent school dropout is a complex social issue involving family, school, society, and individual psychology. In recent years, the phenomenon of adolescent dropout has gradually increased in major cities in China, becoming an important topic in the fields of education and society. Dropout not only affects adolescents' academic development but may also have long-term negative impacts on their mental health and social adaptability. Although existing research has explored the causes of dropout, most studies focus on single factors (such as family or school) and lack a comprehensive analysis of multidimensional factors. This study uses qualitative analysis of six dropout cases to reveal the underlying socio-ecological mechanisms and construct a theoretical model to guide intervention practices.
Methods This study adopts a qualitative research approach, collecting personal narratives of six dropout adolescents through in-depth interviews and conducting thematic analysis of the text. The participants, aged 13 to 16, dropped out of school for various reasons. Interview content included family environment, school experiences, mental health status, and personal feelings. Data were coded and categorized using thematic analysis to extract main themes and subthemes.
Results The study found that the reasons for adolescent dropout are multidimensional, primarily including the following themes:
1. Family System: Dysfunctional family dynamics (e.g., parental control, emotional neglect) and high parental expectations placed adolescents under prolonged pressure.
2. School and Society: School bullying, academic pressure, and social cultural norms (e.g., gender role expectations) exacerbated psychological trauma.
3. Individual Psychology: Depression, a sense of meaninglessness, and identity crises caused adolescents to lose motivation in life.
4. Failure of Social Support Systems: Families, schools, and communities failed to provide effective support, leaving adolescents isolated and helpless. Based on ecological systems theory, this study constructed a "Pressure Accumulation and System Imbalance" theoretical model, revealing that adolescent dropout is an adaptive collapse caused by the superposition of multidimensional factors. The model shows that pressure transmission from family, school, and social systems leads to the depletion of adolescents' psychological resources, ultimately resulting in dropout as a way to "pause" the system.
Conclusion  Adolescent dropout is the product of cumulative pressures from family, school, and social systems, and its essence is adolescents' "rejection" of the existing system under multiple oppressions. The study emphasizes that interventions should shift from a single level to the overall reconstruction of the ecosystem to restore adolescents' psychological resilience and social functioning. Specific recommendations include: 1. Family Interventions: Repair family communication patterns and provide emotional support. 2. School Support: Establish differentiated education and psychological counseling systems to reduce bullying. 3. Integration of Social Resources: Provide alternative support through community interventions and cultural inclusivity. 4. Individual Psychological Interventions: Help adolescents rebuild self-worth through cognitive-behavioral therapy and identity exploration.