Title: How intrinsic motivation and grades contribute to dropout from higher education in a longitudinal setting: combining the random intercept cross-lagged panel model and survival analysis
Abstract: Dropout from higher education is a widespread problem in many European countries with about 30% of students not finishing their originally aspired major (see Heublein, 2017 for Germany; Statistics Norway, 2015 for Norway; OECD, 2018 for OECD countries). Two of the main reasons here are lack of intrinsic motivation and performance (poor grades). However, a longitudinal investigation of how these two variables influence each other over the course of studying has not been performed yet. Moreover, an investigation of the differential effect of intrinsic motivation and grades on dropout – and how it might change during time – is missing. In a dataset of N = 1370 students from a German university with five measurement points at the beginning of each semester, we conducted a random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI CLPM), modelling the relationship between intrinsic motivation and grades. Moreover, we are aiming to combine this RI CLPM with a survival analysis, indicating in which semester students dropped out from higher education and explaining dropout through intrinsic motivation and grades.