Attitude Towards School and Intention to Dropout Among Secondary Students in west Bengal: a Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Perspectives

Dropout from school has become the catastrophic problem in west Bengal, Young adolescents() leaving school in early stage of life with out completing the secondary education running for odd job to pass life. the present study utilizes the theory of Planned behavior (TPB) to find our the cause this dropout where Attitude towards school (IV)through the mediators (TPB Constructs) by the jamovi (jAMM) to predict the Intention to Dropout(DV). Abstract Background: School dropout at the secondary level remains a persistent challenge in West Bengal, particularly among adolescents working in informal sectors after leaving school. Understanding the psychological and contextual factors associated with dropout intention and behavior is essential for designing targeted interventions. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Perspective and Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this study examines how secondary students’ attitude towards school (Module 4) influences their intention to drop out (Module 9), including the mediating roles of educational aspiration (M8), perceived consequences of dropout (M10), and family/school discouragement factors (M11). Method: A sample of 800 secondary-level dropout adolescents (400 boys, 400 girls) was selected from various informal workplaces across rural and urban regions of West Bengal. These participants had already discontinued schooling, and questionnaires were administered at their respective work locations. Standardized scales were used to measure attitude towards school, aspiration, perceived consequences, discouragement, and dropout intention. Reliability indices were acceptable across all modules (Cronbach’s α ranging from 0.69 to 0.84). Data were analysed using regression and structural equation modelling (SEM) to estimate total, direct, and indirect effects. Results: Attitude towards school (M4) significantly predicted dropout intention (M9), with several items emerging as strong positive or negative predictors. The full model explained 57.3% of the variance in dropout intention. Indirect effects indicated that educational aspiration (M8) reduced dropout intention, while discouragement factors (M11) and certain elements of perceived consequences (M10) strengthened it. Mediation analysis confirmed that M8 and M11 acted as significant mediators between school attitude and intention, while M10 showed partial mediation. Conclusion: The findings highlight that dropout is shaped not only by students’ direct attitudes toward school but also by their aspirations, perceived consequences, and discouragement from family or school. Strengthening school connectedness, enhancing academic aspirations, and improving support mechanisms may reduce dropout vulnerability. These insights provide important implications for policymakers and educators working to address secondary school dropout in West Bengal.