Influencia de las expectativas académicas sobre los motivos de intención de abandono en estudiantes de una universidad ecuatoriana

Academic expectations are defined as predictions made by individuals concerning their performance in contextualised scenarios, such as those found within educational settings. A discrepancy between these expectations and their actual experiences during their university education has been associated with intention to dropout. The aim of this research is to determine the influence of academic expectations on the reasons for the intention to drop out of studies, and previously to determine whether on these expectations are influenced by career choice and parents’ level of education. The study used a quantitative and explanatory research approach, where 601 students from four field of knowledge in an Ecuadorian public university were selected by a stratified probabilistic method. The Academic Expectations Questionnaire and the Reasons to Drop Out Intentions scale were used to gather data. The data were analysed with descriptive statistics and structural equations using the Robust Weighted Least Squares estimator. The findings indicated that career options exert influence on three dimensions: personal and social development, social pressure and political and citizenship involvement. Additionally, the paternal educational attainment was found to be a significant predictor of heightened expectations concerning political and citizenship involvement, while the maternal educational attainment was found to be a significant predictor of elevated expectations in social interactions. The findings further demonstrate that political and citizenship involvement expectations primarily influence intentions to drop out, particularly in terms of organisation, life management and professional aspects. In conclusion, both career choice and parental educational level exert a significant influence on academic expectations, although in distinct ways and to varying degrees. While political involvement and citizenship have been identified as the most significant factors influencing academic expectations, it is important to note that these factors exert a differentiated influence on individuals’ career intentions to dropout.