The Predictors of Graduation: Social Skills, Mental Health, Academic Characteristics

• Main Authors: Alessandra Salina Brandão, Alessandra Turini Bolsoni-Silva, Sonia Regina Loureiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo
• Series: Paidéia (Ribeirão Preto)
• Subjects: rendimiento escolar; estudiantes universitarios; salud mental; habilidades sociales
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-863X2017000100117&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract: Not completing the undergraduate course in the time expected in the curricula can put the universities and students at a disadvantage, with a delay to enter the labor market. The aim was to identify predictors of graduation, considering social skills, mental health, initial academic performance and socio-demographic and academic characteristics. In total, 287 students participated, of both genders and fromthe humanities, exact and biological areas, who answered the instruments: Social Skills, Behaviors and Context Assessment Questionnaire for University Students, Short version of the Social Phobia Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Predictors were: female, humanities area and average or above-average initial academic performance. The social skills and mental health differentiated the groups in the univariate analyses. This data suggests a need for attention to academic performance in the initial stages of the course, and preventive measures for male students of the exact and biological areas.