The relationships between school dropout risks and various individual and familial variables of Roma students

This descriptive study intended to compare the school dropout risks of Roma and non-Roma students attending secondary school during the COVID-19 pandemic period according to a set of sociodemographic variables and in terms of psychological resilience, emotional problems, self-perception, school climate, and dropout risk. The study group comprised 125 Roma and 175 non-Roma students and their mothers and fathers in Ankara, Istanbul, and Balıkesir. The study used the Personal Information Form, Child and Youth Psychological Resilience Scale, Emotional Problems Subscale-Parent Form, Self-Perception Profile for Children, School Dropout Risk Scale, and School Climate Scale. t-test, Kruskal Wallis, and Mann Whitney U were used for data analysis, and the analyses were made using SPSS 26.00 and AMOS 26. The dropout risk, perception of failure, and antisocial and silent behavior types were higher among Roma students than non-Roma students, and the dropout risk, perception of failure, and antisocial behavior types were higher among male students among Roma students. The scores of Roma students' dropout risk, perception of failure, silent and antisocial behavior types did not differ according to the grade level, family's monthly income level, number of siblings, and father's educational level, but there was a difference according to the mother's education level. Roma students who had access to distance education had higher dropout risk scores. No significant difference was found between the psychological resilience, emotional problems, and school climate scores of Roma and non-Roma students. The findings were discussed according to the literature, and recommendations were made.