Predictors of intention to leave in graduate students: Advisor-student relationship, program climate, and school-life conflict

Daha sonra dolduruAim: The aim of this study is to determine the direct effects of program climate and advisorstudent relationship on intention to leave, and their indirect effects through school-life conflict. Material and Method: This correlational study was conducted with master's and doctoral students enrolled at İnönü University during the 2025-2026 academic year. Data were collected from 321 students selected through stratified sampling using the Program Climate Scale, Advisory Working Alliance Inventory, Intention to Leave Scale, and the School-Life Conflict Scale, which was adapted into Turkish within this study. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The structural model showed that the advisor-student relationship significantly and negatively predicted intention to leave, whereas school-life conflict significantly and positively predicted it. Program climate did not significantly predict intention to leave. Neither the advisorstudent relationship nor program climate had a significant direct effect on school-life conflict. Mediation analyses indicated that school-life conflict significantly mediated the relationship between the advisor-student relationship and intention to leave but did not mediate the relationship between program climate and intention to leave. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the advisor-student relationship and school-life conflict are significant predictors of intention to leave graduate education, whereas program climate has no significant effect on either intention to leave or school-life conflict. Although the advisor-student relationship does not directly predict school-life conflict, school-life conflict mediates its relationship with intention to leave. Based on these findings, universities are recommended to strengthen advising processes and establish structural mechanisms to support graduate students.lacaktır.