Psychological determinants of school disengagement

Abstract

In the context of the transformation of the educational environment and the growing psychological vulnerability of adolescents, school disengagement has become an increasingly important multidimensional phenomenon associated with academic maladjustment. The aim of this study is to identify the psychological factors of school disengagement among secondary school students and to determine the mediating role of responsibility in the relationship between different types of academic motivation and school disengagement. The main focus of the research is the analysis of motivational and self-regulatory mechanisms underlying academic alienation. The scientific significance of the study lies in clarifying the role of responsibility as an internal self-regulatory mechanism within the structure of school disengagement. The practical significance is associated with the possibility of applying the findings in the development of psychological support and intervention programs for students. The methodology is based on a quantitative research design involving 352 students from grades 7–11. Validated instruments were used, including the Multidimensional School Engagement Scale, the Brief Academic Motivation Scale, and the Responsibility in Adolescents Questionnaire. Statistical analyses included correlation and mediation analyses conducted using Jamovi software and the MedMod module. The findings demonstrated that responsibility performs a significant mediating function in the relationship between intrinsic forms of academic motivation and school disengagement. The value of the study lies in expanding the understanding of school disengagement as a result of the interaction between motivational and self-regulatory factors, as well as in substantiating responsibility as a mechanism for the internalization of academic motivation. The practical implications suggest that the prevention of school disengagement should focus not only on fostering intrinsic motivation but also on developing students’ responsibility and self-regulation skills.

Keywords: school disengagement, academic motivation, responsibility, self-regulation, mediation analysis, adolescents.