Supporting Students’ Motivation: A Key Factor to Reduce Intentions to Drop Out of High School

This study examines school dropout through Self-Determination Theory (SDT), focusing on the role of teaching style. According to SDT, teachers’ behaviors are crucial in supporting or thwarting students’ basic psycho-logical needs, which significantly impact their motivation and persistence in education. Using a cross-sectional quantitative approach, the study in-volved 1,092 high school students who completed measures assessing need-supportive and need-thwarting teaching, intrinsic motivation, and dropout intentions. Results show a significant association between teach-ing style and intrinsic motivation, which significantly reduces dropout in-tentions, even as a mediator. Findings suggest the importance of teacher training programs focusing on motivational strategies to improve their practices, as fostering a supportive teaching environment can promote better learning outcomes for students.