Evaluating teachers’ perceptions in preventing school dropout: quantitative and qualitative findings from a quasi-experimental study

Abstract

The phenomenon of school dropout is complex and multifactorial, deeply embedded within contemporary educational systems and marked by significant consequences at both the individual and societal levels. Its causes are numerous and interconnected, involving factors internal and external to the school system; among the internal factors, the quality of teaching plays a particularly influential role. In this context, teachers’ professional development becomes a strategic lever for the adoption of effective educational and relational strategies aimed at preventing dropout risk. The E4PED – Evidence 4 Preventing Early School Dropout project, funded by the MUR‑PRIN 2022 within the Next GenerationEU framework, set out to develop prevention models capable of integrating international scientific evidence with the specific characteristics of the Italian educational context, with particular attention to southern regions. Conducted in collaboration with the Universities of Cagliari, Palermo, and Salerno and implemented in lower secondary schools in Sardinia, Sicily, and Campania, the project designed, tested, and evaluated a Teacher Professional Development (TPD) program aimed at strengthening teachers’ competencies in preventing dropout risk. This contribution presents the results of a quasi‑experimental intervention based on a qualitative and quantitative study conducted with the teachers involved in the experimentation. The aim is to explore their perceptions, representations, and training needs, as well as to assess the impact of the program on their professional practices. The analysis focuses on changes in teachers’ awareness of individual, institutional, and environmental risk factors, on their sense of self‑efficacy in managing critical situations, and on their willingness to implement preventive strategies.