Psychological distress, subjective well-being, and university dropout intention: a structural equation model examining indirect statistical associations involving academic burnout and satisfaction with education.

backgroundPsychological distress and subjective well-being are increasingly recognized as related but distinct dimensions of mental health that may influence academic outcomes in higher education. Consistent with the dual-continuum perspective of mental health, few studies have simultaneously examined how these dimensions relate to academic experiences and university dropout intention within a single analytical framework. This study aimed to analyze the relationships among psychological distress, subjective well-being, and university dropout intention, while examining indirect statistical associations involving academic burnout and satisfaction with education within the proposed model.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 614 undergraduate students from a private university in Cali, Colombia, selected through proportional stratified sampling. Data were collected using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, and the Screening Instrument for Students At-Risk of Dropping Out. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with a weighted least squares mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimator was used to test direct and indirect relationships. Model fit was assessed using CFI, TLI, RMSEA, and SRMR.

resultsThe final model showed good fit (CFI = 0.998; TLI = 0.998; RMSEA = 0.044; SRMR = 0.051) and explained a substantial proportion of variance in university dropout intention (R² = 0.764). Academic burnout was strongly associated with university dropout intention (β = 0.900, p < .001), while satisfaction with education showed a negative association (β = -0.175, p < .001). Psychological distress was positively associated with academic burnout (β = 0.322, p < .001), and subjective well-being was negatively associated (β = -0.117, p = .011). No significant direct associations were found between mental health variables and university dropout intention; however, academic burnout emerged as the principal academic-experience correlate associated with dropout intention and was involved in the indirect statistical associations observed between mental health indicators and university dropout intention. Indirect associations involving satisfaction with education were not statistically significant.

conclusionAcademic burnout emerged as the primary academic correlate associated with university dropout intention within the proposed model. By simultaneously considering psychological distress and subjective well-being, this study extends the application of the dual-continuum perspective of mental health to the context of university dropout intention. These findings highlight the relevance of considering both dimensions of mental health alongside academic experiences when examining university dropout intention. Because of the cross-sectional design, the observed relationships should be interpreted as statistical associations rather than causal effects and warrant further investigation in longitudinal studies.