Non-school correlates of dropout: An integrative review of the literature

School dropout is increasingly being conceptualized as a serious social problem extending far beyond the boundaries of the school. This paper heeds recent calls for non-educators' involvement in this phenomenon by reviewing the empirical research on non-school correlates of dropout, integrating the separate independent findings and organizing them into a few conceptually meaningful categories. These categories are further classified into different levels of analysis which are useful in developing potential interventions to prevent dropout. Much additional research is needed; this research needs to be more technically adequate and conceptually based. Examples of needed research and potential interventions are provided.