Abstract

VERASTEGUI SANCHEZ, Ronald; ZAPATA PERICHE, Isidora Concepción; ZAPATA PERICHE, Simón  and  HERRERA TORRES, Rafael Jesús. INTEGRATION OF CONTEXTUAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES IN PREDICTING STUDENT DROPOUT IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. Aula Virtual [online]. 2026, vol.7, n.14, e648.  Epub Mar 20, 2026. ISSN 2665-0398.  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18814655.

Student dropout in higher education has been a complex and persistent problem affecting institutional efficiency, educational equity, and students' academic trajectories, prompting the development of predictive models aimed at its early detection. In this context, this article aimed to analyze the integration of contextual, behavioral, and sociodemographic variables in predictive models of student dropout in higher education, examining how these dimensions have been incorporated and valued in recent scientific literature. To this end, a systematic review was conducted following standardized methodological guidelines. The methodology employed allowed for a structured synthesis of the approaches, models, and strategies for operationalizing variables used in predicting dropout. The results showed that models integrating contextual, behavioral, and sociodemographic variables tended to have greater explanatory power and a better capacity to identify risk profiles compared to those based exclusively on academic variables. In conclusion, the study reaffirmed that student dropout was addressed more effectively from a multidimensional perspective, highlighting the need to develop more comprehensive, interpretable, and contextualized predictive models capable of appropriately guiding institutional prevention and retention strategies in higher education.

Keywords : Student dropout; predictive models; contextual variables; behavioral variables; sociodemographic variables.

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