El abandono familiar y su influencia en la deserción escolar de los estudiantes adolescentes de la Unidad Educativa Fiscal "María Piedad Castillo de Leví" del cantón Paján, años 2024-2025.

Abstract

This research is titled "Family abandonment and its influence on school dropout among adolescent students at the María Piedad Castillo de Leví Public Educational Unit in the Paján canton, 2024-2025." The general objective of the study was to understand how family abandonment influences adolescent school dropout, considering their personal experiences and the institutional perspective. The problem centers on school dropout linked to the emotional and physical absence of parents or caregivers, a common phenomenon in contexts of poverty, labor migration, and family disintegration. This situation affects the academic, emotional, and social development of adolescents, generating an increase in school dropout rates. Using a qualitative approach, structured interviews were conducted with students who have dropped out of school and with a psychologist from the Student Counseling Department (DECE), which allowed for an in-depth interpretation of the causes, consequences, and possible alternative solutions. Among the main results, it was evident that adolescents who experience family abandonment experience low self-esteem, lack of motivation, sadness, isolation, and progressive disengagement from the school environment.