Typologies of Early School Leavers from Secondary Education: A Review Study

Abstract

The goal of this review study was to map the current state of knowledge of early school leaving typologies (ISCED 3) and to provide an overview of the findings. Using systematic mapping, ten texts published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2021 were identified and analyzed. Although the researchers applied different theoretical concepts, five significant, recurring, and distinguishable types of early departures were identified in these studies. The interest in this specific area has been growing in recent years and the number of qualitative research studies on the phenomenon is also increasing. At the same time, however, there is not enough knowledge convincingly explaining the circumstances leading to early school leaving for the individuals in the largest group – the quiet type.