Student attrition remains a pressing concern in higher education, yet evidence on how institutional conditions translate into withdrawal cognitions through psychological mechanisms is still developing in the Chinese context. This study investigates the relationships among perceived institutional support, psychological well-being, and intentions to drop out, and examines whether perceived management interventions quality (e.g., advising and counseling quality) conditions these effects. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected in person from college students in four Chinese higher-education hubs (Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Chengdu). After quality screening, 474 valid responses were retained. The model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling in SmartPLS with bootstrapping. Measurement assessments indicated satisfactory reliability and convergent and discriminant validity, with no serious concerns regarding common method bias or multicollinearity. Results supported all hypothesized relationships. Perceived institutional support was negatively related to intentions to drop out and positively related to psychological well-being. Psychological well-being was negatively related to intentions to drop out and partially mediated the institutional support–dropout intention relationship. Moreover, perceived management interventions quality strengthened the positive effect of perceived institutional support on psychological well-being and buffered the adverse implications of lower well-being for dropout intentions. The study advances a management-centered, resource-based explanation of dropout intentions and offers actionable guidance for retention strategies in Chinese universities.
Zhu et al. (2026) studied this question.