How Socio-Emotional Support Affects Post-Compulsory Education Decisions in Rural China

Abstract

This study develops a sequential mixed model of Delphi-Propensity Score Matching to discuss how an NGO's socio-emotional support affects the decisions of dropout, work, and two types of upper secondary schooling in rural China. Data were collected from 6,298 students in 2012 after a subgroup of them were treated. The analysis shows that socio-emotional support affects education decisions by boosting educational aspiration, though the impact fades gradually if there is no follow-up service. It also confirms that educational aspiration beats more traditional or intuitive factors like wealth and academic performance in the decision process. Further data exploration points out that such an impact may result from the students' attempts at copying the tracks of service providers, who are mostly college or graduate students, once trust has been built.