A Profile Analysis of University Counselling Service Dropout and Non-Dropout Students: The Role of Epistemic Trust and Personality Traits

Introduction: University counselling services are a strategic resource for supporting students' psychological well-being. Despite evidence of their effectiveness, little is known about the psychological factors contributing to premature dropout from this kind of intervention. The current study aimed to explore the role of students' maladaptive personality traits and epistemic stances in influencing dropout from a counselling intervention. Method: The total sample included 605 university students (Mage=22.6; SDage=3.34) who referred to a university counselling centre. Of these, 174 students (29%) prematurely discontinued the intervention. At intake, participants' maladaptive personality traits and epistemic stances were assessed. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted to compare psychological profiles of dropouts and non-dropouts, controlling for gender and degree programme. Results: Dropout students reported significantly higher scores on all five maladaptive personality traits (negative affectivity, detachment, antagonism, disinhibition and psychoticism), as well as on epistemic mistrust and credulity. No significant differences were found in epistemic trust, and no interaction effects emerged between dropout status and gender or degree programme. Conclusion: These findings suggest that heightened maladaptive traits and difficulties in epistemic stance may impair engagement with brief counselling. Specifically, mistrust, credulity, and maladaptive traits may reflect relational vulnerabilities that predispose individuals to disengage. Early identification of at-risk profiles could help clinicians tailor interventions to promote engagement and reduce dropout. To this end, addressing personality and epistemic challenges early in the process may foster trust and enhance commitment—even within the time constraints of short-term counselling formats.