A hypothetical study found that students (a) from lower socioeconomic status, (b) who had parents and friends who had not completed high school, (c) had been suspended or expelled at least once, and...

A hypothetical study found that students (a) from lower socioeconomic status, (b) who had parents and friends who had not completed high school, (c) had been suspended or expelled at least once, and (d) previously were held back and not promoted to the next grade at least once were more likely to drop out of high school. What type of correlation design is described here? Why?