Influence of a Growth Mind-Set Intervention on Ninth-Grade Students' Motivation and Achievement

• In Event: Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Innovative Intervention Research

Abstract

This study employed a longitudinal treatment/control pre-test/post-test design to examine the influence of a one-shot growth mindset intervention on ninth graders’ implicit beliefs about intelligence and related motivational constructs: achievement goals, academic efficacy. Findings revealed mixed support for the effectiveness of the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of treatment group data indicated a significant decline in entity belief scores from pre-test to immediate post-test. At seven months post-intervention entity scores were still significantly lower than at pre-test. A group (treatment/control) by time (Sep/May) mixed-method ANOVA found a significant interaction effect for mastery orientation and academic efficacy but not for implicit beliefs. Student record data will be analyzed to further illuminate who benefits from the growth mindset intervention and under what circumstances.

Authors

• Teresa K. DeBacker, University of Oklahoma

• Julianna E. Kershen, The University of Oklahoma

• Benjamin C. Heddy, University of Oklahoma

• Jacqueline Goldman, University of Oklahoma