Effort and Interest in Sync? Longitudinal Analysis of Grit in Mathematics

• In Event: Motivation, Belonging, and Help-Seeking in Academic Contexts

Abstract

This three-year longitudinal study investigated developmental trajectories of perseverance of effort (PE) and consistency of interest (CI) in mathematics among 2,435 10th-grade students. Using Latent Growth Modeling (LGM) and Growth Mixture Modeling (GMM), we found that on an aggregate level, PE increased while CI decreased over time. More revealingly, GMM analysis identified four distinct developmental profiles: “Steady Improvers,” “Gradual Decliners,” “High Effort, Low Interest,” and “Sharp Effort Drop, Stable Interest.” These findings demonstrate that PE and CI are distinct, non-parallel dimensions of grit. Practically, this typology of grit trajectories enables educators to design targeted interventions, moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to provide personalized support that enhances math achievement.
Keywords: Grit, change trajectory, mathematics learning, Chinese high school context, social support

Authors

• Tianxue Cui, Dalian Maritime University

• Danni Lin, Beijing Normal University

• QIMENG LIU, Beijing Normal University