The Effect of the Growth Mindset Approach on Mathematics Achievement in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of growth mindset strategies on self-efficacy, self-regulation, metacognitive skills, academic achievement, and mindset beliefs of socio-economically disadvantaged eighth-grade students in Turkey. An embedded mixed-method design was employed with 57 students (experimental group: 28; control group: 29) over an eight-week intervention. Quantitative data were collected via the Mindset Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, Self-Regulation Scale, Metacognitive Skills Scale, and the Academic Achievement Test, administered both before and after the intervention. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations conducted before, during, and after the application. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations conducted before, during, and after the intervention and were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using ANCOVA, Mann–Whitney U test, and t test. Findings revealed significant improvements in favor of the experimental group in all measured variables. The qualitative results supported the quantitative data, indicating that students exposed to growth mindset strategies developed attitudes such as persistence in the face of difficulty, increased effort, determination, and goal orientation toward mastery. Overall, the study demonstrates that structured growth mindset interventions can effectively enhance both cognitive and motivational outcomes among disadvantaged learners.