Psychological Development and Education ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (4): 536-543.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2026.04.08

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Achievement as a Predictor of Mindset: The Association between Academic Performance and Growth Mindset in Adolescents

GUO Xiaolin1, LI Peiyu1, ZHANG Yifan2, LUO Liang2,3   

  1. 1. Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875;
    2. State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875;
    3. Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875
  • Published:2026-07-04

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Abstract: In interactions with the learning environment, prior academic performance is considered a crucial factor in shaping a growth mindset in adolescents. Existing research largely focuses on the role of subjective evaluations based on learners’ academic performance by others (such as praise), neglecting the potential impact of objective academic performance itself on growth mindset. Study 1 used a questionnaire to track the academic performance and growth mindset of 3571 adolescents in grades 5, 6, 7, and 8. Cross-lag analysis revealed that prior academic performance had a stable positive predictive effect on subsequent growth mindset, and this effect was stronger than the predictive effect of growth mindset on academic performance. Study 2 used an experimental method with 95 sixth-grade students as participants, inducing high/low academic performance through virtual tasks and examining its impact on adolescents’ growth mindset. Repeated measures ANOVA results showed that adolescents with high academic performance had relatively higher levels of growth mindset compared to those with low academic performance. These results reveal the significant impact of academic performance on growth mindset, providing evidence for understanding the shaping role of academic performance in adolescents’ growth mindset.

Key words: growth mindset, academic performance, early adolescence, longitudinal study, experimental study

CLC Number: 

  • G442
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