Quick, Easy Mindset Intervention Can Boost Academic Achievement in Large Introductory Psychology Classes
Bostwick, Keiko C. P.; Becker-Blease, Kathryn A. (2018). Psychology Learning and Teaching, v17 n2 p177-193. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1182886
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examining184Students, gradePS
Growth Mindset Intervention Report - Supporting Postsecondary Success
Review Details
Reviewed: September 2022
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Please see the WWC summary of evidence for Growth Mindset.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Midterm 2 - Introduction Psychology Course |
Growth Mindset vs. Other intervention |
2 Weeks |
Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset;
|
77.25 |
78.00 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Midterm 4: Introduction to Psychology |
Growth Mindset vs. Other intervention |
6 Weeks |
Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset;
|
76.24 |
73.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Final exam: Introductory Psychology college course |
Growth Mindset vs. Other intervention |
9 Weeks |
Growth mindset versus fixed mindset;
|
78.24 |
77.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Midterm 3: Introduction to Psychology |
Growth Mindset vs. Other intervention |
4 Weeks |
Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset;
|
68.78 |
68.00 |
No |
-- | ||
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 66%
Male: 29%
Other or unknown: 5% -
Race Other or unknown 100% -
Ethnicity Other or unknown 100% -
Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch Other or unknown 100%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place on the campus of a mid-sized public university in Oregon. Students who enrolled in a large, lecture-based introductory psychology course participated in the study. Students received materials for the intervention or one of two comparison conditions immediately after the first course exam was administered in class.
Study sample
Study authors did not report demographic characteristics of the analytic sample. Of the 278 students randomly assigned, gender was not specified for 14 students. Among the remaining 264 students, 66% were female. The authors noted that, historically, 50% of students who enrolled in the introductory psychology course were first-year or transfer students.
Intervention Group
After submitting their first course exam, students in the intervention group received a letter from the instructor stating that recent research showed that the human brain is adaptable and that people can overcome new challenges with persistence and hard work and strengthen areas of weakness over time.
Comparison Group
After submitting their first course exam, students in the fixed mindset and class attendance matters groups each received a letter from the instructor. The letter for students in the fixed mindset group stated that people have different strengths and weaknesses, that the key to success was to use one's strengths, and that everyone has to approach obstacles differently. The letter for students in the class attendance matters group stated the importance of class attendance for academic performance and thanked the student for coming to class.
Support for implementation
No additional information provided.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
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A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
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Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).