The Effect of Fostering a Growth Mindset in Primary School Children: Does Intervention Approach Matter?

Promoting a growth mindset may positively influence learner motivation and enhance learning outcomes among primary school children. Previous studies have predominantly focused on secondary and undergraduate students, investigating the efficacy of a reading and writing intervention related to intelligence. Introducing effort-based praise during the learning process also aligns with a growth mindset and may further facilitate the development of a growth mindset in primary education. To evaluate the effects of these intervention approaches, we conducted a two-by-two between-subjects experimental study with a sample of 161 Dutch primary school children aged 10 to 12 years. This study aimed to assess the effects of two interventions both independently (main effects) and in combination (interaction effect): a growth mindset reading and writing assignment (factor 1) and effort-based praise (factor 2) on mindset beliefs and learning performance, specifically in terms of retention and transfer within the probability calculation domain. While a positive effect on growth mindset beliefs was observed, neither the individual interventions nor their combination significantly influenced learning performance.