The Mediating Role of Changes in Academic Self-concept Between Growth Mindset and Academic Achievement: A Multilevel SEM Approach

This study examined the mediation of changes in academic self-concept (ASC) in the path from growth mindset on academic achievement by reflecting the hierarchical structure of the data. For this purpose, the 2013 Korean Educational Longitudinal Study was used, and a latent growth model and multilevel mediation model were specified. ASC decreased over time, and there were individual differences at the student level and group differences at the school level. The indirect effects of changes in ASC on the relationship between growth mindset and achievement were tested, and both types of indirect effects at the student level were credibly different from zero. At the student level, the higher the growth mindset, the higher the ASC, and the higher the ASC, the higher the achievement. The higher the growth mindset, the lower the slope of the ASC, and the lower the slope of the ASC, the lower the achievement. At the school level, only the initial ASC value had a positive effect on achievement. This study imple that a fixed mindset can be a protective factor against a decrease in ASC.