A mixed-methods study on the effects of a growth mindset program in Finnish elementary schools

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of a growth mindset intervention program called I can learn among Finnish elementary school students. Altogether, 116 third-grade students participated in this study, which used both quantitative and qualitative evidence to measure the effects of the intervention program. Even though the quantitative data showed no clear effect for the intervention on students’ mindsets and effort beliefs, the qualitative data revealed that students in the intervention group reported more emotional control strategies and effort self-talk as well as less ability self-talk in challenging learning situations compared to the control groups. Nonetheless, these differences between the experimental groups were short-lived, with no differences observed eighteen months after the intervention.