The Effect of Growth Mindset on Adolescents' Meaning in Life: The Roles of Self-Efficacy and Gratitude

Overview

Journal Psychol Res Behav Manag

Publisher Dove Medical Press

Specialty Social Sciences

Date 2023 Nov 29

PMID 38024657

Authors

Hui Zhao

Ming Zhang

Yifei Li

Zhenzhen Wang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Prior research has demonstrated that individuals' growth mindset can predict their happiness and psychological health. As a vital gauge of psychological health, meaning in life may be connected to a growth mindset.

Methods: This study employs a positive psychological perspective and uses Chinese adolescents as the study population. We manipulated the level of growth mindset (high growth mindset vs low growth mindset) in two experiments to examine the effects of growth mindset on adolescents' meaning in life. Additionally, we examined the roles of self-efficacy as a mediator (Study 1) and gratitude as a moderator (Study 2).

Results: Study 1 revealed positive correlations among growth mindset, self-efficacy, and meaning in life. Teenagers with a high growth mindset perceived and experienced life meaning more strongly than those with a low growth mindset. Growth mindset significantly predicted meaning in life, and self-efficacy fully mediated the connection between growth mindset and meaning in life. In Study 2, the connection between growth mindset and meaning in life was moderated by gratitude: in the high-gratitude condition, teens' growth mindsets had a direct significant influence on meaning in life. In contrast, in the low-gratitude situation, growth mindset did not significantly affect meaning in life. Moreover, the fully mediating role of self-efficacy was verified.

Conclusion: The results reveal the mechanism of action by which adolescents' growth mindset affects their meaning in life, broadening the research related to adolescents' growth mindset and providing important theoretical inspiration and practical guidance for teachers, parents and counselling workers to help adolescents obtain higher meaning in life.

Citing Articles

Exploring the impact of growth mindset on psychological symptoms in students from ethnic regions of China: how meaning in life makes a difference.

Fang Z, Fu Z Front Psychiatry. 2025; 16:1520645.

PMID: 40012710 PMC: 11861526. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1520645.

Consistency of interest mediates the positive relationship between growth mindset and presence of meaning in life among Hong Kong adolescents: A cross-lagged panel study.

Chan H, Tong Y, Lee S, Chiu C Appl Psychol Health Well Being. 2025; 17(1):e70001.

PMID: 39840779 PMC: 11752416. DOI: 10.1111/aphw.70001.

The Moderating Effect of Cultural Orientation on the Relationship Between Growth Mindset and Learning Self-Efficacy: A Dimension-Specific Pattern.

He W, Zhang K Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 14(12.

PMID: 39767296 PMC: 11673442. DOI: 10.3390/bs14121155.

Relationship Between Growth Mindset and Self-Control Amongst Chinese Primary School Students: A Longitudinal Study.

Yuan R, Peng W, Jiang J Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2024; 17:3101-3109.

PMID: 39247071 PMC: 11380487. DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S468490.

Harmonious passion and academic achievement in higher education: The mediating influence of exploratory and exploitative learning strategies.

Shen Y Heliyon. 2024; 10(9):e29943.

PMID: 38707452 PMC: 11066334. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29943.

References

McCullough M, Emmons R, Tsang J . The grateful disposition: a conceptual and empirical topography. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2002; 82(1):112-27. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.82.1.112. View

Zhao H, Xiong J, Zhang Z, Qi C . Growth Mindset and College Students' Learning Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Serial Mediation Model. Front Psychol. 2021; 12:621094. PMC: 7933026. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.621094. View

Zhao H, Zhang M, Li Y, Wang Z . The Relationship between a Growth Mindset and Junior High School Students' Meaning in Life: A Serial Mediation Model. Behav Sci (Basel). 2023; 13(2). PMC: 9952829. DOI: 10.3390/bs13020189. View

Duckworth A, Gross J . Self-Control and Grit: Related but Separable Determinants of Success. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2016; 23(5):319-325. PMC: 4737958. DOI: 10.1177/0963721414541462. View

Berg J, Wrzesniewski A, Grant A, Kurkoski J, Welle B . Getting unstuck: The effects of growth mindsets about the self and job on happiness at work. J Appl Psychol. 2022; 108(1):152-166. DOI: 10.1037/apl0001021. View

Halperin E, Russell A, Trzesniewski K, Gross J, Dweck C . Promoting the Middle East peace process by changing beliefs about group malleability. Science. 2011; 333(6050):1767-9. DOI: 10.1126/science.1202925. View

Fredrickson B . The role of positive emotions in positive psychology. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Am Psychol. 2001; 56(3):218-26. PMC: 3122271. DOI: 10.1037//0003-066x.56.3.218. View

Zhao H, Li Y, Wan L, Li K . Grit and Academic Self-Efficacy as Serial Mediation in the Relationship Between Growth Mindset and Academic Delay of Gratification: A Cross-Sectional Study. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2023; 16:3185-3198. PMC: 10426458. DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S421544. View

Steger M, Kashdan T, Sullivan B, Lorentz D . Understanding the search for meaning in life: personality, cognitive style, and the dynamic between seeking and experiencing meaning. J Pers. 2008; 76(2):199-228. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2007.00484.x. View

10.

Wood A, Froh J, Geraghty A . Gratitude and well-being: a review and theoretical integration. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010; 30(7):890-905. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.005. View

11.

Zhao H, Liu X, Qi C . "Want to Learn" and "Can Learn": Influence of Academic Passion on College Students' Academic Engagement. Front Psychol. 2021; 12:697822. PMC: 8245694. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.697822. View

12.

Torok L, Szabo Z, Orosz G . Promoting a growth mindset decreases behavioral self-handicapping among students who are on the fixed side of the mindset continuum. Sci Rep. 2022; 12(1):7454. PMC: 9076841. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11547-4. View

13.

Sun X, Nancekivell S, Gelman S, Shah P . Growth mindset and academic outcomes: a comparison of US and Chinese students. NPJ Sci Learn. 2021; 6(1):21. PMC: 8290023. DOI: 10.1038/s41539-021-00100-z. View

14.

Schlegel R, Hicks J, Arndt J, King L . Thine own self: true self-concept accessibility and meaning in life. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2009; 96(2):473-90. PMC: 4714566. DOI: 10.1037/a0014060. View

15.

Hu C, Wang C, Liu W, Wang D . Depression and Reasoning Ability in Adolescents: Examining the Moderating Role of Growth Mindset. Front Psychol. 2022; 13:636368. PMC: 8964125. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.636368. View

16.

Burnette J, Knouse L, Vavra D, OBoyle E, Brooks M . Growth mindsets and psychological distress: A meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev. 2020; 77:101816. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101816. View

17.

Bandura A . Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychol Rev. 1977; 84(2):191-215. DOI: 10.1037//0033-295x.84.2.191. View

18.

Lorenz T, Beer C, Putz J, Heinitz K . Measuring Psychological Capital: Construction and Validation of the Compound PsyCap Scale (CPC-12). PLoS One. 2016; 11(4):e0152892. PMC: 4817957. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152892. View

19.

Lovell B, Wetherell M . Social support mediates the relationship between dispositional gratitude and psychological distress in caregivers of autistic children. Psychol Health Med. 2023; 28(8):2084-2094. DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2022.2162939. View

20.

Miller D . When Do Growth Mindset Interventions Work?. Trends Cogn Sci. 2019; 23(11):910-912. DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.08.005. View