Growth Mindset and Academic Resilience as Predictors of Mathematics Achievement Among Middle School Students: A Quantitative Analysis

Abstract

This study examined the predictive roles of growth mindset and academic resilience on mathematics achievement among middle school students. Employing a quantitative, correlational-predictive research design with mediation analysis, data were collected from 486 students enrolled in grades 6 through 8 across 28 middle schools in Rajasthan, India. Three instruments were used: the Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale (ITIS, α = .89), the Academic Resilience Scale-30 (ARS-30, α = .91), and institutional mathematics achievement scores (standardized term examination marks converted to z-scores). Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that growth mindset significantly predicted mathematics achievement (β = .44, p < .001), accounting for 26.2% of the variance after controlling for demographic variables. Growth mindset also significantly predicted academic resilience (β = .56, p < .001), explaining 35.8% of the variance. Among the three mindset dimensions, beliefs about effort (β = .24) and response to challenge (β = .21) were the strongest predictors of achievement. Structural equation modeling confirmed that academic resilience partially mediated the relationship between growth mindset and mathematics achievement (βindirect = .18, 95% CI [.12, .25]). Students with strong growth mindsets scored significantly higher in mathematics (M = 0.62, SD = 0.74) than those with fixed mindsets (M = -0.48, SD = 0.82), t(318) = 8.86, p < .001, d = 1.00. These findings highlight the critical importance of fostering growth mindsets and resilience for improving mathematics outcomes.