Uncovering the Impact of Growth Mindset Factors on the Text Selection of Middle School Students

Abstract

National Common Core State Standards hold that students become increasingly more capable of comprehending complex text throughout their school years. There is high importance for students to increase their reading of complex text in order to support reading development. Text complexity research shows the factor of complex text offers students the opportunity to gain more vocabulary and knowledge as well as experience with more syntactically complex sentences and text structures. With regard to enhanced academic success, interventions using Carol Dweck’s growth mindset concepts promote the consideration of non-cognitive factors amidst student growth in learning. However, research reveals growth mindset interventions have shown limited effects amongst elementary and adolescent-aged students. Some growth mindset interventions have, however, shown some effects for at-risk students. This study examined the relationship among student growth mindset, attitudes of reading complex text, text selection choices, and reading comprehension. Middle schoolers in the sixth grade were administered a growth mindset and text complexity survey. They also completed a standardized comprehension measure. They participated in a daily text selection task in which they had three different levels of text to choose from. On the last day, students were randomly assigned to two conditions, one in which they received directions intended to promote a growth mindset about text selection and a control condition. Contrary to hypotheses, the results indicated that students with a higher growth mindset tended to choose less complex text. Additionally, there was a statistically negative relationship between student growth mindset and reading comprehension, suggesting students with a higher growth mindset tended to have lower scores in comprehension. In contrast, results also revealed that on average, students with exposure to growth mindset directions made more rigorous text selections than those without growth mindset instructions. However, those differences were not statistically significant.