Back to results

University of Southern Mississippi

Mindset matters: The relations between growth mindset and academic and career variables among first-generation college students

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Can altering the perception of failure change future performance? Growth Mindset (GM) has been investigated for several decades, and studies have indicated that altering the way people perceive failure can impact certain levels of performance like academic achievement. The individual who endorses a GM views a challenge or failure not as a defeat and submission of inability, but a recognition that further growth, persistence, and effort are required to accomplish the desired task. This project aimed to understand more about first generation college students (FGCS) who endorse a growth mindset. Specifically, the intention of the study was to understand how a GM overlaps with career development variables and relates to academic achievement. Data on a sample of FGCS (N = 191) was collected to assess relationships between GM, career development variables, and academic performance. Contrary to available literature, results showed that GM was not related to academic performance. However, while there was no association between academic performance and GM, there were significant relationships between GM, career optimism, career adaptability, and career decision making self-efficacy.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts (MA)
Level thesis:degree_level
Masters Thesis
Year dc:date.available
2022

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Harper, Dillon
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Melanie Leuty
  • Emily Yowell
  • Bonnie Nicholson

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/873
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-1936

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Southern Mississippi
Base URL
aquila.usm.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Harper, Dillon. Mindset matters: The relations between growth mindset and academic and career variables among first-generation college students. Masters Thesis thesis, 2022. https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/873