Effect of Growth Mindset on Mental Health Two Years Later: The Role of Smartphone Use

Xiaoxiong Lai, Chang Nie, Shunsen Huang, Yajun Li, Tao Xin, Cai Zhang and Yun Wang
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Xiaoxiong Lai: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Chang Nie: Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Shunsen Huang: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Yajun Li: Guangming Institute of Education Sciences, Shenzhen 518107, China
Tao Xin: Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Cai Zhang: Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Yun Wang: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-11

Abstract: The negative association between the growth mindset and mental health problems suggests that prevention and intervention programs to improve mental health by targeting mindset may have potential clinical value. However, research on the longitudinal effect of mindset on adolescent mental health and its underlying mechanisms is lacking. Using a three-wave longitudinal design, we obtained data from a diverse sample of Chinese adolescents ( n = 2543). Longitudinal multiple mediation models were constructed to examine the effects of the growth mindset on levels of anxiety and depression two years later. In addition, the mediating effects of smartphone use for entertainment and problematic smartphone use (PSU) were examined. After controlling for various covariates and the autoregressive effects of mental health problems, the growth mindset had significant negative effects on anxiety ( β = −0.053, p = 0.004) and depression ( β = −0.074, p < 0.001). Smartphone use had a significant mediating role in the effect of mindset on anxiety ( β = −0.016, p < 0.001) and depression ( β = −0.016, p < 0.001). The growth mindset has long-lasting positive effects on adolescent mental health. Smartphone use for entertainment and PSU mediate the effect of mindset on adolescent mental health.

Keywords: growth mindset; smartphone use for entertainment; problematic smartphone use; anxiety; depression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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