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

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