Developmental changes in students’ mindset meaning systems: The role of perceived classroom goal structures

Mindsets impact learning by shaping students’ beliefs about effort and achievement goals, creating two distinct meaning systems: a growth mindset-mastery goal system and a fixed mindset-performance goal system. Recent studies reveal that students often hold more complex combinations (profiles) of mindset-related beliefs and goals. Yet, little is known about how these profiles change over time and the contextual factors that contribute to these changes. This longitudinal study used a pattern-oriented approach to investigate (a) the naturally occurring profiles based on students’ mindset, effort beliefs, and goals; (b) the stability and change in these profiles over time; and (c) the influence of perceived classroom goal structures on profile changes. The study followed 430 students (210 girls, M_age at Time 1 = 12.86 years) over the first two years of secondary school. Four consistent profiles were identified in both years: Growth Mindset-Low Performance Goals, Growth Mindset-Moderate Performance Goals, Mixed Mindset-High Performance Goals, and Fixed Mindset-Disengaged. Although the Growth Mindset-Low Performance Goals profile was the largest in the first year (32 %), there was a noticeable shift toward less desirable profiles over time, with the Fixed Mindset-Disengaged profile becoming the most common by the second year (33 %). Students who initially perceived high mastery and low performance-avoidance goal structures were more likely to belong to and remain in growth mindset profiles. These findings deepen our understanding of the nature, stability, and contextual influences on students’ mindset meaning systems.