A review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self-regulated learning

Self-regulation is a crucial life skill. In particular, self-regulated learning (SRL) is an important factor in achieving academic success. Recent research has studied the association between SRL and growth mindset, a belief that emphasizes the importance of effort, perseverance, and the use of SRL...

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Main Authors: Kate M. Xu, Jesper Leferink, Lisette Wijnia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Education
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1539639/full
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author Kate M. Xu
Jesper Leferink
Lisette Wijnia
author_facet Kate M. Xu
Jesper Leferink
Lisette Wijnia
author_sort Kate M. Xu
collection DOAJ
description Self-regulation is a crucial life skill. In particular, self-regulated learning (SRL) is an important factor in achieving academic success. Recent research has studied the association between SRL and growth mindset, a belief that emphasizes the importance of effort, perseverance, and the use of SRL strategies. Although recent research indicates positive associations, some findings are contradictory. This review systematically synthesized recent literature on the relationship between students’ growth mindset and SRL in educational settings (e.g., school, college and university students), based on 10 peer-reviewed empirical studies with 15 samples published in English between 2010 and 2023. The studies were coded using a coding scheme. All studies examined a direct relationship between a growth mindset and SRL. The results showed that having a growth mindset is positively associated with SRL strategies overall (r = 0.40). The systematic review then revealed that there are positive associations across all phases of SRL, although with substantial variation in the strengths of the association across studies (also supported by Q statistic, p < 0.001). The results further suggest that the operationalization of mindset measures and socioeconomic disadvantage may moderate the association between mindset and SRL; however, more research is needed on the moderating and mediating factors that affect the relationship between growth mindset and SRL strategy use. These findings suggest that promoting a growth mindset could be a promising factor in interventions designed to foster SRL. Future research could further explore this area of research by taking into account how different contexts and conditions influence this relationship, for example, whether this relationship vary for growth mindset in different school subjects.
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spelling doaj-art-d243a7903adc458bae9c3a27d3b95dfa2025-08-20T03:41:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2025-08-011010.3389/feduc.2025.15396391539639A review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self-regulated learningKate M. XuJesper LeferinkLisette WijniaSelf-regulation is a crucial life skill. In particular, self-regulated learning (SRL) is an important factor in achieving academic success. Recent research has studied the association between SRL and growth mindset, a belief that emphasizes the importance of effort, perseverance, and the use of SRL strategies. Although recent research indicates positive associations, some findings are contradictory. This review systematically synthesized recent literature on the relationship between students’ growth mindset and SRL in educational settings (e.g., school, college and university students), based on 10 peer-reviewed empirical studies with 15 samples published in English between 2010 and 2023. The studies were coded using a coding scheme. All studies examined a direct relationship between a growth mindset and SRL. The results showed that having a growth mindset is positively associated with SRL strategies overall (r = 0.40). The systematic review then revealed that there are positive associations across all phases of SRL, although with substantial variation in the strengths of the association across studies (also supported by Q statistic, p < 0.001). The results further suggest that the operationalization of mindset measures and socioeconomic disadvantage may moderate the association between mindset and SRL; however, more research is needed on the moderating and mediating factors that affect the relationship between growth mindset and SRL strategy use. These findings suggest that promoting a growth mindset could be a promising factor in interventions designed to foster SRL. Future research could further explore this area of research by taking into account how different contexts and conditions influence this relationship, for example, whether this relationship vary for growth mindset in different school subjects.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1539639/fullsystematic reviewmotivationself-regulated learninggrowth mindsetacademic achievement
spellingShingle Kate M. Xu
Jesper Leferink
Lisette Wijnia
A review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self-regulated learning
Frontiers in Education
systematic review
motivation
self-regulated learning
growth mindset
academic achievement
title A review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self-regulated learning
title_full A review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self-regulated learning
title_fullStr A review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self-regulated learning
title_full_unstemmed A review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self-regulated learning
title_short A review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self-regulated learning
title_sort review of the relationship between student growth mindset and self regulated learning
topic systematic review
motivation
self-regulated learning
growth mindset
academic achievement
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1539639/full
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