Growth Mindsets & Academic Improvement

We’ve told kids for years that effort changes everything.

But the biggest review of growth mindset research in decades just found the results are tiny… sometimes nothing at all.

So should parents and teachers stop talking about “not yet”?

In this Doctor’s Desk episode, Justin and Kylie unpack what the science really says, why the data might be missing the magic, and the simple belief that still changes lives for many children.

KEY POINTS

• A major new review analysed 24 gold-standard studies on growth mindset interventions.
• The strongest research found very small or zero academic improvement.
• Real classrooms and real families are far more complex than controlled trials.
• No study shows growth mindset causes harm.
• Language, belief, and persistence still influence motivation for many kids.
• We should be careful about promises — but not abandon hope.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“I don’t want to be the adult who looks at a child and says, ‘You just can’t.’”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Gazmuri, C. (2025). Growth mindset interventions and academic achievement. Review of Education.

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

• Swap limits for possibility: invite effort and exploration.
• Focus on helping your child stay in the uncomfortable learning zone.
• Offer support after they’ve tried, not before.
• Remember: neutral evidence is not negative evidence.

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