Susana Claro, PUC-Escuela de Gobierno

Sala de Postgrado

“Effect of a Growth Mindset Intervention on Standardized Tests, GPA and Challenge Seeking Behavior: Gender Differences from an RCT in Chile”

Coautoreado con David Yeager, Camila Serra, Magdalena Ramdohr, Eddie Escobar y Ryan Bel.

Abstract: This study evaluates a low cost, scalable intervention to develop a growth mindset in students in Chile, through an RCT. We adapted a computerized tool with demonstrated effects on mindsets, persistence, and academic achievement in US and Norway (Yeager et al, 2017; Bettinger et al, 2018, ). We randomly assigned 6th through 11th grade students from a private school in Chile (8% of FRPL students), to receive the growth mindset intervention or a control session. The intervention had short-term positive impacts on girls’ mindset and their willingness to take on learning challenges measured by self-reported and behavioral measures. Girls also improve their results on math external standardized tests in the short term. These effects fade by the end of the year, suggesting that the initial improvement in math scores comes rather from a boost in females’ attitude during the test than actual learning.