Mindset Misconception? Comparing Mindsets, Perfectionism, and Attitudes of Achievement in Gifted, Advanced, and Typical Students

Abstract

The study compared mindset beliefs, perfectionism, and achievement attitudes among gifted, advanced, and typical students in Grades 6 to 8 ( N = 416) and explored the relationship between these variables. Welch’s F tests revealed no statistically significant difference in growth or fixed mindset beliefs about intelligence among groups. Gifted and advanced students scored higher on Personal Standards (gifted, d = 0.68; advanced, d = 0.62) and Academic Self-Perception (gifted, d = 0.72; advanced, d = 0.58) compared with typical students. In hierarchical regression models, giftedness was a statistically significant predictor for Concern over Mistakes (β = 0.20) and Personal Standards (β = 0.27); both gifted (β = 0.31) and advanced (β = 0.17) status were statistically significant predictors for Academic Self-Perception. Various models showed a positive association between growth mindset and Positive Strivings Perfectionism and achievement attitudes and a positive association between fixed mindset and Evaluative Concerns Perfectionism. Findings suggest that gifted students are not more vulnerable to develop fixed mindsets.