The Exclusiveness of Growth Mindset: Examining the Interplay between Cultural Capital, Academic Performance, and Growth Mindset among Adolescents

Data from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) were analyzed to gain understanding into the role of a growth mindset in the connection between cultural capital and academic performance among Western 15-year-olds (N = 212,027), which is currently lacking within academia. Results from multiple linear regression analyses and a moderated mediation analysis find that (i) cultural capital is a significant predictor of students’ academic performance, demonstrated that (ii) it is partially mediated by a growth mindset, and illustrated that (iii) this mediation is strengthened—albeit very little—by teacher practices after controlling for gender, immigrant background, socioeconomic status, age, and grade. These findings contribute to the broader field of educational sociology by offering insights that propose specific directions for future research and contain targeted policy recommendations, both aimed at mitigating educational inequalities in Western countries. Limitations are discussed.