The impact of a growth mindset on adolescents’ health risk behaviors

The chain mediating role of core self-evaluation and coping style

Dados Bibliográficos

ID15699765
AutoresXiaomeng Xu (0000-0003-3695-4845, Ludong University), Yun Ding (0000-0002-7012-5621, Ludong University), Y K Zhang (Ludong University), Yaohua Zhang, Min Xu (0000-0002-8940-1614, Ludong University), Yunyun Huang (0000-0001-6488-5088, Ludong University), Song Chang (0000-0002-1806-792X, Ludong University), Sufei Xin (0000-0003-1297-9829, Ludong University, autor correspondente)
Ano2026
Volume14
Fascículo1
Data de publicação2026-02-28
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoBMC Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2050-7283 • E-ISSN: 2050-7283
EditoraBioMed Central (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1186/s40359-026-04211-3
PMID41761372
OpenAlexW7131828926
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas83

Health risk behaviors pose serious threats to adolescents’ physical and psychological well-being as well as their long-term development. Previous studies suggest that a growth mindset can serve as a positive cognitive resource that may be associated with such behaviors, but the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. Guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, this study examined a longitudinal model in which a growth mindset is associated with later health risk behaviors via core self-evaluation and coping style. A three-wave longitudinal study with three-month intervals was conducted using cluster sampling among middle school students in eastern China. Growth mindset, core self-evaluation, coping style, and health risk behaviors were measured by self-report questionnaires. The final sample comprised 534 students (Mage = 12.40, 50.2% male). A growth mindset at T1 was associated with fewer health risk behaviors at T3. The total association was primarily indirect: when core self-evaluation and coping style at T2 were included in the model, the direct association between having a growth mindset and health risk behaviors was nonsignificant, whereas indirect effects via core self-evaluation and positive coping were statistically significant, both as separate indirect effects and as a serial indirect effect. The findings provide longitudinal evidence consistent with an indirect pathway linking a growth mindset to lower health risk behaviors through more positive core self-evaluation and adaptive coping, thus highlighting these psychological resources as potential targets for health risk behavior prevention efforts

Coping (psychology · Health psychology · Longitudinal study · Mental health · Mindset · Public health · Structural equation modeling · Transactional leadership · Education, Achievement, and Giftedness · Flow Experience in Various Fields · Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation