Developing and Validating a Growth Mindset Educational Intervention Based on Dweck's Theory and Investigating Its Effectiveness on Girls' Intrinsic, Germane, and Extraneous Cognitive Load

Abstract

Introduction: The present study aimed to develop and validate a growth mindset educational intervention based on Dweck's theory and investigate its effectiveness on girls' intrinsic, germane, and extraneous cognitive load. Method: This was an applied, mixed-methods study. The research was conducted in three phases: Phase 1 (qualitative) involved the development of the educational package, while Phases 2 and 3 (quantitative) focused on its validation and effectiveness. The statistical population for the validation phase consisted of 10 purposively selected specialists in the field. For the quantitative part, the population comprised second-grade high school female students in Tehran's Education District 2, studying in the 2024-2025 academic year. The sample included 30 students (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group), who were selected via random sampling. The experimental group received the growth mindset training over 10 sessions, each lasting 70 minutes, while the control group received no training. The Cognitive Load Scale by Klepsch, Schmitz, and Seufert (2017) was used as the research instrument. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS 24. Results: The findings confirmed that the growth mindset educational package possessed appropriate validity. The results of the ANCOVA also indicated that the intervention was effective in improving students' cognitive load. Conclusion: The growth mindset educational package can serve as a practical tool for enhancing adolescents' cognitive abilities and is effective in reducing their cognitive load