Growth Mindset: A Shield for Mental Health During Tough Times

A growth mindset which entails the attitude to effort and ability as areas that can be improved has been shown to be positive when associated with levels of mental health during unpleasant experiences. The effectiveness of such mixtures has been illuminated by a recent study among Californian adults during the period of COVID-19 (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
The implications of growth mindset for depression, well-being, and adjustment over 2 years during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Implications of Growth Mindset for Mental Health

Scientists analyzed the effects of the mindset on growth on mental health among the stocked Californians of the aged 19 to 89 in a pandemic situation. Participants’ mental health state, depression, and well-being were evaluated by the study in this unprecedented time of stress and uncertainty.

The study revealed that individuals with a stronger growth mindset experienced:

• Lower Levels of Depression: Members who considered that they could easily change and get better exhibited fewer incidents of feeling depressed.
• Higher Well-Being: The results indicated that a growth mind-set was related to more emotional stability, positivity and contentedness with life.

Thus, the results of the present study imply that developing a growth-mindedness may operate as a resilience factor in times of stress. Consequently, through promoting flexibility and concentrating on the growth of self, a person could handle stress and volatility.

Practical Applications of Growth Mindset

To promote a growth mindset, mental health professionals and educators can:

• Promote self-organisation and goal promotion.
• Emphasise the importance of using failure as a source of information.
• Encourage the perception that something which constitutes a difficulty is actually a possibility for enhancement.

A key message of the research is that it is possible to have psychological resources for coping with adversity. Because people cultivate a growth mindset, personnel can prevent worsening of their mental health, and at the same time, boost their wellness when dealing with tough situations.

Reference:

1. The implications of growth mindset for depression, well-being, and adjustment over 2 years during the COVID-19 pandemic - (https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmen.0000182)

Source-Medindia