Publication Date
Spring 4-28-2026
Document Type
Conference Poster
First Advisor
Valentiner, David
Degree Name
B.S. (Bachelor of Science)
Department
Department of Psychology
Abstract
Mindsets are the implicit perspectives that individuals have about their qualities. A growth mindset is the belief that one’s qualities can be improved through hard work. Growth mindsets about socioeconomic status (SES) have been associated with higher academic achievement for high school students. The present study is an extension of previous research examining socioeconomic status mindset impacts on school engagement. This study also investigates how parental education level impacts grades and credit hours earned in the context of SES Mindset.
This study used a diverse sample of 272 undergraduate students enrolled in the Introduction to Psychology course at NIU. Measures of SES Mindset, School Engagement, College Belongingness, and Parental Education were administered via an online survey. Moderation and regression analyses found a significant positive relationship between parent education and credit hours earned for participants with a fixed SES mindset, and no significant relationship for those with a growth SES mindset.
Recommended Citation
Chinski, A., Jankowski, A., & Valentiner, D. (2026, April). When the apple falls far from the tree: The effect of parental education level and socioeconomic status mindset on academic achievement [poster presentation]
Capstone Paper
Suggested Citation
Chinski, A., Jankowski, A., & Valentiner, D. (2026, April). When the apple falls far from the tree: The effect of parental education level and socioeconomic status mindset on academic achievement [poster presentation]
