Growth mindset in Chinese societies: Introduction to the special issue

The JPRP Special Issue on Growth Mindset in Chinese Context was put together to address three questions. First, is the growth mindset less popular among the Chinese than Americans and Europeans? Second, is the growth mindset less relevant to human performance and psychological well-being in Chinese societies than in Western societies? Third, can the effectiveness of growth-mindset interventions in Chinese societies be enhanced, and if yes, how? In this editorial article, we review the research literature on growth mindset in the Chinese context. Our review focuses on articles published in the last five years (2019–2024). Most of these articles were published in English outlets. This review aims to situate the 13 articles included in the present issue in a broader theoretical background. The present editorial article consists of five sections: (1) the relative prevalence of the growth mindset in Chinese and Western societies; (2) evidence for the beneficial psychological and achievement effects of growth mindset in Chinese societies; (3) the supportive conditions for the development of a growth mindset; (4) the effectiveness of growth mindset interventions in Chinese societies; and (5C) future directions for growth mindset research in the Chinese context.