Exploring the Mediating Roles of Help-Seeking and Student Engagement in The Relationship Between Mindset and Academic Performance

Abstract

Academic performance is influenced not only by cognitive abilities but also by students’ beliefs, behaviors and engagement patterns. Understanding the mechanisms through which mindset influences academic performance can inform targeted interventions that enhance overall academic achievement. While existing literature has established the link between mindset and academic performance, less is known about how the process of mediation works when academic help-seeking and student engagement come into play, particularly in the Filipino secondary education context.

This study aimed to examine the mediating role of academic help-seeking and student engagement in the relationship between students’ mindsets and their academic performance. Using a descriptive-correlational quantitative design, data were collected from 119 senior high school students through validated instruments. The descriptive results revealed that students generally possessed a high level of growth mindset. Academic performance was found to be high as well; meanwhile, the student engagement level was moderate. Path analysis and bootstrapped mediation testing were performed using the PROCESS macro approach by Hayes to assess direct and indirect effects. Results revealed that mindset had a significant direct effect on academic performance. Help-seeking behavior significantly but partially mediated the relationship between mindset and academic performance, whereas student engagement did not show a significant mediating effect.

Policy recommendations include interventions that prioritize developing both growth mindset and help-seeking behaviors as a pathway for enhancing student outcomes. School administrators, educators, and counselors are encouraged to design programs that strengthen students’ growth mindset and help-seeking competencies.