Profiles of growth mindset and grit among rural Chinese students and their associations with math anxiety, motivation, and self-efficacy.

Growth mindset, consistency of interest, and perseverance of effort have been demonstrated to positively influence students' mathematical abilities. This study investigates how these characteristics interact and affect non-cognitive skills, enabling mathematics teachers to develop tailored interventions that enhance learning and persistence among rural students. We examined the profiles of growth mindset and Grit among 1495 rural Chinese students from three secondary schools in China, analyzing their relationships with math anxiety, motivation, and self-efficacy in mathematics lessons. Our analysis identified four distinct profiles: Fixed-Oriented Mindset, Lower Tendency Toward Growth, Tendency Toward Growth, and Growth-Oriented Mindset. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in students' mathematics motivation between the Lower Tendency Toward Growth, Tendency Toward Growth, and Growth Mindset profiles. However, increases in mindset are associated with increased math anxiety among rural students. This research offers new insights into the effects of cultivating a growth mindset and Grit on mathematics anxiety among rural students.