Narratives of Mindset Change and Anxiety in Adolescents after a Growth Mindset Development Program Based on Art Activities

Robertus Heru Setyo Suhartono

doi:10.55927/fjmr.v4i11.599

Authors

Robertus Heru Setyo Suhartono Universitas Semarang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/fjmr.v4i11.599

Keywords:

Growth Mindset, Anxiety, Adolescents, Art-Based Interventions

Abstract

Adolescents often face anxiety and rigid mindsets that can hinder academic and personal development, so innovative psychological interventions are needed that are able to foster adaptive mindsets. This study aims to analyze the influence of art activity-based growth mindset development programs on changes in mindset and anxiety levels in adolescents, as well as explore the subjective narrative of participants' experiences. Using mixed methods design through a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest with a control group, quantitative data were collected from 120 adolescents aged 13–16 years using a standard scale of growth mindset and anxiety, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and artwork analysis. The results of quantitative analysis using ANCOVA showed a significant improvement in developing mindset and a decrease in anxiety in the intervention group compared to the control group, with moderate to large effect sizes. Qualitative narrative analysis reveals themes of strengthening self-efficacy, the ability to reconstruct challenges into opportunities, and the release of emotions through artistic expression. The integration of the two data shows that the art process not only supports cognitive restructuring, but also contributes to the regulation of emotions, thereby strengthening the internalization of the growth mindset. These findings confirm that art-based psychological interventions can be an effective strategy in reducing anxiety while encouraging adaptive cognitive orientation in adolescents.

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