Title: Entity and Incremental Beliefs as Correlates of Mathematics Performance Among Junior High School Students
Authors: Joseph C. Pasco
Volume: 9
Issue: 10
Pages: 46-51
Publication Date: 2025/10/28
Abstract:
This study examined the relationship between students' implicit theories of intelligence and their mathematics performance among junior high school learners in the Division of Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, Philippines. A total of 711 Grade 7 to 10 students enrolled during the school year 2022-2023 participated, representing schools of varying sizes across the division. Data were obtained simultaneously through secondary sources, namely students' officially recorded mathematics grades and responses to the Implicit Theory of Intelligence Scale (ITIS) developed by Abd-El-Fattah and Yates (2006), a 14-item, four-point Likert-type instrument with established reliability. Descriptive statistics including frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations were computed to summarize performance levels and mindset orientations. Pearson product-moment correlation was employed to determine the influence of entity and incremental beliefs on mathematics performance, with assumptions of normality, linearity, and homoscedasticity verified prior to analysis. Results showed that most students performed within the satisfactory to very satisfactory levels, with relatively few attaining outstanding proficiency and only a small proportion failing to meet expectations. Analysis of the ITIS revealed that students leaned more toward incremental beliefs, endorsing effort and learning as means to develop intelligence, though traces of entity thinking remained, particularly the view that innate ability influences performance. Correlation analysis indicated that neither entity (r = 0.067, p = 0.075) nor incremental (r = -0.052, p = 0.164) beliefs exerted a significant influence on mathematics grades. These findings suggest that while mindset shapes students' attitudes and approaches to learning, mathematics achievement is likely influenced by a broader set of academic and contextual factors beyond implicit theories of intelligence.