A national evaluation of an intervention to promote adolescent thriving

This small grant would support a time-sensitive, unique opportunity to evaluate a promising adolescent intervention on a national scale in the Fall of 2016. The grant would build off of investments in the “national mindset study,” which evaluated the effects of a growth mindset of intelligence intervention in 76 US high schools. Support from Templeton would enable us to re-recruit 20-25 of participating schools and evaluate an “incremental theory of personality” intervention. In previous research, the PI (David Yeager) and his collaborator, Carol Dweck, developed an intervention approach that promoted adolescent thriving in three past trials by helping adolescents take a more optimistic and hopeful view in response to social adversity, creating more peaceful resolution of conflict. The intervention also had several "spillover" effects, including improvements in well-being (i.e., increased self-esteem and decreased depression), reduced global stress, improved academic achievement, and reduced aggression. However, before this intervention is ready for dissemination on a national scale, it is important to replicate – especially in the current scientific climate. Therefore, the PI has obtained an R01 from the NICHD to conduct a replication in 4 high schools. However, with Templeton funding to augment this aim, it would be possible to use the “national mindset study” sample and expand this replication to 20-25 schools encompassing a nationally representative sample.