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Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Restricted Thesis: Campus only access

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Crystal L. Hoyt

Abstract

Mindsets are the belief that one’s attributes and characteristics can change, and are associated with mental health symptom severity and coping style (De Castella et al., 2013; Dweck, 2013; Henshaw et al., 2023). The current study aims to investigate the relationship between domain-specific mindsets of anxiety and depression on symptomology through the mediator of coping styles and strategies. We conducted two studies within this paper. Study 1 measured the anxiety and depression mindsets of forty-nine treatment-seeking university students and their longitudinal symptoms. Study 2 cross-sectionally measured the anxiety mindset, social and general anxiety symptoms, coping style, and coping strategies of two hundred and eighty-nine U.S. participants. Using zero-order correlations, Study 1 found that stronger growth mindsets predict fewer symptoms of general anxiety and depression. Using zero-order correlations and parallel mediation analysis, Study 2 found that growth mindsets predict fewer symptoms of general and social anxiety through greater use of adaptive and less use of maladaptive coping strategies. This study contributes to a growing body of literature examining the interplay between domain-specific mindsets, coping strategies, and corresponding symptomology. Clinical implications are discussed.

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