Do Student Organizations Meaningfully Improve Growth Mindset and Achievement Motivation, or Just Keep Students Busy?

Abstract

This study examines whether students’ organizational involvement functions as a student-affairs management lever to strengthen growth mindset and achievement motivation in Indonesian senior high schools. Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from 187 Grade XI students at public senior high schools in Parepare, South Sulawesi. Three Likert-type scales measured organizational involvement, growth mindset, and achievement motivation; items met validity criteria and showed acceptable reliability. Assumption tests indicated normal distributions and linear relationships. Hypotheses were tested with simple linear regressions and a multivariate model (MANOVA) using SPSS 26. Results show that organizational involvement positively predicts growth mindset (R = 0.616, R² = 0.379; F = 113.116; p < .001) and achievement motivation (R = 0.600, R² = 0.359; F = 103.798; p < .001). The simultaneous effect on both outcomes is significant (Pillai’s Trace = 0.424; Wilks’ Lambda = 0.576; F = 67.857; p < .001). These findings support repositioning organizational involvement as a manageable instrument within student affairs—operationalized through structured assignments, mentoring, and formative feedback—to cultivate key psychosocial outcomes. We recommend integrating mindset and motivation indicators into program evaluation. Future studies should employ longitudinal or experimental designs to test mediators (e.g., self-efficacy) and moderators (e.g., coaching quality, participation intensity) and to compare Islamic and general school contexts.