International Journal of Educational Practice and Policy
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026): June-July 2026

The Influence of School Climate on Student Engagement Through the Mediating Role of Growth Mindset Among Vocational High School Students

Mutiara Wardhani (Master’s Program in Psychology, Graduate School, Universitas Medan Area)
Rahmi Lubis (Master’s Program in Psychology, Graduate School, Universitas Medan Area)
Yudistira Fauzy Indrawan (Master’s Program in Psychology, Graduate School, Universitas Medan Area)



Article Info

Publish Date
15 Jun 2026

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effect of school climate on student engagement with growth mindset as a mediating variable among vocational high school students. The research employed a quantitative explanatory design involving 220 students selected from a population of 492 using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected using validated Likert-scale instruments, including the Student Engagement Scale (α = 0.927), School Climate Scale (PACE-33), and Growth Mindset Scale (α = 0.793), and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 4.0. The results showed that all constructs met validity and reliability criteria (AVE > 0.50; CR and CA > 0.70), and the model showed good fit (SRMR = 0.055). Hypothesis testing revealed that school climate significantly affects student engagement (β = 0.162; t = 4.569; p < 0.05) and growth mindset (β = 0.190; t = 7.661; p < 0.05), while growth mindset significantly influences student engagement (β = 0.195; t = 8.520; p < 0.05). Additionally, growth mindset was found to partially mediate the relationship between school climate and student engagement, with a stronger indirect effect (β = 0.312; p < 0.05) compared to the direct effect. The model explains 55% of the variance in growth mindset and 61% in student engagement, indicating moderate to strong predictive power. These findings show that both environmental and psychological factors play a role in enhancing student engagement.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

IJEPP

Publisher

Subject

Education Social Sciences

Description

International Journal of Educational Practice and Policy (IJEPP) is an interdisciplinary journal that publishes innovative educational research and writing from scholars throughout the world. IJEPP aims to offer a place for researchers to exchange information, principles, and expertise in the area ...