Mathematical Self-Efficacy Mediating the Relationship Between Motivation, Anxiety, and Achievement

Abstract

Earlier studies on mathematical self-efficacy, motivation, anxiety, and mathematics achievement have shown significant controversies; however, mathematics achievement is highly important. This study adopts a quantitative research method, with a sample of 5,464 15-year-old secondary school students from 175 schools in Hong Kong. The aim is to explore the mediating role of mathematical self-efficacy in the relationship between motivation, anxiety, and mathematical achievement, and to analyze the moderating effects of gender and grade on this relationship.This study found that mathematics self-efficacy played a negative role between mathematics anxiety and mathematics performance, and played a completely positive role between mathematics motivation and mathematics performance. For Hong Kong secondary school students around 15 years old, there were significant differences in mathematics motivation and selfefficacy among students of different grades. As the grade increased, students' mathematics motivation and self-efficacy gradually increased. However, gender did not show a significant moderating effect on this. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the complex relationships among these variables, offers a theoretical basis for personalized education and tiered intervention strategies, and contributes to promoting adolescents' mental health and improving mathematics instruction.