Self-concept mediates the relation between achievement and emotions in mathematics

Bibliographic Data

ID5263530
AuthorsJojanneke P J Van Der Beek (Department of Child, Family and Education Studies Utrecht University The Netherlands, corresponding author), Sanne H G Van Der Ven (0000-0002-4761-0741, Department of Child, Family and Education Studies Utrecht University The Netherlands), Evelyn H Kroesbergen (0000-0001-9856-096X, Department of Child, Family and Education Studies Utrecht University The Netherlands), Paul P M Leseman (0000-0003-1286-0510, Department of Child, Family and Education Studies Utrecht University The Netherlands)
Year2017
Volume87
Issue3
Pages478-495
Publication date2017-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Educational Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-0998 • E-ISSN: 2044-8279
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/bjep.12160
PMID28440010
OpenAlexW2607829271
LanguageEN
Citations received30
References cited58

BackgroundMathematics achievement is related to positive and negative emotions. Pekrun's control-value theory of achievement emotions suggests that students' self-concept (i.e., self-appraisal of ability) may be an important mediator of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions.AimsThe aims were (1) to investigate the mediating role of mathematical self-concept in the relation between mathematics achievement and the achievement emotions of enjoyment and anxiety in a comprehensive model, and (2) to test possible differences in this mediating role between low-, average-, and high-achieving students.SampleParticipants were ninth-grade students (n = 1,014) from eight secondary schools in the Netherlands.MethodsThrough an online survey including mathematical problems, students were asked to indicate their levels of mathematics enjoyment, anxiety, and self-concept. Structural equation modelling was used to test the mediating role of self-concept in the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions. Multigroup analyses were performed to compare these relations across the three achievement groups.ResultsResults confirmed full mediation of the relation between mathematics achievement and emotions by mathematical self-concept. Furthermore, we found higher self-concepts, more enjoyment and less math anxiety in high-achieving students compared to their average and low-achieving peers. No differences across these achievement groups were found in the relations in the mediational model.ConclusionsMathematical self-concept plays a pivotal role in students' appraisal of mathematics. Mathematics achievement is only one factor explaining students' self-concept. Likely also classroom instruction and teachers' feedback strategies help to shape students' self-concept

Academic achievement · Achievement test · Anxiety · Developmental psychology · Educational psychology · Mathematical anxiety · Mathematics education · Mediation · Relation (database) · Self-concept · Standardized test · Structural equation modeling · Test (biology) · Test anxiety · Education, Achievement, and Giftedness · Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation · Mathematics · Psychology · Psychometric Methodologies and Testing · Social Psychology

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