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Self‐concept mediates the relation between achievement and emotions in mathematics
Author(s) -
Van der Beek Jojanneke P. J.,
Van der Ven Sanne H. G.,
Kroesbergen Evelyn H.,
Leseman Paul P. M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
british journal of educational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.557
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 2044-8279
pISSN - 0007-0998
DOI - 10.1111/bjep.12160
Subject(s) - mediation , psychology , test anxiety , structural equation modeling , relation (database) , test (biology) , self concept , mathematics education , mathematical anxiety , achievement test , academic achievement , educational psychology , anxiety , developmental psychology , social psychology , standardized test , mathematics , paleontology , statistics , database , psychiatry , political science , computer science , law , biology
Background Mathematics 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. Aims The 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. Sample Participants were ninth‐grade students ( n = 1,014) from eight secondary schools in the Netherlands. Methods Through 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. Results Results 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. Conclusions Mathematical 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.