A Person-Centered Approach to the Relationship between Mathematics Self-Belief Profiles and Achievement

Abstract

Students’ self-beliefs about mathematics, such as mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics anxiety, can interact with each other in the explanation of mathematics achievement. The present study aimed to identify mathematics self-belief profiles (derived from combinations of mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics anxiety) and their relationships to mathematics achievement in a sample of secondary-school students. The participants were 2,365 students who completed a self-report instrument for the assessment of mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics anxiety. A latent profile analysis was conducted to identify the participants’ mathematics self-belief profiles. The relationship between the profiles, mathematics achievement, gender and school year, was determined. Six student profiles were identified based on combined levels of mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics anxiety. Specifically, three patterns were found based on the combination of low, medium-low and high levels of mathematics self-efficacy with mathematics anxiety. While the detected profiles indicated statistically significant differences in the explanation of mathematics achievement, gender and school year were not relevant to the relationship between mathematics self-belief profiles and mathematics achievement. The study provides insights into the importance of students’ beliefs, and perceptions in the explanation of academic achievement.