Believing, Feeling, and Achieving in Math: Relations Among Interest, Self-Concept of Ability, Anxiety, and Performance

• In Event: Millennium Hotel Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Advances in Interest Research

Abstract

Integrating theories on math interest, self-concept of ability (SCA), anxiety and achievement, this paper simultaneously examined the reciprocal relations among these constructs by analyzing 2998 adolescents in Michigan over two years across the middle school transition using a latent variable cross-lagged panel design. First, we discovered a cyclical pattern: higher interest predicted higher SCA, higher SCA predicted better performance and better performance predicted higher interest and SCA. Second, before the transition, lower SCA predicted higher anxiety; yet after the transition, poorer performance predicted higher anxiety. Lastly, higher anxiety predicted lower SCA. Thus, math SCA may be encouraged by increasing interest, predictors of anxiety may shift because of changes in classroom climates and mood congruent processing may compound consequences of anxiety.

Authors

• qingqing yang, University of California - Irvine

• Jacquelynne Eccles, University of California - Irvine