Self-efficacy, motivation con- structs, and mathematics performance of entering middle school students

08/01/2025 | PAXIS Institute |

The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of various motivation variables on task-specific mathematics performance and to explore whether these variables change during the first year of middle school (N= 273). Students’ task-specific self-efficacy was the only motivation variable to predict performance and did so both at start and end of year. There were no differences in anxiety, self-concept, or self-efficacy for self-regulation between start and end of year, but, by end of year, students described mathematics as less valuable and reported lower effort and persistence. Gifted students had stronger mathematics self-concept beliefs, and they had more accurate and less overconfident self-efficacy beliefs than did regular education students. There were no gender differences in any of the motivation constructs.

Citation: Pajares F, Graham L. Self-efficacy, motivation con- structs, and mathematics performance of entering middle school students. Contemporary Educational Psychology 1999;24:124-39.

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