The Role of Value on Mathematics Between Self-Efficacy and Like Mathematics: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 2, 236 - 251, 31.08.2025

Mustafa Zeki Aydoğdu , Tuğba Türk Kurtça , Abdullah Faruk Kılıç , Tugay Kaçak

https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.1621346

Abstract

This study examines the moderating effects of parents’ belief in the importance of mathematics on the relationship between students’ mathematics self-efficacy and their enjoyment of mathematics among 8th-grade students in the TIMSS 2019 data. Mediation analysis revealed that higher self-efficacy in mathematics increased students' enjoyment of the subject, with students' value of mathematics partially mediating this relationship. The parents' attitudes significantly moderated the mediating effect, emphasizing their critical role in shaping students' attitudes toward mathematics. Notably, the indirect effect of students' value of mathematics was more substantial when parents did not perceive mathematics as important. These findings highlight the complex interplay among students’ self-beliefs, their value of mathematics, and parents’ value of mathematics, collectively influencing students' enjoyment of mathematics. Further research could explore the implications of these relationships for educational practices.

Keywords

Mathematics Self-Efficacy , Parents’ Value of Mathematics , Students Like Learning Mathematics , Students’ Value of Mathematics

References

• Andersen, I. G., & Smith, E. (2024). Gender differences in math and science academic self-concepts and the association with female climate in 8th grade classrooms. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 44(5), 545-578. https://doi.org/10.1177/02724316231188682
• Arıkan, S., Van de Vijver, F. J. R., & Yağmur, K. (2016). Factors contributing to mathematics achievement differences of Turkish and Australian students in TIMSS 2007 and 2011. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 12(8), 2039-2059. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1268a
• Aslan, N., & Cansever, B. A. (2009). Effects of family socio-demographic characteristics on child participation in social activities at school: A comparative study between Türkiye and the Netherlands. Journal of Theory & Practice in Education, 5(2), 210-226.
• Ayotola, A., & Adedeji, T. (2009). The relationship between mathematics self-efficacy and achievement in mathematics. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 1(1), 953–957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2009.01.169
• Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
• Bandura, A. (2002). Social cognitive theory in cultural context. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 51(2), 269–290. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00092
• Caprara, G. V., Fida, R., Vecchione, M., Del Bove, G., Vecchio, G. M., Barbaranelli, C., & Bandura, A. (2008). Longitudinal analysis of the role of perceived self-efficacy for self-regulated learning in academic continuance and achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(3), 525–534. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.100.3.525
• Chen, P., & Zimmerman, B. (2007). A cross-national comparison study on the accuracy of self-efficacy beliefs of middle school mathematics students. The Journal of Experimental Education, 75(3), 221–244. https://doi.org/10.3200/JEXE.75.3.221-244
• Chen, X. (2022). The effects of individual- and class-level achievement on attitudes towards mathematics: An analysis of Hong Kong students using TIMSS 2019. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 72, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2021.101113
• Clement, L. M., & Bradley-Garcia, M. (2022). A step-by-step tutorial for performing a moderated mediation analysis using PROCESS. The Quantitative Methods for Psychology, 18(3), 258–271. https://doi.org/10.20982/tqmp.18.3.p258
• Çavdar, D. (2015). TIMSS 2011 matematik başarısının öğrenci ve öğretmen özellikleri ile ilişkisi [The relationship between TIMSS 2011 mathematics achievement and student and teacher characteristics]. [Master Thesis, Gazi University].
• Di Martino, P. (2019). Pupils’ view of problems: The evolution from kindergarten to the end of primary school. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 100, 291–307. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-018-9850-3
• Di Martino, P., & Zan, R. (2010). ‘Me and maths’: Towards a definition of attitude grounded on students’ narratives. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 13, 27–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-009-9134-z
• Di Martino, P., & Zan, R. (2011). Attitude toward mathematics: A bridge between beliefs and emotions. ZDM Mathematics Education, 43, 471–482. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-011-0309-6
• Dowker, A., Cheriton, O., Horton, R., & Mark, W. (2019). Relationships between attitudes and performance in young children’s mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 100, 211–230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-019-9880-5
• Ertürk, Z., & Erdinç Akan, O. (2018). The Investigation of the variables effecting TIMSS 2015 mathematics achievement with SEM, Ulusal Eğitim Akademisi Dergisi [Journal of National Academy of Education], 2(2), 14-34. https://doi.org/10.32960/uead.407078
• Ferrini-Mundy, J., & Schmidt, W. H. (2005). International comparative studies in mathematics education: Opportunities for collaboration and challenges for researchers. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 36(3), 164–175. http://www.jstor.org/stable/30034834
• Field, A. (2024). Discovering statistics using SPSS (6th ed.). Sage.
• Güner, N. (2012). Using metaphor analysis to explore high school students' attitudes towards learning mathematics. Education, 133(1), 39-48.
• Hawighorst, B. (2005). Parents’ views on mathematics and the learning of mathematics—An intercultural comparative study. ZDM Mathematics Education, 37(2), 90–100. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02655718
• Hayes, A. F. (2022). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach (3rd ed.). Guilford.
• Hwang, J., Runnalls, C., Bhansali, S., Navaandamba, K., & Choi, K. M. (2017). “Can I do well in mathematics reasoning?” Comparing US and Finnish students’ attitude and reasoning via TIMSS 2011. Educational Research and Evaluation, 23(7–8), 328–348. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2018.1500293
• James, L. R., & Brett, J. M. (1984). Mediators, moderators, and tests for mediation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69(2), 307–321. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.69.2.307
• Kılıç, A. F., & Uysal, İ. (2021). May categories in Likert scales be merged at the analysis step? Effects on validity and reliability [Paper presentation]. VII. Congress of Measurement and Evaluation in Education and Psychology, Ankara, Türkiye.
• Kim, S. J., Park, J. H., Park, S. W., & Kim, S. S. (2013). The effects of school and students’ educational contexts in Korea, Singapore, and Finland using TIMSS 2011 [Paper presentation]. 5th IEA International Research Conference, Singapore.
• Laranang, J. A. I., & Bondoc, J. M. F. (2020). Attitudes and self-efficacy of students toward mathematics. International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 5(5), 1392-1423. https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.55.11
• Lazarides, R., Rubach, C., & Ittel, A. (2016). Motivational profiles in mathematics: What role do gender, age and parents’ valuing of mathematics play? International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 8(1), 124-143.
• Lee, J. (2009). Universals and specifics of math self-concept, math self-efficacy, and math anxiety across 41 PISA 2003 participating countries. Learning and Individual Differences, 19(3), 355–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2008.10.009
• Lorenzo-Seva, U., & Ferrando, P. J. (2023). Factor (Version 12.04.02) [Computer software]. Universitat Rovira i Virgili. https://psico.fcep.urv.cat/utilitats/factor/Download.html
• Macmull, M. S., & Ashkenazi, S. (2019). Math anxiety: The relationship between parenting style and math self-efficacy. Frontiers in Psychology, 10:1721. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01721
• Missall, K., Hojnoski, R. L., Caskie, G. I., & Repasky, P. (2015). Home numeracy environments of preschoolers: Examining relations among mathematical activities, parent mathematical beliefs, and early mathematical skills. Early Education and Development, 26(3), 356–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2015.968243
• Mohammadpour, E. (2012). Factors accounting for mathematics achievement of Singaporean eighth-graders. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 21(3), 507-518.
• Mullis, I. V., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., & Arora, A. (2012). TIMSS 2011 international results in mathematics. TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College.
• Pajares, F., & Graham, L. (1999). Self-efficacy, motivation constructs, and mathematics performance of entering middle school students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 24, 124–139. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1998.0991
• Phan, H., Sentovich, C., Kromrey, J., Dedrick, R., & Ferron, J. (2010). Correlates of mathematics achievement in developed and developing countries: An analysis of TIMSS 2003 eighth-grade mathematics scores [Paper presentation]. Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, Colorado.
• Phillipson, S., Gervasoni, A., & Sullivan, P. (2017). Engaging families as children's first mathematics educators: International perspectives. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2553-2_1
• Pinxten, M., Marsh, H. W., De Fraine, B., Van den Noortgate, W., & Van Damme, J. (2014). Enjoying mathematics or feeling competent in mathematics? Reciprocal effects on mathematics achievement and perceived math effort expenditure. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 84(1), 152-174. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12028
• Preacher, K. J., Rucker, D. D., & Hayes, A. F. (2007). Addressing moderated mediation hypotheses: Theory, methods, and prescriptions. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 42(1), 185–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/00273170701341316
• Rodríguez, S., Estévez, I., Piñeiro, I., Valle, A., Vieites, T., & Regueiro, B. (2021). Perceived competence and intrinsic motivation in mathematics: Exploring latent profiles. Sustainability, 13(16), 8707. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168707
• Schunk, D. H., & DiBenedetto, M. K. (2021). Self-efficacy and human motivation. In A. J. Elliot (Ed.), Advances in motivation science (pp. 153–179). Elsevier Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.adms.2020.10.001
• Sharma, P. (2021). Importance and application of mathematics in everyday life. International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology, 9(11), 868-879. https://doi.org/10.22214/ijraset.2021.38869
• Stajkovic, A. D., Bandura, A., Locke, E. A., Lee, D., & Sergent, K. (2018). Test of three conceptual models of influence of the big five personality traits and self-efficacy on academic performance: A meta-analytic path-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 120, 238–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.08.014
• Stankov, L., Lee, J., Luo, W., & Hogan, D. J. (2012). Confidence: A better predictor of academic achievement than self-efficacy, self-concept and anxiety? Learning and Individual Differences, 22(6), 747–758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2012.05.013
• Stankov, L., Morony, S., & Lee, Y. P. (2014). Confidence: The best non-cognitive predictor of academic achievement? Educational Psychology, 34(1), 9–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2013.814194
• Tabachnick, B. G., Fidell, L. S., & Ullman, J. B. (2020). Using multivariate statistics (7th ed.). Pearson.
• Trickett, J., Batchelor, S., Brittle, B., Foulkes, M., Pickering, J., Slocombe, F., & Gilmore, C. (2022). The role of parent-led and child-led home numeracy activities in early mathematical skills. Cognitive Development, 63, 101189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101189
• Usher, E. (2009). Sources of middle school students’ self-efficacy in mathematics: A qualitative investigation. American Educational Research Journal, 46(1), 275–314. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831208324517
• Wilkerson, J. B. (2020). Cultivating a productive disposition toward mathematics by engaging in service-learning. PRIMUS, 31, 869-882. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511970.2020.1776803
• Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J. S. (2000). Expectancy-value theory of motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 68-81. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1015
• Yavuz, H., Demirtaşlı, R., Yalçın, S., & Dibek, M. (2017). The effects of student and teacher level variables on TIMSS 2007 and 2011 mathematics achievement of Turkish students. Education and Science, 42(189), 27-47. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2017.6885
• Yoo, Y. S. (2018). Modelling of factors influencing gender difference in mathematics achievement using TIMSS 2011 data for Singaporean eighth grade students. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 38(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2017.1334626