Financial Literacy and Problem-Solving Skill: A Multilevel Analysis of the PISA 2015

Under the increasingly complex and risky economic environment, how to improve the financial management ability of young people has become a concern for the governments and the educational departments. This study investigates problem-solving skill alongside sociodemographic background and academic achievement relevant to students’ financial literacy to disentangle their relationships to find the key for financial literacy education. A multilevel analysis was conducted using a total sample of 95,333 students from 11 countries drawn from the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Multilevel hierarchical regression results show that problem-solving skill plays a vital role in financial literacy. It is a powerful predictor to financial literacy even after other factors being controlled. Additionally, problem-solving skill is a significant mediation between financial literacy and other influential factors. Therefore, at the theoretical level, problem-solving skill should be taken into account when analyzing the framework of financial literacy. At the practical level, problem solving, as a cognitive skill that has more workable room for educational intervention than sociodemographic factors, should be attached more importance when designing education policies of financial literacy. Due to the significant correlation and mediation of problem-solving skill, financial education should strengthen its integration and development in curriculum designs