The Effect of Mathematics Self-Efficacy on Mathematics Achievement of High School Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement of high school sophomores across the United States. Using regression analysis for complex sample survey data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS, 2002) (n = 11726), the current study indicated that mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement were positively related, and mathematics self-efficacy was a significantly positive predictor of mathematics achievement. Results from this study, which is generalizable to the population of approximately three million high school sophomores, suggest that mathematics self-efficacy of high school students should be promoted to increase their achievement