Mathematics Motivation and Mathematics Performance: Does Gender Play a Role?

Abstract

Using structural equation modeling, a previous study investigated the longitudinal relationships of role-related mathematics identity, efficacy, and interest to grade 12 mathematics performance. The results indicated that both mathematics identity and educational expectations at grade 11 were statistically and substantively significant predictors of grade 12 mathematics achievement in the presence of other factors such as grade 9 mathematics achievement, high school mathematics coursetaking, educational expectations at grades 9 and 11, as well as student and school background socio-demographic factors. The current study uses multiple group structural equation modeling and shows that the model derived in the previous study holds for males and females equally well. The study also found that females’ levels of motivation (except for interest) were lower than males’ at both points in time and that the males’ and females’ means on the motivation variables declined equally from grade 9 to grade 11. Implications of the findings are discussed.