Mathematical Self-efficacy in Mathematics Education: A Review of Current Research

Abstract

Mathematical self-efficacy plays a key role in shaping students' academic performance in mathematics, and it has been extensively studied in recent years. This study searched the Web of Science database using relevant keywords, selected highly relevant publications from the past 20 years, and ultimately identified 37 eligible articles. The following conclusions are thus reached. First, scholars' current research mainly includes four aspects: measurement tools, influencing factors, correlations, and differences. Second, correlational research mainly focuses on the relationships between mathematical self-efficacy and academic achievement, mathematical ability, as well as creativity. Research on influencing factors has explored certain aspects such as teaching models and individual psychology, yet no comprehensive framework has been established, nor has the causal relationship between these factors and mathematics self-efficacy been explained. Research on differences reveals disparities in gender, school type, and mathematics content. Research on measurement tools has largely focused on adapting existing questionnaires. Therefore, further investigation is needed to develop a complete framework of influencing factors and to capture variations across different dimensions, thus promoting progress in this area and motivating researchers to undertake further exploratory investigations.