Students’ Subjective Well-being And Its Effects On Mathematical Achievement

Students’subjective well-being (short for SWB) is the important aspect of their affective development, and the factor which impacts their learning in school. Analyzing the students’ SWB and how it affects students’mathematical achievement not only can contribute to develop stable emotion cognition and experience for student, but also help school and teacher know how SWB effects students’mathematical performance.The research questions of this study includes three aspects:(1) what is the assessment tool of students’ SWB? (2) how about students’SWB situation in grade 5 and grade 6? Is there any difference between grade 5 and grade 6 students? (3) did students’ SWB affect their mathematical achievement? If yes, then which subscales significantly affect students’ mathematical achievement? Is there any difference between grade 5 and grade 6 students? And is there any difference between girls and boys?This study used pilot study to know Shanghai students’ SWB initially and confirm the SWB questionnaire based on the study of Opdenakker and Van Damme. We revised the SWB questionnaire by pilot study data. And then, we investigated grade 5 and grade 6 students’ SWB by using the new SWB questionnaire in the one district of Shanghai in final study. From the final study, we obtained some results from analyzing students’ SWB situation and differences, and how it affects students’ mathematics performance:In the aspect of students’SWB situation and differences:(1) the mean values of students’ SWB in primary school were significant higher than the mean values of middle school students’; (2) students’ interest in and motivation towards learning tasks were higher than the other five subscales; (3) students’ academic self-concept and attentiveness in the classroom were lower than the other five subscales; (4) the differences between grade 5 and grade 6 students’ interpersonal relationship in school were relatively low.In the aspect of students’SWB affects their mathematics performance:(1) students’ SWB could affect their mathematics performance positively; (2) students’ SWB affected their mathematics performance significantly from three subscales-academic self-concept, attentiveness in the classroom, and relationship with teachers; (3) just grade 6 students’ SWB affected their mathematics performance significantly from four subscales-interest in and motivation towards learning tasks, social integration in the class, and well-being at the school; (4) the influence of students’ SWB on their mathematical achievement was different between boys and girls.The results and process of this study are the foundations of students’ mathematical subjective well-being (MSWB). The SWB questionnaire and the results of students’ SWB affected their mathematical achievement can help school and teacher consider about building the school environment and culture, class management, teaching methods, and the relationship with students which apply to the students who transit from primary school to middle school. This study can also help school and teacher focus on and develop students’ SWB, and then contribute to improve student mathematics performance.