The relationships among math self-efficacy, academic self-concept, and math achievement

The present study examined relationships between sixth and seventh grade students' (N = 651) mathematics self-efficacy, academic self-concept, and mathematics achievement, as well as the extent to which math self-efficacy and academic self-concept predicted math achievement. Whether these relationships differ for sixth- and seventh-grade Hispanic and White students was also investigated.;Participants completed the academic subscale of the Multidimensional Self Concept Scale, the self-efficacy rating form, and the math performance sheet. The self-efficacy rating form required students to rate their perceived capability to correctly solve each of twenty math problems on a five-point rating scale. Subsequently, the students were asked to solve those same problems.;Results indicate moderate correlations between mathematics self-efficacy, academic self-concept, and mathematics achievement. Prediction of math achievement by math self-efficacy and academic self-concept differed by grade and ethnicity. For White students, math self-efficacy was a stronger predictor of mathematics achievement regardless of grade level. For sixth-grade Hispanic students academic self-concept predicted math achievement, while math self-efficacy was not a significant predictor. For seventh-grade Hispanic students, math self-efficacy predicted math achievement, while academic self-concept was not a significant predictor. At both grade levels, Hispanic students solved fewer math problems correctly than the White students. Directions for future research are discussed.