Structural Interplay of Mathematics Anxiety Dimensions, Sources of Self-Efficacy, and Problem-Solving Ability among Tertiary Students in a Philippine State University System
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22852100Keywords:
mathematics anxiety, mathematics self-efficacy, problem-solving ability, tertiary students, multiple regression, PhilippinesAbstract
Mathematics anxiety and self-efficacy are frequently associated with mathematical performance, yet their dimension-specific relationships with problem-solving may vary across educational contexts. This descriptive-correlational study examined mathematics anxiety, sources of mathematics self-efficacy, and problem-solving ability among 200 first-year students enrolled in Mathematics in the Modern World at President Ramon Magsaysay State University in Zambales, Philippines. Respondents represented six-degree programs across the university system. A researcher-developed instrument assessed four dimensions of mathematics anxiety (cognitive, affective, somatic, and behavioral), four sources of self-efficacy (mastery experience, vicarious experience, social persuasion, and physiological state), and rubric-scored mathematical word problems. Expert validation yielded an overall rating of 4.38, while pilot testing produced a Cronbach's alpha of .888. Students reported moderate mathematics anxiety overall (M = 3.05), with affective anxiety highest (M = 3.35), and moderate self-efficacy overall (M = 3.25), with vicarious experience highest (M = 3.73). Most students were Excellent (44.5%) or Proficient (34.0%) in problem solving. In the anxiety model, the four dimensions explained 23.4% of variance in problem-solving scores; affective (β = .170, p = .013), somatic (β = .305, p < .001), and behavioral anxiety (β = .210, p < .001) were significant, whereas cognitive anxiety was not. The self-efficacy model explained 7.26% of variance; only social persuasion was significant and its coefficient was negative (β = -.192, p = .011). Behavioral anxiety was the only significant predictor of mathematics self-efficacy (β = .232, p < .001). Findings underscore the multidimensional and context-dependent relationships among anxiety, efficacy beliefs, and mathematical problem solving and support targeted interventions that address physiological and behavioral responses while strengthening authentic mastery and peer-modeling experiences.
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