Relationships of mathematics achievement with self-determined motivation and mathematics anxiety among senior two students in Northern Rwanda

Abstract

The most important factors affecting students’ mathematics achievement are affective-motivational factors. Grounded on self-determination theory, expectancy-value theory, and control-value theory, we examined the relationship between self-determined motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation and career motivation) and mathematics anxiety (cognitive and affective components) with mathematics achievement. The authors examined the proposed relations using cross-sectional data of senior two (grade eight) students in Northern Rwanda. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the subscales adapted from the Science Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ and SMQ-II) confirmed a two-factor structure for mathematics anxiety and a two-factor structure for self-determined motivation. The adapted subscales showed good internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the adapted subscales can be used to assess intrinsic motivation, career motivation, and mathematics anxiety among Rwandan students in senior two. Based on the findings, mathematics anxiety is a two-dimensional construct comprising both cognitive and affective components, and these components differ in their relationship with mathematics achievement. Cognitive mathematics anxiety was negatively related to mathematics achievement more than affective mathematics anxiety; intrinsic motivation and career motivation were positively related to mathematics achievement. These findings suggest that teachers should promote more self-determined motivation among senior two students to improve their mathematics achievement. Additional longitudinal research is needed to determine whether the observed differential relationship patterns between mathematics anxiety components and mathematics achievement persist over time.