Unpacking the pathways: Self-regulation’s mediating effect on students’ self-efficacy and mathematics achievement

Source abstract

This research design aims to investigate the influence of self-regulation as the mediating variable on the relationship between self-efficacy and mathematics achievement of the participants who are Grade Nine students at the selected public high schools in the Philippines for the school year 2024 – 2025. The study seeks to enhance the theoretical and empirical understanding of psychological processes that contribute to effective student performance in mathematics, where planning, monitoring, adjusting, and reflecting are critical for academic success. A quantitative descriptive correlational research design was used to collect the data through two adopted survey questionnaires administered using a simple random sampling technique. The survey measured key constructs, including self-efficacy and self-regulation, while mathematics achievement was evaluated using first quarter mathematics grades. The study included a total of 845 valid responses from Grade Nine students. The data collected were treated using frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s r, and multiple regression analysis. The analysis of the findings revealed moderate levels of students’ self-efficacy and self-regulation in planning and monitoring, while levels of adjusting and reflecting were high. Moreover, there was a significant weak positive correlation between self-efficacy and mathematics achievement, a weak positive for self-efficacy and self-regulation, and a weak positive for self-regulation and mathematics achievement. It is determined that the students’ self-regulation partially mediates the relationship between students’ self-efficacy and mathematics achievement, indicating that self-efficacy enhances mathematics performance not only directly but also indirectly by fostering self-regulatory behaviors. Thus, teaching staff and administrators must put into practice methods that strengthen self-efficacy and self-regulation to boost mathematics achievement.