AUTHOR=Yesuf Yassin Mohammed , Kebede Sebsibew Atikaw , Zewdu Atinkut , Gebru Dawit Mekonnen TITLE=Predictors of high school students’ mathematics self-efficacy in Addis Ababa: The importance of educational expectations JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.927757 DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.927757 ISSN=1664-1078 ABSTRACT=

In Ethiopia studies on high school students’ mathematics self-efficacy and associated factors are scarce. The present study examined students’ mathematics self-efficacy and associated predictors among high school students in Addis Ababa. Data were collected using adapted questionnaire from 120 students (9th and 10th graders) recruited via multi-stage sampling. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, ANOVA, Chi-square and logistic regressions were utilized to analyze the collected data. In the study it was found that students have more than average mathematics self-efficacy even though significant numbers of students (44.2%) have low mathematics self-efficacy. It was also revealed that differences in grade level [t(118) = 2.545, p < 0.05] and students’ expected grade in the upcoming national exam [F(3,116) = 5.553, p < 0.05] were statistically significant. Living arrangements (AOR = 6.704, 95% CI = 1.598–28.118), expected grade in the upcoming national exam (AOR = 5.808, 95% CI = 1.804–18.696) and expected marks in the semester (AOR = 1.126, 95% CI = 1.055–1.202) are significant predictors of students’ mathematics self-efficacy. Generally educational expectations are important predictors of students’ mathematics self-efficacy. Therefore, researchers and organizations need to gear their attention towards improving students’ mathematics self-efficacy.