Exploring the interactions between metacognitive strategies, emotional factors, and mathematics performance: Evidence from a CB-SEM model in Indonesian high school students

Educational achievement outcomes in mathematics show persistent gaps in Indonesia. This study investigates the association between metacognitive strategies, emotional variables, and mathematics performance using Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling (CB-SEM). This research focuses on the interaction between metacognitive strategies such as planning, monitoring, evaluation, and mathematics problem-solving ability, and how emotional influences such as math anxiety and enjoyment contribute to academic performance. The sample population consisted of 1084 students in the 11th grade from urban, semi-urban, and rural areas of North Sumatra and Central Java, Indonesia. The novelty of this study lies in the combination of components: the integration of metacognitive strategies along with emotional regulation within a single structural model, a comprehensive framework that explains more clearly the relations of these factors with student performance. The study highlights the importance of fostering both cognitive and emotional skills to support math performance. It suggests that targeted educational interventions should be implemented to cultivate metacognitive strategies and emotional resilience in diverse educational contexts. • Integrated metacognitive strategies and emotional regulation using CB-SEM modelling. • Planning was identified as a significant factor related to supporting mathematics performance and emotional regulation. • Monitoring tends to amplify negative emotions without significantly relating to problem-solving ability. • The study offers comparative insights from urban, semi-urban, and rural Indonesian contexts. • Findings provide implications for developing targeted interventions to improve metacognitive skills and emotional resilience in diverse educational settings.