Influence of Mathematical Beliefs, Attitudes and Emotions on Mathematics Performance of Senior High School Students

This study examined the relationships between the affective domains of mathematics (beliefs, attitudes, and emotions) and mathematics performance among 69 senior high school students from a technical-vocational school in Digos City, Davao del Sur. A predictive correlational design was employed using a validated questionnaire to measure affective domains and final grades in General Mathematics to assess performance. Normality testing revealed that the data did not meet parametric assumptions, necessitating the use of non-parametric statistical procedures. Results showed that students demonstrated high levels of affective engagement, with beliefs (M = 3.41), attitudes (M = 3.42), and emotions (M = 3.53) all rated highly, while mathematics performance was very satisfactory (M = 89.55). Spearman's rho correlation analysis indicated that beliefs had a moderate, positive, significant relationship with performance (rs = .438, p < .001), attitudes exhibited a weak, positive, significant relationship (rs = .240, p = .047), and emotions showed no significant correlation (rs = .108, p = .378). Multiple regression analysis with the bootstrap technique revealed that affective domains collectively predicted mathematics performance (p < .001, R² = .249), with beliefs emerging as the strongest predictor (β = .674, p < .001). Unexpectedly, emotions showed a significant negative relationship with performance (β = -.407, p = .015) after controlling for other variables, whereas attitudes contributed no unique predictive power (β = .023, p = .905). These findings suggest that fostering positive mathematical beliefs can create pathways for enhanced student performance in mathematics. These results offer valuable insights for educators seeking to support students holistically by nurturing both cognitive skills and affective engagement, ultimately promoting more meaningful and successful mathematics learning experiences.