Cognitive and Affective-Emotional Factors in Math Achievement: The Mediating Role of Intelligence

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Math achievement is influenced by both cognitive and affective-emotional factors.
• Understanding these underlying factors is crucial for educational interventions.
• Previous research has explored intelligence and emotional variables separately.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cognitive and affective-emotional factors in Japanese elementary school children's math achievement.
• To examine the predictive roles of intelligence, working memory, and emotional variables on math performance.
• To explore the mediating role of intelligence in the relationship between emotional factors and math achievement.

Main Methods:

• Structural equation modeling was used.
• A sample of 169 Japanese elementary school children participated.
• Key variables included fluid/crystallized intelligence, working memory, anxiety (general, test, math), and math self-efficacy.

Main Results:

• Intelligence was a strong positive predictor of math achievement.
• Math self-efficacy was the only significant affective-emotional predictor.
• Intelligence mediated the relationship between math anxiety/self-efficacy and math achievement.

Conclusions:

• Intelligence and math self-efficacy are central to math achievement.
• Self-efficacy is closely linked to cognitive abilities for math success.
• Educational strategies should enhance both cognitive abilities and math self-efficacy.