Affective Determinants of Mathematics Achievement
Examining Resilience and Attitude in a Global STEM Learning Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33830/ijrse.v8i1.13986Keywords:
Mathematics attitude, Mathematical resilience, Mathematics performance, Junior high school, Rural education, Affective factorsAbstract
Affective factors in mathematics learning, particularly attitudes and resilience, have long been recognized as important determinants of student achievement. However, international research remains inconclusive regarding their relative influence, especially in under-resourced contexts where learners often depend more on psychological strengths than external support. This study examined the comparative predictive power of mathematical attitude and mathematical resilience on mathematics performance among junior high school students in a rural Philippine setting. Using a descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 91 students through the culturally validated 33-item Mathematics Attitude Scale (Facultad & Sebial, 2019), the Mathematical Resilience Scale (Kooken et al., 2016), and official first-quarter mathematics grades. Results showed that students generally exhibited positive attitudes toward mathematics, strong resilience, and moderate academic performance. Both mathematical attitude and resilience were significantly associated with achievement. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that mathematical resilience was a stronger predictor than mathematical attitude, with both variables jointly explaining 26.3% of the variance in performance. These findings contribute to the international literature by demonstrating that resilience may play a more critical role than attitude in shaping mathematical success under conditions of structural and resource constraints. The study highlights the value of resilience-building interventions as a practical strategy for improving learning outcomes in resource-scarce educational environments. More broadly, the findings support the integration of affective skill development into STEM education as a cost-effective and scalable approach to enhancing student achievement in developing contexts.
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