THE RELATION BETWEEN ACADEMIC BOREDOM OF STUDENTS WITH MATHEMATICS SELF-EFFICACY AND MATHEMATICS ANXIETY - Abstract

Oct 15, 2026

The study determines the relationship among academic boredom, mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics anxiety in 280 middle school students. Descriptive and correlational survey models were used with instruments including the Level of Boredom Scale, the Sources of Middle School Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Revised Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Anxiety Scale-Elementary. Students showed middle-level academic boredom across grades; self-efficacy for performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, and verbal persuasion was high, but emotional arousal was low. Mathematics anxiety was low overall and highest in 8th grade. Boredom had a low positive link with vicarious experience, and boredom related neither to mathematics anxiety nor to overall anxiety patterns.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Key words

Introduction

Learning and related psychological factors

Deep, surface, and strategic learning approaches

Academic Boredom

Concept and background of boredom

THE RELATION BETWEEN ACADEMIC BOREDOM OF STUDENTS WITH MATHEMATICS SELF-EFFICACY AND MATHEMATICS ANXIETY1 Hüseyin ŞİMŞEK, Sultan Selen KULA, Bilal ÖZÇAKIR, Tuba CEYLAN ÇELİKER Abstract: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between academic boredom with academic self-efficacy and mathematics anxiety of 280 middle school students. Both the descriptive and correlational survey models were used in line with the sub-problems of the study. In this study, Level of Boredom Scale, Sources of Middle School Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale, and Revised Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Anxiety Scale-Elementary were used as data collection tools. It was found that 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students had middle level academic boredom in mathematics classes regardless of their grade levels. It was concluded that the self-efficacy perceptions related to performance accomplishments, vicarious experience and verbal persuasion were high in each class level, whereas the self-efficacy perceptions of emotional arousal were low. In general, it was relevealed that the anxiety of students in mathematics lessons was low while 8th grade students' mathematics anxiety was higher than the 5th, 6th and 7th grade students. Moreover, findings also revealed that there was a low positive relationship between students' boredom in mathematics lessons and vicarious experience which is used in lessons. No relation was found between the boredom and mathematics anxiety of students. Key words: Academic boredom; self-efficacy; mathematics anxiety; mathematics education 1. Introduction Learning, which is one of the most basic needs of human life, is the result of different experiences. The subjective effort of the individual in learning is vital. There are different variables affecting learning, such that genetic and environmental factors are the most prominent ones. Studies on learning have always attracted attention and focus on psychological factors affecting learning. There are many theories about learning in the literature. For instance, the control-value theory reveals that in the learning process, sense of achievement is important for students' cognitive, motivational, and regulatory processes. It is also known that the success in mathematics lesson is related to reciprocal relations with enjoyment and boredom which are called as emotions of success (Putwain, Becker, Symes & Pekrun, 2018) . When it comes to effective learning, it is possible to talk about three different approaches such as deep, surface and strategic (Marton & Saljö, 1997) . Students with a deep learning approach are strong in their learning ability, interested in working, and willing to do the best. These students have academic and career plans. Apart from lesson, they have prelearnings about the lesson and questions to be answered. The students in the deep learning approach find answers to these questions and use the responses to configure knowledge in their minds. Usually, individuals who are self-learners and need very little instructional support are with deep learning approach (Biggs & Tang, 2011) . The students with a surface learning approach do not have feelings for a lesson such as curiosity and determination to specialize, but they are willing to have the necessary qualifications for a profession. They also do not have sufficient prelearnings about the new subjects. Moreover, these students do not have any questions about the lesson 1 The study was presented as an oral presentation at International Conference on New Horizons in Education between 3-5 July 2019, and only the abstract was published in the abstracts book and just worry about passing the class. This kind of students adapt the idea that the information they learn in the lessons are a little reminder to recall another information instead of making sense in their minds. Their essential goal is passing the exams. Therefore, such students are not interested in the subject and are only focused on

FAQs

What is the aim of the study?

To determine the relationship between academic boredom, mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics anxiety of 280 middle school students.

How is academic boredom described across grade levels?

5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students show middle-level academic boredom in mathematics classes regardless of grade.

What relationship was found between boredom and mathematics anxiety?

No relation was found between students’ boredom in mathematics lessons and mathematics anxiety.

Oct 15, 2026

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