Examining the Nexus between high school students' mathematics performance and their mathematics self-efficacy: The role of mathematics interest and academic buoyancy

This study investigated the mediating role of mathematics interest and the moderating effect of academic buoyancy on the nexus between students' mathematics self-efficacy and their high school mathematics performance. This study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and a quantitative research approach. The population of the study comprised second, third, and fourth-year students from several secondary schools in the Municipality of Tetovo, North Macedonia, in a total of 4600 students, with a sample size of 368 students. A structured questionnaire was administered via Google Form using a convenience sampling technique. The data collected were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via Amos (ver. 23) to respond to the hypothesized paths. The results revealed that mathematics self-efficacy had a positive and significant influence on students' mathematics achievement. Similarly, mathematics self-efficacy positively and significantly influenced students' interest in mathematics. In addition, students' interest in mathematics positively and significantly affects their performance in the subject. Moreover, academic buoyancy positively and significantly affects students' performance in mathematics. Furthermore, students' interest in mathematics partially mediates the nexus between self-efficacy and mathematics performance. Finally, academic buoyancy positively moderates the nexus between self-efficacy and mathematics performance. This study contributes novel insights to mathematics education by investigating the mediating role of mathematics interest and the moderating effect of academic buoyancy on the nexus between students' mathematics self-efficacy and their high school mathematics performance.