The Relation Between Academic Boredom of Students with Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Mathematics Anxiety

Abstract

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.