prediction of mathematical anxiety based on meta-cognitive beliefs and mathematical self-efficacy in female high school students

Background and objective: this study aimed to predict math anxiety based on task self-efficacy, knowledge, and cognitive regulation in female students.materials and methods: the statistical population in this descriptive-correlational study included all female first-grade high school students (n=510) in tuyserkan city of hamedan, iran, in the academic year 2018-2019, of whom 217 students were selected as the sample using multi-stage cluster sampling method. data collection tools included the usher and pajares mathematics self-efficacy scale, abolghasemi mathematical exam anxiety scale, and meta-cognitive beliefs questionnaire of schraw and dennison. pearson correlation coefficient and simultaneous multiple regression model were used to test the research hypotheses. data were analyzed using spss software (version 20).results: the results of the analysis indicated a positive and significant relationship between meta-cognitive (cognitive knowledge and cognitive regulation) beliefs and students’ mathematical task self-efficacy with mathematical anxiety. however, the models of meta-cognitive beliefs and mathematical self-efficacy could not predict the students’ mathematical anxiety. in addition, each variable of meta-cognitive belief and mathematical self-efficacy alone could not explain the mathematical anxiety in students.conclusions: based on the findings of the present study and those obtained in the previous studies, it can be concluded that students with high self-efficacy can control their anxiety in anxious situations better than those with low self-efficacy.