Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies

Mathematics anxiety diminishes students' confidence and engagement, hinders working memory and numerical processing, and thus results in diminished academic achievement. Mathematics anxiety undermines academic achievement by disrupting students’ confidence and engagement in learning mathematics. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between mathematics anxiety and the academic performance of Grade 9 students of Sta. Ana National High School. A quantitative mediation analysis was conducted using standardized tools: The Mathematical Anxiety Instrument, the Sources of Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale, and actual student grades. Despite experiencing moderate anxiety, students demonstrated “Very Satisfactory” performance, with a mean grade of 86.99%. The study used a quantitative, correlational research design with mediation analysis to examine the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationships between mathematics anxiety and academic performance. Totaling approximately 302 students across 39 sections. Using stratified random sampling

This study employed standardized questionnaires to assess the three primary variables. The study employed the Sources of Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (SMSES) to assess mathematics self-efficacy. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used. Mathematics anxiety and performance showed no significant direct correlation (r = 0.132, p = 0.085). However, self-efficacy was significantly correlated with academic performance (r = 0.236, p = 0.002) and with mathematics anxiety (r = 0.234, p = 0.002). Mediation analysis indicated that self-efficacy did not significantly mediate the relationship between mathematics anxiety and performance (indirect effect = 0.395, p = 0.068), although the result approached significance. These findings support Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, highlighting that self-efficacy contributes to academic performance and may buffer the impact of anxiety. The results suggest that enhancing students’ confidence in mathematics may strengthen resilience and improve achievement, even when anxiety is present. Educational stakeholders are encouraged to implement mastery-focused instruction, positive modelling, and supportive learning environments to cultivate stronger mathematical self-efficacy. In conclusion, these findings highlight the importance of strengthening self-efficacy as a psychological resource that may buffer the detrimental impacts of anxiety on learning. Furthermore, the results are consistent with Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, which posits that self-efficacy exerts a substantial influence on motivation, persistence, and performance within complex educational contexts.