Enhancing Mathematics Achievement Through Self-Confidence: A Correlational Study of Fifth-Grade Students in Indonesian Public Primary Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64780/jole.v1i4.123Keywords:
self-confidence, academic achievement, mathematics learning, elementary education, psychological factorsAbstract
Background: Mathematics plays a crucial role in developing students’ cognitive abilities, including logical reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Despite its importance, students’ performance in mathematics across Indonesian primary schools remains unsatisfactory. Psychological factors such as self-confidence have been proposed as significant predictors of academic achievement, particularly in subjects requiring high cognitive engagement like mathematics.
Aims: This study aims to investigate the correlation between self-confidence and mathematics learning outcomes among fifth-grade students in public elementary schools across the Kroya sub-district during the 2020/2021 academic year. Additionally, it seeks to quantify the extent to which self-confidence contributes to students' performance in mathematics.
Methods: Employing a quantitative correlational design, this study involved 299 fifth-grade students selected through cluster random sampling from 15 schools. Data were collected using validated self-confidence questionnaires and mathematics achievement tests. Statistical analyses, including simple correlation and coefficient of determination, were conducted using SPSS with a 5% significance level.
Results: Findings revealed a significant positive correlation between self-confidence and mathematics achievement (r = 0.504, p < 0.001). Self-confidence accounted for 25.4% of the variance in students’ mathematics learning outcomes, with the remaining 74.6% influenced by other factors such as learning motivation, readiness, and intelligence.
Conclusion: The results underscore the importance of fostering self-confidence to enhance mathematics achievement in elementary education. Students with higher self-confidence tend to approach mathematical problems with greater resilience, independence, and optimism, leading to better learning outcomes. Therefore, educational stakeholders—teachers, curriculum developers, and policymakers—should integrate confidence-building strategies into instructional design and classroom practices. Emphasizing positive self-perception, emotional regulation, and student engagement may cultivate a supportive learning environment where students feel empowered to excel academically. These insights hold implications not only for local educational contexts but also contribute to the global discourse on the psychosocial determinants of academic success.
References
Aditomo, A. (2019). Science Teaching Practices and Learning Outcomes in High-Performing Asian Countries: Comparing TIMSS and PISA 2015. http://repository.ubaya.ac.id/43980/
Becker, T. E., Atinc, G., Breaugh, J. A., Carlson, K. D., Edwards, J. R., & Spector, P. E. (2016). Statistical control in correlational studies: 10 essential recommendations for organizational researchers. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(2), 157–167. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2053
Blancia, G. V. V. (2025). Improving scientific reasoning skills of STEM students using problem-based learning approach. 7(12), 2025593–2025593.
Bornstein, M. H., Hahn, C.-S., & Wolke, D. (2013). Systems and Cascades in Cognitive Development and Academic Achievement. Child Development, 84(1), 154–162. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01849.x
Bullock, E. C. (2024). Racialized deviance as an axiom in the mathematics education equity genre. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 116(3), 333–350. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-023-10260-x
Caous, E. S. L., & Wang, T. L. (2025). Bridging two languages: An investigation into Taiwan’s English learning dynamics, attitude, and outcomes. International Journal of Learning and Change, 17(1), 72–94. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijlc.2025.143542
Chaabi, H., Azmani, A., & Dodero, J. M. (2025). Bridging computational thinking research and practice of pre-service and in-service teachers. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04895-9
Chang, J.-C., Wu, Y.-T., & Ye, J.-N. (2022). A study of graduate students’ achievement motivation, active learning, and active confidence based on relevant research. 13, 915770.
Curtis, E. A., Comiskey, C., & Dempsey, O. (2016). Importance and use of correlational research. Nurse Researcher, 23(6), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr.2016.e1382
Fang, Z. (1996). A review of research on teacher beliefs and practices. Educational Research, 38(1), 47–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/0013188960380104
Findley, M. G., Kikuta, K., & Denly, M. (2021). External Validity. Annual Review of Political Science, 24(1), 365–393. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-041719-102556
Gabriel, F., Kennedy, J., Marrone, R., & Leonard, S. (2025). Pragmatic AI in education and its role in mathematics learning and teaching. 10(1), 1–7.
Hartono, S. (2025). Evolving trends in mathematical proof research in Indonesian mathematics education: A systematic review from design to data analysis. 8(12), 2025372–2025372.
Illgen, K.-M., Göritz, L., Stattkus, D., Beinke, J. H., & Thomas, O. (2025). Inclusive MOOCs as an antidote to stereotype threat in education: State of the art and future directions. Discover Education, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00565-9
Li, M., Vale, C., Tan, H., & Blannin, J. (2024). A systematic review of TPACK research in primary mathematics education. Mathematics Education Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-024-00491-3
Lu, H., Cole, S. R., Howe, C. J., & Westreich, D. (2022). Toward a clearer definition of selection bias when estimating causal effects. 33(5), 699–706.
Pahwa, S., & Khan, N. (2022). Factors Affecting Emotional Resilience in Adults. Management and Labour Studies, 47(2), 216–232. https://doi.org/10.1177/0258042x211072935
Rozelle, J. J., & Wilson, S. M. (2012). Opening the black box of field experiences: How cooperating teachers’ beliefs and practices shape student teachers’ beliefs and practices. 28(8), 1196–1205.
Sangodkar, N. P., & Bhandari, R. B. (2025). Development and Validation of Viable Model and Measure of Yogic Leadership: A Novel and Holistic Paradigm. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2025(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/hbe2/5105841
Scerif, G., Sučević, J., Andrews, H., Blakey, E., Gattas, S. U., Godfrey, A., Hawes, Z., Howard, S. J., Kent, L., Merkley, R., O’Connor, R., O’Reilly, F., & Simms, V. (2025). Enhancing children’s numeracy and executive functions via their explicit integration. Npj Science of Learning, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00302-9
Siegler, R. S., Duncan, G. J., Davis-Kean, P. E., Duckworth, K., Claessens, A., Engel, M., Susperreguy, M. I., & Chen, M. (2012). Early Predictors of High School Mathematics Achievement. Psychological Science, 23(7), 691–697. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612440101
Smiling, J., & Hollebrands, K. (2025). Examining the effect of active participation on the TPACK knowledge of mathematics educators in a teaching mathematics with technology MOOC. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 9, 100469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100469
Sun, S., Sun, D., & Xu, T. (2023). The Developmental Progression of Early Algebraic Thinking of Elementary School Students. 11(12), 222.
Tang, M., Wijaya, T. T., Li, X., Cao, Y., & Yu, Q. (2025). Exploring the determinants of mathematics teachers’ willingness to implement STEAM education using structural equation modeling. 15(1), 6304.
Wang, Y., Wei, Z., Wijaya, T. T., Cao, Y., & Ning, Y. (2025). Awareness, acceptance, and adoption of Gen-AI by K-12 mathematics teachers: An empirical study integrating TAM and TPB. BMC Psychology, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02781-2
Yourdshahi, Z. H., Yang Hansen, K., & Borger, L. (2025). Relationship between teachers’ cognitive activation practices, teacher characteristics and student achievement in science subdomains: A study of TIMSS 2019 in Sweden. Large-Scale Assessments in Education, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-025-00252-z
Zhang, D., Wang, C., & Yang, Y. (2021). The association between cognitive activation and mathematics achievement: A multiple mediation model. Educational Psychology, 41(6), 695–711. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2021.1917520
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Rifqi Roni Chasbulloh, Muhamad Chamdani, Ngatman
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.