The role of educational motivation, self-efficacy, and study approaches in mathematics achievement

To explore the relationship between both internal and external motivation, self-efficacy, and superficial, deep, and strategic approaches in studying with mathematics achievement, a cluster sample of 310 high school students was selected and the needed data collected from them. The instruments used to measure self-efficacy, and motivation, were all tested for internal consistency. Math achievement was assumed to be shown by the previous term's math score. Data analysis showed that self-efficacy, and then internal educational motivation, play the highest roles in math achievement. Furthermore, the study approach, especially the deep approach, acted as a mediator.