Mediator Role of task value in the relation between self-efficacy and attitude toward mathematics

The study purpose was to determine the mediator role of task value in the relation between self-efficacy and attitude towards mathematics. This research is applied in a descriptive-correlational method. The study sample consisted of 380 public high school students from four high schools in Kerman selected by the random multistage cluster sampling method. To collect the data, the Math Self-efficacy Scale (Usher & Pajares, 2009), the Task Value Scale (Pintrich et al., 1991), and the attitude toward mathematics scale (Lim & Chapman, 2013) were used. Path analysis results showed that self-efficacy had direct (0.63) and indirect (0.12) effects on the attitude toward mathematics. Additionally, the direct effect of task value on attitude toward mathematics (66/0), and its mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy and attitude toward mathematics were significant (0.19). In short, these variables explained 0.48% of the variance of attitude toward mathematics. The study findings indicated the importance of self-efficacy and task value in student's attitude toward mathematics.