Modeling Mathematics Achievement of Jewish and Arab Eighth Graders in Israel: The Effects of Learner-Related Variables

Abstract

This study examined a structural model of mathematics achievement of 2 culturally different groups of Jewish and Arab 8th graders in terms of 5 learner-related variables, namely, gender, epistemological beliefs, self-efficacy, attitudes, and mathematics anxiety. Multigroup structural modeling analysis indicated that the goodness of fit of the hypothesized structural model and the total effects of mathematics self-efficacy and epistemological beliefs were comparable in both groups. The 2 groups differed in the effects that gender, attitudes toward mathematics, and mathematics anxiety exerted on mathematics achievement. They also diverged in terms of the amount of variance in mathematics achievement that the 5 learner-related variables accounted for.