Evaluation of a social cognitive model of academic performance in mathematics in an adolescent Argentinean sample

The purpose of the study was to test a set of hypothesis proposed by the mathematics academic performance model of Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1994). We administered the mathematics achievement self-efficacy scales (Pajares, 1996) and the goal expectancy and goal achievement in mathematics scales (Fouad, Smith, & Enochs, 1997), to a sample of 288 students of both genders, aged 13 to 15 years. Path analysis was carried out to identify interrelationships between the variables and their direct and indirect effects. The results do not support some of the study hypotheses; therefore we conclude that academic achievement in mathematics is partially explained by the model. Suggestions to improve the operational definitions of some variables are made in order to improve construct precision.