Exploring the relationships among creative self-efficacy, mathematical creative thinking, and mathematical achievement

There is growing interest in creativity in mathematics education and its impact on academic achievement. This study aimed to examine the relationships among creative self-efficacy, mathematical creative thinking, and mathematical achievement in high school students. Using a cluster random sampling method, 1,181 high school students were surveyed, and the data were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The results indicated that creative self-efficacy had no direct effect on mathematical achievement; however, mathematical creative thinking fully mediated this relationship. These findings highlight the critical role of mathematical creative thinking, suggesting that enhancing students’ creative self-efficacy may indirectly improve their mathematical achievement by fostering their creative thinking skills.