Gender, mindset, and teacher support predict students’ math motivation profiles: Evidence from five countries in PISA 2022

Using data from PISA 2022, we distinguished latent profiles of math motivation in Finland, Germany, Japan, Korea, and the U.S. based on students’ self-efficacy, intrinsic and attainment task values, and anxiety in math. We then examined the covariates and outcomes associated with each identified profile across countries to highlight both the universal and culturally sensitive factors that are conducive to students’ math motivation. Four math motivation profiles—highly motivated, mixed, slightly unmotivated, and unmotivated and indifferent—emerged consistently across all five countries, whereas one more profile with a distinct characteristic was additionally detected in Japan and Finland. The relative desirability of the profiles was corroborated by students’ engagement in math class, time spent on math homework, STEM-related career intention, and math achievement. The slightly unmotivated and mixed profiles demonstrated some notable country-specific differences in their relationships with these outcomes. Despite several between-country differences, boys were more likely to belong to either the highly motivated or the unmotivated and indifferent profile compared to girls. Across all countries, students’ growth mindset and teachers’ general support were consistently associated with students’ membership in more desirable profiles. In contrast, the association between teachers’ instructional styles and profile membership varied across countries. Our findings emphasize the interactive function of expectancy and value in shaping math motivation profiles, while also highlighting the universal benefit of endorsing a growth mindset toward math abilities. By contrast, the effectiveness of instructional methods appears context-dependent, suggesting math teachers adapt their pedagogical approaches to the cultural settings in which they teach.