Factors Affecting the Decline in Academic Achievement in Mathematics Among Preparatory Stage Students

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the educational and instructional factors contributing to the low academic achievement in mathematics among preparatory stage students, to explore the psychological factors affecting their motivation toward learning mathematics, to examine the extent of the impact of the family and social environment on their academic achievement in mathematics, and to investigate the prevailing perceptions and attitudes of preparatory students toward mathematics and their relationship with academic achievement. The descriptive approach was adopted due to its suitability for the study’s objectives. The study reached the following conclusions: -Educational and instructional factors, such as teachers’ low competence in using modern teaching strategies and the absence of effective classroom interaction, contributed to the decline in students’ academic achievement in mathematics. -Psychological factors, including low self-confidence, fear of failure, and test-related anxiety, directly affect students’ motivation to learn mathematics, which negatively reflects on their academic achievement. -The family and social environment play a pivotal role in students’ academic achievement; factors such as low parental educational level, lack of home supervision, and weak family support contributed to weakening students’ performance in mathematics. -Students’ negative perceptions and unfavorable attitudes toward mathematics, such as the belief in its difficulty or lack of usefulness, are closely linked to lower academic achievement in the subject.