Developmental Trajectories of Achievement Emotions in Mathematics During Adolescence

The present study examined how adolescents’ emotions toward mathematics develop over time. We applied growth curve modeling to longitudinal data collected annually from German adolescents from Grades 5 to 9 (N = 3,425; Mage at the first/last wave = 11.7/15.6 years; 50.0% female). The results indicated that positive emotions (enjoyment and pride) decreased over the years. In contrast, negative emotions exhibited a mixed pattern. Specifically, anger, boredom, and hopelessness increased, shame decreased, and anxiety remained stable over time. These varied patterns were associated with change trajectories of perceived control, intrinsic value, achievement value, and achievement in mathematics. Our findings highlight the importance of control/value beliefs and academic performance in the development of achievement emotions. Implications and future directions are discussed.