Students experience various emotions in educational environments, prompting a critical examination of the processes behind emotion generation. The control-value theory (CVT) of achievement emotions focuses on the emotions resulting from achievement outcomes and those experienced in learning environments (Pekrun, 2006). CVT posits an integrative framework for emotions, their antecedents, and consequences. Environmental antecedents, including the cognitive and motivational quality of instruction, autonomy support provided to students, feedback, goal structures, and consequences, influence students’ cognitive appraisals (Pekrun, 2006, 2018). Two key components of these appraisals are subjective control—beliefs about managing situations—and subjective value—perceived importance of actions and outcomes. Self-efficacy illustrates subjective control, while task value reflects the significance of tasks. Emotions vary based on the interaction of these appraisals. Research indicates a strong link between students' self-efficacy, task value beliefs, and achievement emotions (e.g., Luo et al., 2016; Wang et al., 2017).

According to the CVT model, the emotions that are instigated by distal environmental and cognitive antecedents directly or indirectly influence several cognitive and affective learning and achievement outcomes, such as cognitive resources, motivation to learn, self-regulated learning, learning strategies, and academic performances (Pekrun, 2006, 2018). The model highlights the dynamic relationship between antecedents, emotions, and consequences, emphasizing the importance of emotion regulation in maintaining this coherence. However, research on the association between emotions and emotion-regulation strategies of students has yielded inconclusive results (e.g., Buric et al., 2016; Daumiller et al., 2023; Hanin & Van Nieuwenhoven, 2019), indicating a need for more comprehensive analyses to understand these relationships better.

Receptivity to feedback, defined as individuals' readiness to receive feedback, is crucial for understanding its relationship with emotions (Author, 2022). People respond differently to feedback, influenced by three key functions: learning/performance, motivation, and self-regulated learning (Author, 2022). Receptivity encompasses individuals’ feelings toward feedback (experiential attitudes), their assessment of its utility (instrumental attitudes), cognitive engagement, and feedback-related behaviors (behavioral engagement) (Author, 2021). Previous studies have shown that feedback receptivity (e.g., Author, 2022; Tzu-Ling Huang, 2012) and emotions (e.g., Forsblom et al., 2022; Goetz & Hall, 2020) shape student achievement. Notably, research by the author (2024) found that students with higher receptivity to feedback reported greater hope, pride, and enjoyment, while lower receptivity correlated with negative emotions like anxiety and hopelessness. However, systematic research on the links between feedback receptivity and emotions remains limited.

Achievement emotions are domain-specific (Goetz et al., 2006, 2007), so studying them within specific fields, such as mathematics, is important. This inquiry is vital in mathematics (Schukajlow et al., 2017) because mathematics serves as a fundamental discipline globally. It equips students for successful careers, particularly in STEM fields, and is essential for understanding the key elements of science and the world around us (Bieleke et al., 2023). Students often link their self-concepts more closely to mathematics than other subjects (Middleton & Spanias, 1999). Furthermore, the significance attributed to this course surpasses that of others (Goetz et al., 2014). In this regard, the present study attempts to explain how middle school students’ achievement emotions in mathematics are related to different cognitive, affective, and behavioral factors within the scope of CVT. The following research question guided this investigation.

• How do middle school students’ self-efficacy, task-value beliefs, emotion-regulation strategies, mathematics achievement, and achievement emotions in mathematics relate to their feedback receptivity?

Associational research was employed to unveil the relationship between middle school students’ control appraisals (self-efficacy), value appraisals (task value), emotion regulation strategies, feedback receptivity, achievement emotions, and achievement in mathematics. The sample consisted of 844 students (53% female) selected through cluster sampling from public middle schools in a metropolitan city in Turkiye. A student questionnaire, including different scales, was administered in the present research. The Turkish adaptation of Achievement Emotions Questionnaire-Mathematics (Author, 2019) was used to measure students’ achievement emotions in mathematics. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the seven-emotions factor model: (Comparative Fit Index (CFI)=.99, Tucker Lewis Index (TLI) =.99, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)=.08, and Standard Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR)=.065). Items in all emotion dimensions had high-reliability estimates (above .80). The researcher-adapted Self-efficacy Scale for Self-regulated Learning (SESRL) (Author, 2014) was used to assess students’ self-efficacy beliefs on using self-regulated learning strategies in mathematics. CFA confirmed a one-dimensional structure with appropriate fit indices (CFI = .97, TLI = .96, RMSEA = .08, and SRMR = .065). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was .90. The task value beliefs subdomain of the Turkish version of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Sungur, 2004) was utilized to assess students’ task value beliefs in mathematics. CFA findings revealed the following fit indices: CFI=.97, TLI= .96, RMSEA= .087, and SRMR= .06). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was .87. Besides, the Turkish version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) (Yurtsever, 2005) was used to gauge students’ emotion regulation strategies. The two-dimensional structure of the scale was confirmed (RMSEA= .07, SRMR= .06, CFI=.97, and TLI= .96). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were .78 for cognitive reappraisal and .66 for expressive suppression. The researchers adapted the Receptivity to Instructional Feedback (RIF) scale to assess students’ acceptance of instructional feedback, confirming the four-dimensional structure with the following indices: (CFI= .99, TLI= .99, RMSEA= .04, and SRMR= .04,). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were .75 for experiential attitudes, .77 for instrumental attitudes, .68 for cognitive engagement, and .83 for behavioral engagement. Last, students' mathematics achievement scores from the previous year were utilized to represent their current mathematics achievement. Structural equation modeling (SEM) examined the relationships between latent variables to answer the research question. SEM models were tested for each emotion dimension. Descriptive and reliability analyses and assumption checks were performed in R software version 4.1.2 (R Core Team, 2021).

According to the results, suppression significantly predicted students’ anxiety (ℽ = .21), anger (ℽ = .12), enjoyment (ℽ = -.06), pride (ℽ = -.14), boredom (ℽ = .11), shame (ℽ = .37), and hopelessness (ℽ = .25) in mathematics. Besides, a significant negative relationship was found between anger (ℽ = -.08), while pride had a positive relationship (ℽ = .11) with cognitive reappraisal strategies. Mathematics self-efficacy and task value were negatively related to students’ anxiety (ℽ = -.41; ℽ = -.33), anger (ℽ = -.34; ℽ = -.42) boredom (ℽ = -.28; ℽ = -.56), shame (ℽ = -.36; ℽ = -.17), and hopelessness (ℽ = -.44; ℽ = -.28) in mathematics. Conversely, they were positively related to enjoyment (ℽ = .35; ℽ = .56) and pride (ℽ = .49; ℽ = .37). Students experiencing high anxiety, anger, boredom, shame, and hopelessness showed significantly lower behavioral (β = -.33 to -.53) and cognitive engagement (β = -.48 to -.56), as well as reduced experiential (β = -.29 to -.49) and instrumental attitudes (β = -.31 to -.57) toward feedback. Conversely, students with high enjoyment and pride exhibited higher behavioral (β = .50 to .53) and cognitive engagement (β = .58 to .59), along with increased experiential (β = .54 to .56) and instrumental attitudes (β = .54 to .59) toward feedback. Moreover, cognitive engagement with feedback positively correlated with mathematics achievement across various models. Indirect effects were also tested to examine the effects of emotions on mathematics achievement. This study highlights the role of emotional and psychological factors in learning, especially in mathematics, which often triggers strong emotions. A holistic approach that combines emotion regulation and feedback engagement could enhance educational experiences and outcomes.

Selected References Bieleke, M., Goetz, T., Yanagida, T., Botes, E., Frenzel, A. C., & Pekrun, R. (2023). Measuring emotions in mathematics: The achievement emotions questionnaire—Mathematics (AEQ-M). ZDM–Mathematics Education, 55(2), 269-284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-022-01425-8 Burić, I., Sorić, I., & Penezić, Z. (2016). Emotion regulation in academic domain: Development and validation of the academic emotion regulation questionnaire (AERQ). Personality and Individual Differences, 96, 138-147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.02.074 Forsblom, L., Pekrun, R., Loderer, K., & Peixoto, F. (2022). Cognitive appraisals, achievement emotions, and students’ math achievement: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(2), 346. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/edu0000671 Pekrun, R. (2006). The control-value theory of achievement emotions: Assumptions, corollaries, and implications for educational research and practice. Educational Psychology Review, 18, 315–341. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-006-9029-9 Pekrun, R. (2018). Control-value theory. A social-cognitive approach to achievement emotions. In G. A. D. Liem, D. M. McInerney (Eds.), Big theories revisited 2: A volume of research on sociocultural influences on motivation and learning (pp. 162-190). Information Age Publishing. Wang, J., Liu, R. D., Ding, Y., Xu, L., Liu, Y., & Zhen, R. (2017). Teacher’s autonomy support and engagement in math: Multiple mediating roles of self-efficacy, intrinsic value, and boredom. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1006. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01006