MATHEMATICAL SELF-EFFICACY GENDER DIFFERENCES IN GIFTED TALENTED ADOLESCENTS

Gifted/talented high school students completed the Mathematical Self-E fficacy Scale, an instrument developed by Betz and Hackett (1983). Ite ms in the scale asked the students to indicate their degree of confide nce regarding successful completion of everyday mathematics tasks, num ber sequences, mathematics-based college courses, and mathematics prob lems. The mean self-efficacy ratings given on the items were analyzed for significant gender differences. Results indicated that males had s tronger self-efficacy expectations than females on more than one fourt h of the items, whereas females reported stronger self-efficacy expect ations on only a few items that involved stereotypical female activiti es. Implications of the findings for the process of educational decisi on making are discussed.