Unraveling the Interactions Among Cognitive Flexibility, Mathematical Metacognition, and Attitudes Toward Mathematics in High School Students

This study aims to investigate high school students’ levels of cognitive flexibility, mathematical metacognition, and attitudes toward mathematics; examine whether these variables differed according to gender and grade level; explore the relationships among them; and determine the extent to which cognitive flexibility and mathematical metacognition statistically predict students’ attitudes toward mathematics. The sample of this study, conducted within a survey design, consisted of a total of 1132 high school students enrolled at different grade levels. The findings indicated that students’ levels of cognitive flexibility were high, their mathematical metacognition levels were moderately high, and their attitudes toward mathematics were at a moderate level. No gender differences were observed in the total scores of cognitive flexibility, mathematical metacognition, or attitudes toward mathematics; however, male students scored significantly higher on the prediction subdimension of mathematical metacognition. Comparisons across grade levels showed significant differences in favor of students in higher grades. Positive and significant relationships were found among cognitive flexibility, mathematical metacognition, and attitudes toward mathematics. The results also revealed that mathematical metacognition was a strong and significant predictor of attitudes toward mathematics, whereas cognitive flexibility, although statistically significant, demonstrated relatively weak predictive power. The fact that cognitive flexibility and mathematical metacognition together account for approximately one-third of the total variance in attitudes toward mathematics underscores the importance of instructional practices designed to foster these cognitive and metacognitive skills in mathematics education.

Cite this article as: Uçan, İ. H., & Güner, P. (2026). Unraveling the interactions among cognitive flexibility, mathematical metacognition, and attitudes toward mathematics in high school students. HAYEF: Journal of Education, 23, 0024, doi:10.5152/hayef.2026.26024.