The present study examined fifth and eighth grade students' math related-attitudes and perceptions which potentially influence the frequency of math homework completion. Students' attitudes and perceptions were divided into three major categories: Teacher-Related Components (encouraging teacher and evaluative teacher); Student-Related Components (Mastery Orientation consisted of an incremental view of ability, student learning orientation, and utility value; Ego Orientation consisted of an entity view of ability, student performance orientation, and anxiety; the third factor was Self-Efficacy); and Environment-Related Components (time spent on math homework, homework environment, and time spent in competing activities). A questionnaire was developed specifically for this study and completed to 83 fifth graders and 106 eighth graders in the greater New Orleans area The results indicated that when students completed more homework assignments, they earned higher grades, particularly if they adopted an ego orientation. Both encouraging teachers and evaluative teachers fostered mastery orientation in the students and positive feelings of self-efficacy. Students who indicated adopting a mastery orientation reported awareness of increased time needed to do math homework and a homework environment conducive to studying. Further, adoption of a mastery orientation fostered an increased sense of self-efficacy, whereas adoption of an ego orientation fostered a decreased sense of self-efficacy
