There is growing interest in creativity in mathematics education and its impact on academic achievement. This study aimed to examine the relationships among creative self-efficacy, mathematical creative thinking, and mathematical achievement in high school students. Using a cluster random sampling method, 1,181 high school students were surveyed, and the data were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The results indicated that creative self-efficacy had no direct effect on mathematical achievement; however, mathematical creative thinking fully mediated this relationship. These findings highlight the critical role of mathematical creative thinking, suggesting that enhancing students’ creative self-efficacy may indirectly improve their mathematical achievement by fostering their creative thinking skills.
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