<p>Problem-solving is a core life skill, yet students’ problem-solving perceptions vary according to personal and cognitive factors. This study examines the extent to which epistemic beliefs, reading self-efficacy, and selected individual variables predict middle-school students’ perceptions of their daily-life problem-solving ability. A predictive correlational design was employed in the study. Participants were 322 students (grades 6–8) attending public middle schools in Gaziantep, Türkiye. Data were gathered via a personal information form, the Epistemic Beliefs Scale, the Reading Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Problem-Solving Scale. Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were run to test the predictive power of the variables. In the final regression model, gender, mother’s education level, reading frequency, and relative attitudes toward Turkish and science courses made significant contributions to variance in problem-solving perceptions. Among epistemic belief dimensions, innate ability, authority as expert source, and quick learning emerged as significant predictors. For reading self-efficacy, the dimensions high confidence in reading and self-regulation in reading were significant. Collectively, all predictors accounted for approximately 45% of the variance in students’ perceived problem-solving ability (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Both cognitive (epistemic beliefs, reading self-efficacy) and individual factors meaningfully shape how early adolescents view their capacity to solve daily problems. The findings highlight the importance of fostering sophisticated epistemic beliefs and strong reading self-efficacy within the curriculum, alongside considering demographic and attitudinal differences when designing instructional interventions.</p>