Achievement emotions based on Pekrun’s (2006) control-value theory (CVT) have garnered significant attention from researchers over the last two decades. However, few studies have explored cultural variations in achievement emotions in mathematics education. Despite presumed differences in cognitive appraisals and emotions across ethnic cultures, it is posited that the structural relationships involving prior mathematics achievement, control and value appraisals, and emotions remain consistent across the Chinese Dai and Han groups. This study aims to investigate ethnic differences in mathematics achievement emotions between these two groups. 797 seventh- and eighth-grade Chinese secondary school students (NDai = 519 and NHan = 278) participated in this study. Structural equation modelling analyses revealed that Dai students experienced significantly higher levels of negative emotions in mathematics, including anxiety, boredom, and hopelessness, compared to Han students. Dai students reported lower levels of positive emotions in mathematics, such as enjoyment, pride, and hope. The Dai students’ emotional patterns were attributed to their lower mathematics-related control and value appraisals. Furthermore, multi-group comparisons substantiated the hypothesis that the structural relationships between variables remained largely consistent across the Dai and Han cultures. The study concluded with a discussion of potential cultural explanations for the findings, as well as limitations and implications for future research and educational practice.
