QUANTIFYING MATHEMATICS ANXIETY: DEVELOPMENT OF A SCALE AND EXPLORING SUBCATEGORIES THROUGH FACTOR ANALYSIS
Abstract
This research introduces a newly developed Mathematics Anxiety Scale designed to quantify the diverse dimensions of anxiety associated with mathematical tasks. Through the application of factor analysis, the study explores and identifies subcategories within the scale, offering a nuanced understanding of distinct facets of mathematics anxiety. The scale undergoes rigorous psychometric evaluation, ensuring reliability and validity. This tool not only contributes to a more comprehensive assessment of mathematics anxiety but also serves as a valuable instrument for educators and researchers. The findings illuminate specific areas of concern, providing targeted insights to inform interventions and support mechanisms in educational settings. The research thus contributes to the ongoing discourse on mental well-being in academic contexts and aims to enhance the effectiveness of strategies addressing mathematics anxiety.
Keywords
Mathematics Anxiety, Anxiety Scale, Factor AnalysisHow to Cite
References
Abbasi, M., Samadzadeh, M., & Shahbazzadegan, B. (2013). Study of mathematics anxiety in high school students and it’s relationship with self-esteem and teachers’ personality characteristics. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 83, 672–677.
2. 7. Cipora, K., Szczygieł, M., Willmes, K., & Nuerk, H. (2015). Math anxiety assessment with the abbreviated math anxiety scale : Applicability and usefulness : Insights from the Polish adaptation. Frontiers in Psychology, 6(1), 1–16. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01833
Ashcraft, M. H. (2002). Math anxiety : Personal, educational, and cognitive consequences. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(5), 181–185.
Ashcraft, M. H., & Moore, A. M. (2009). Mathemtics anxiety and the affective drop in performance. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 27(3), 197–205.
5. 9. Field, A. P. (2009). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (3rd ed., Vol. 8057). London, England: SAGE Publication Ltd.
6. Baloğlu, M., & Balgalmiş, E. (2010). The adaptation of the mathematics anxiety rating scale-elementary form into Turkish, language validity, and preliminary psychometric investigation. Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Bilimleri / Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 10(1), 101–110.
7. Chang, H., & Beilock, S. L. (2012). The math anxiety-math performance link and its relation to individual and environmental factors: A review of current behavioral and psychophysiological research. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 10(1), 33–38.
8. 8. Derek, R. H., Mahadevan, R., Bare, R. L., & Hunt, M. K. (2003). The abbreviated math anxiety scale ( AMAS ): Construction, validity, and reliability. Assessment, 10(2), 178–182.
9. 10. Heydari, H., Abdi, M., & Rostami, M. (2013). The survey of relationship between the degree of mathematics anxiety in high school students and the personality characteristics of their mathematics teachers. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 84, 1133–1137.
10. Beilock, S. L., & Maloney, E. A. (2015). Math anxiety: A factor in math achievement not to be ignored. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2(1), 4–15.
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Khalil Gaddafi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright of their manuscripts, and all Open Access articles are disseminated under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC-BY), which licenses unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is appropriately cited. The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations.