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The Relationship Between Math Anxiety and Math Achievement: Differentiating the Role of Learning Math Anxiety and
Gianni Alberto Lanfaloni1, Massimo Piccirilli, Patrizia D'Alessandro
1Istituto Serafico di Assisi, Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 6, 06081 Assisi, Perugia, Italy, giannilanfaloni@serafico.it.
Psychiatria Danubina
|November 23, 2023
Summary
Math anxiety (MA) significantly impacts academic performance. Lower MA levels correlate with improved math skills, suggesting MA assessment can identify students needing educational support.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Math anxiety (MA) is a known factor contributing to underperformance in mathematics.
- Identifying emotional factors is crucial for understanding academic struggles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between math anxiety levels and the development of mathematical competence in secondary school students.
- To determine if MA can predict students' ability to achieve expected academic competencies.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 28 Italian secondary school students with initial low scores in calculation skills were assessed.
- Math anxiety levels were measured at the beginning of the school year and correlated with subsequent math performance.
- Analysis focused on differentiating students based on their ability to reach sufficient math competency levels.
Main Results:
- Students who improved their math scores to a sufficient level showed significantly lower overall MA.
- The "learning math" subscale of MA was a key differentiator between students who succeeded and those who did not.
- No significant differences were found between groups on the "math evaluation" subscale.
Conclusions:
- Assessing math anxiety levels can help identify emotional difficulties related to learning mathematics.
- A discrepancy between MA subscales (learning math vs. math evaluation) may indicate specific needs for tailored educational interventions.
Keywords:
math anxiety – AMAS - math achievement - educational psychology - secondary school studentsMore Related Videos
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