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Lau NTT, Ansari D, Sokolowski HM. Unraveling the interplay between math anxiety and math achievement. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:937-947. [PMID: 39147645 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
A robust association exists between math anxiety and math achievement, with higher levels of anxiety correlating with lower achievement. Understanding this relationship is crucial due to the importance of math proficiency at individual and societal levels. In this review, we explore two prominent theories: Reduced Competency Theory, which suggests that initial low math achievement leads to math anxiety, and Processing Efficiency Theory, which suggests that math anxiety impairs performance by diverting cognitive resources. While these theories are supported by empirical evidence, they do not fully explain the mediators linking math anxiety and achievement. We propose 'math avoidance' as a critical mediator, suggesting that avoidance behaviors, formed through conditioning, create a feedback loop that exacerbates math anxiety and reduces proficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan T T Lau
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Daniel Ansari
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - H Moriah Sokolowski
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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2
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Lennon-Maslin M, Quaiser-Pohl CM. "It's Different for Girls!" The Role of Anxiety, Physiological Arousal, and Subject Preferences in Primary School Children's Math and Mental Rotation Performance. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:809. [PMID: 39336024 PMCID: PMC11429223 DOI: 10.3390/bs14090809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2024] [Revised: 09/06/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: This study examines the role of subjective anxiety (mathematics and spatial anxiety), along with physiological responses, in mathematics or math and mental rotation performance in 131 German primary school students (65 girls, 66 boys; Mean age = 8.73 years). (2) Method: Students' preference for math vs. German and their subjective anxiety were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Emotional reactivity was measured using the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). Math performance was evaluated via percentage scored and completion times on number line estimation, word problems, and missing terms tasks. Spatial skills were assessed using a novel mental rotation task (nMRT) incorporating gender-congruent and -neutral stimuli. (3) Results: Girls outperformed boys on percentage scored on the math task but took longer to complete this. No gender differences were found in performance on the nMRT. Girls demonstrated higher math anxiety and were less likely to prefer math over German. Math anxiety predicted math scores and accuracy on the nMRT while gender predicted math performance and mental rotation response time. Subject preference was associated with longer completion times and emotional reactivity with longer response times. Girls' preference for math and lower emotional reactivity was linked to shorter completion times, while lower math anxiety predicted higher scores. In contrast, these factors did not affect boys' math performance. Additionally, subjective anxiety, emotional reactivity, or subject preference did not impact spatial performance for either gender. (4) Conclusions: Supporting mathematical self-efficacy and emotional regulation, especially in girls, is crucial for enhancing STEM outcomes in primary education. Gender-fair assessment in mental rotation reveals equitable spatial performance and reduces the impact of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Lennon-Maslin
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Psychological Assessment, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Koblenz, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Claudia Michaela Quaiser-Pohl
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Psychological Assessment, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Koblenz, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
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3
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Szczygieł M, Sarı MH. The relationship between numerical magnitude processing and math anxiety, and their joint effect on adult math performance, varied by indicators of numerical tasks. Cogn Process 2024; 25:421-442. [PMID: 38644404 PMCID: PMC11269442 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-024-01186-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
According to the hypothesis of Maloney et al. (Cognition 114(2):293-297, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2009.09.013), math anxiety is related to deficits in numerical magnitude processing, which in turn compromises the development of advanced math skills. Because previous studies on this topic are contradictory, which may be due to methodological differences in the measurement of numerical magnitude processing, we tested Maloney et al.'s hypothesis using different tasks and their indicators: numerical magnitude processing (symbolic and non-symbolic comparison tasks: accuracy, reaction time, numerical ratio, distance and size effects, and Weber fraction; number line estimation task: estimation error), math anxiety (combined scores of learning, testing, math problem solving, and general math anxiety), and math performance. The results of our study conducted on 119 young adults mostly support the hypothesis proposed by Maloney et al. that deficiency in symbolic magnitude processing is related to math anxiety, but the relationship between non-symbolic processes and math anxiety was opposite to the assumptions. Moreover, the results indicate that estimation processes (but not comparison processes) and math anxiety are related to math performance in adults. Finally, high math anxiety moderated the relationship between reaction time in the symbolic comparison task, reaction time in the non-symbolic comparison task, numerical ratio effect in the symbolic comparison task, and math performance. Because the results of the joint effect of numerical magnitude processing and math anxiety on math performance were inconsistent, this part of the hypothesis is called into question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Szczygieł
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Mehmet Hayri Sarı
- Faculty of Education, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University, Nevşehir, Türkiye
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4
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Doz E, Cuder A, Pellizzoni S, Granello F, Passolunghi MC. The interplay between ego-resiliency, math anxiety and working memory in math achievement. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024:10.1007/s00426-024-01995-0. [PMID: 38940822 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-01995-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Previous research has suggested that math anxiety may contribute to poor math performance by interfering with working memory. However, only a limited number of studies investigated the mediating role of working memory in the math anxiety-math performance link in school-aged children. Unlike math anxiety, ego-resiliency is a personality resource that promotes the management of challenges and has been positively associated with math performance and negatively with anxiety. Nevertheless, there is still limited understanding regarding the specific role of ego-resiliency in math learning and how it relates to math anxiety. This study aimed to investigate conjunctly the interplay between primary school children's ego-resiliency, math anxiety, working memory, and performance on two different math tasks (i.e., arithmetic task and word problem-solving task), after controlling for general anxiety and age. The study involved 185 Italian children from grades 3 to 5. Serial multi-mediational analyses revealed that: (1) ego-resiliency has a positive indirect effect on math achievement through two paths - math anxiety, and math anxiety and working memory; (2) the study replicated previous findings showing that working memory partially mediated the relationship between math anxiety and math performance; (3) similar patterns of results were found for both math skills. The study identifies ego-resiliency as a possible protective factor in the development of math anxiety and suggests that ego-resiliency could be worth considering when designing interventions aimed at reducing negative emotions towards mathematics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Doz
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Weiss 21 (Building W), Trieste, 34128, Italy
| | - Alessandro Cuder
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Weiss 21 (Building W), Trieste, 34128, Italy
| | - Sandra Pellizzoni
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Weiss 21 (Building W), Trieste, 34128, Italy
| | - Federica Granello
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Weiss 21 (Building W), Trieste, 34128, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Passolunghi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Weiss 21 (Building W), Trieste, 34128, Italy.
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5
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Pelegrina S, Martín-Puga ME, Lechuga MT, Justicia-Galiano MJ, Linares R. Role of executive functions in the relations of state- and trait-math anxiety with math performance. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1535:76-91. [PMID: 38598473 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The detrimental effect of math anxiety on math performance is thought to be mediated by executive functions. Previous studies have primarily focused on trait-math anxiety rather than state-math anxiety and have typically examined a single executive function rather than comprehensively evaluating all of them. Here, we used a structural equation modeling approach to concurrently determine the potential mediating roles of different executive functions (i.e., inhibition, switching, and updating) in the relationships between both state- and trait-math anxiety and math performance. A battery of computer-based tasks and questionnaires were administered to 205 university students. Two relevant results emerged. First, confirmatory factor analysis suggests that math anxiety encompassed both trait and state dimensions and, although they share substantial variance, trait-math anxiety predicted math performance over and above state-math anxiety. Second, working memory updating was the only executive function that mediated the relationship between math anxiety and math performance; neither inhibition nor switching played mediating roles. This calls into question whether some general proposals about the relationship between anxiety and executive functions can be extended specifically to math anxiety. We also raise the possibility that working memory updating or general cognitive difficulties might precede individual differences in math anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rocío Linares
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
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6
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Dattola S, Bonanno L, Ielo A, Quercia A, Quartarone A, La Foresta F. Brain Active Areas Associated with a Mental Arithmetic Task: An eLORETA Study. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1388. [PMID: 38135979 PMCID: PMC10740510 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10121388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural underpinnings of mental calculation, the fundamentals of arithmetic representations and processes, and the development of arithmetic abilities have been explored by researchers over the years. In the present work, we report a study that analyzes the brain-activated areas of a group of 35 healthy subjects (9 males, 26 females, mean age ± SD = 18.23 ± 2.20 years) who performed a serial subtraction arithmetic task. In contrast to most of the studies in the literature based on fMRI, we performed the brain active source reconstruction starting from EEG signals by means of the eLORETA method. In particular, the subjects were classified as bad counters or good counters, according to the results of the task, and the brain activity of the two groups was compared. The results were statistically significant only in the beta band, revealing that the left limbic lobe was found to be more active in people showing better performance. The limbic lobe is involved in visuospatial processing, memory, arithmetic fact retrieval, and emotions. However, the role of the limbic lobe in mental arithmetic has been barely explored, so these interesting findings could represent a starting point for future in-depth analyses. Since there is evidence in the literature that the motor system is affected by the execution of arithmetic tasks, a more extensive knowledge of the brain activation associated with arithmetic tasks could be exploited not only for the assessment of mathematical skills but also in the evaluation of motor impairments and, consequently, in rehabilitation for motor disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Dattola
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Via Palermo c/da Casazza, SS. 113, 98124 Messina, Italy; (S.D.); (L.B.); (A.Q.)
| | - Lilla Bonanno
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Via Palermo c/da Casazza, SS. 113, 98124 Messina, Italy; (S.D.); (L.B.); (A.Q.)
| | - Augusto Ielo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Via Palermo c/da Casazza, SS. 113, 98124 Messina, Italy; (S.D.); (L.B.); (A.Q.)
| | - Angelica Quercia
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy;
| | - Angelo Quartarone
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Via Palermo c/da Casazza, SS. 113, 98124 Messina, Italy; (S.D.); (L.B.); (A.Q.)
| | - Fabio La Foresta
- DICEAM Department, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, Via Graziella Feo di Vito, 89060 Reggio Calabria, Italy;
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7
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Piccirilli M, Lanfaloni GA, Buratta L, Ciotti B, Lepri A, Azzarelli C, Ilicini S, D’Alessandro P, Elisei S. Assessment of math anxiety as a potential tool to identify students at risk of poor acquisition of new math skills: longitudinal study of grade 9 Italian students. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1185677. [PMID: 37519365 PMCID: PMC10376798 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1185677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Numerous international educational institutions have sounded the alarm about the gradual increase in the number of students failing to achieve a sufficient level of proficiency in mathematical abilities. Thus, the growing interest in identifying possible solutions and factors interfering with learning seems justified. In recent years, special attention has accrued to the possible role played by emotional factors. Methods In the present investigation, students in the first grade of a technical vocational secondary school are followed to assess the influence of math anxiety (MA) on the development of skill acquisition in calculus. A math skills assessment test is administered on two occasions, at the beginning and end of the school year. Results Results highlighted that the score on the anxiety scale, administered at the beginning of the year, negatively correlated with the score obtained on the mathematics test, administered at the end of the school year: the higher the level of anxiety, the worse the performance. Furthermore, the score obtained in the second administration makes it possible to divide the students tested into two groups: students who improved their performance and students who did not benefit at all from repeating the test. In these two groups, an analysis of the relationships between the outcome of the end-of-year mathematics test and the level of MA at the beginning of the year showed that MA correlates negatively with performance only in students who will fail to acquire new expertise in mathematics over the course of the school year. Discussion The results suggest that MA may interfere with the smooth development of math skills. Assessing the level of MA at the beginning of the school year could prove to be a useful tool in identifying which and how many students are at risk of failing to achieve the skills expected from the usual course of instruction. A consideration of anxiety as one of the variables at play in the genesis of learning difficulties may prompt educators to modify teaching methodology and strategies by increasing focus on the impact of the emotional dimension on learning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Livia Buratta
- Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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8
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Throndsen TU, Lindskog M, Niemivirta M, Mononen R. Does mathematics anxiety moderate the effect of problem difficulty on cognitive effort? Scand J Psychol 2022; 63:601-608. [PMID: 35752948 PMCID: PMC9796384 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
A negative relationship between mathematics anxiety (MA) and mathematics performance is well documented. One suggested explanation for this relationship is that MA interferes with the cognitive processes needed when solving mathematics problems. A demand for using more cognitive effort (e.g., when performing harder mathematics problems), can be traced as an increase in pupil dilation during the performance. However, we lack knowledge of how MA affects this relationship between the problem difficulty and cognitive effort. This study investigated, for the first time, if MA moderates the effect of arithmetic (i.e., multiplication) problem difficulty on cognitive effort. Thirty-four university students from Norway completed multiplication tasks, including three difficulty levels of problems, while their cognitive effort was also measured by means of pupil dilation using an eye tracker. Further, the participants reported their MA using a questionnaire, and arithmetic competence, general intelligence, and working memory were measured with paper-pencil tasks. A linear mixed model analysis showed that the difficulty level of the multiplication problems affected the cognitive effort so that the pupil dilated more with harder multiplication problems. However, we did not find a moderating effect of MA on cognitive effort, when controlling for arithmetic competence, general intelligence, and working memory. This suggests that MA does not contribute to cognitive effort when solving multiplication problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcus Lindskog
- Department of Psychology and Department of EducationUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Markku Niemivirta
- School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland and Department of EducationUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Riikka Mononen
- Department of Special Needs EducationUniversity of OsloOsloNorway,Teachers, Teaching and Educational CommunitiesUniversity of OuluOuluFinland
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9
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Sarı MH, Szczygieł M. The role of math anxiety in the relationship between approximate number system and math performance in young children. PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pits.22794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Hayri Sarı
- Basic Education Division, Faculty of Education Nevşehir HBV University Nevşehir Turkey
- Mathematisch‐Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät Diagnostik und Kognitive Neuropsychologie University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany
| | - Monika Szczygieł
- Stefan Szuman Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology Jagiellonian University Kraków Poland
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10
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Daches Cohen L, Rubinsten O. Math anxiety and deficient executive control: does reappraisal modulate this link? Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1513:108-120. [PMID: 35389529 PMCID: PMC9544869 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The literature suggests an interplay between executive control functions and emotion regulation processes, with each playing a key role in math anxiety. We examined the relation between the use of two different emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal and suppression) and the ability to reduce emotional interference in high‐conflict situations (i.e., executive control of attention) in cases of math anxiety. A sample of 107 adults completed emotion regulation tendencies and math anxiety questionnaires and performed a flanker task following the priming of a math‐related or negative word. The findings revealed: (1) highly math‐anxious individuals had difficulty controlling emotional distractions induced by math information, even as simple as math‐related words, in high‐conflict conditions; and (2) the tendency to use reappraisal in everyday situations was associated with math‐anxious individuals’ ability to avoid heightened emotional reactions when encountering math‐related (i.e., threatening) information. These findings point to the efficacy of reappraisal‐focused intervention and suggest an innovative mechanism through which reappraisal reduces emotional reactions and improves performance among math‐anxious individuals, indicating a new way to approach interventions for math anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lital Daches Cohen
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Orly Rubinsten
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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11
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Dowker A, Sheridan H. Relationships Between Mathematics Performance and Attitude to Mathematics: Influences of Gender, Test Anxiety, and Working Memory. Front Psychol 2022; 13:814992. [PMID: 35330725 PMCID: PMC8940274 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.814992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have indicated that mathematics anxiety, and other negative attitudes and emotions toward mathematics, are pervasive and are associated with lower mathematical performance. Some previous research has suggested that working memory is related to both mathematics anxiety and mathematics. Moreover, both gender and chosen course of study (sciences vs. humanities) appeared likely to influence students’ attitudes to mathematics. In the present study, 40 university undergraduates completed a battery of assessments investigating working memory, attitude to mathematics, test anxiety. and mental and written arithmetic. Attitudes to mathematics were significantly associated with the other variables: working memory, test anxiety, and both measures of mathematical performance. The other variables were not strongly associated with one another. There were no gender differences in mathematical performance, but females exhibited more negative attitudes to mathematics and higher test anxiety than males. After controlling for test anxiety, there ceased to be significant gender differences in attitudes to mathematics. Science students had more positive attitudes to mathematics than humanities students, but the groups did not differ in test anxiety, Science students were better at written but not mental arithmetic. They were also better at working memory, but this was not a significant covariate when the groups were compared on mathematical performance and attitudes to mathematics The results are discussed, with particular focus on implications for future research on influences on mathematics anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Dowker
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Sheridan
- Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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12
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Guo S, Liao S. The Role of Opportunity to Learn on Student Mathematics Anxiety, Problem-Solving Performance, and Mathematics Performance. Front Psychol 2022; 13:829032. [PMID: 35250770 PMCID: PMC8891963 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.829032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined the effects of opportunity to learn (OTL) or the content coverage in mathematics on student mathematics anxiety, problem-solving performance, and mathematics performance. The pathways examining the influences of OTL on student problem-solving performance and mathematics performance via mathematics anxiety were also tested. A sample of 1,676 students from Shanghai-China, and a sample of 1,511 students from the United States who participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 were used for the analyses. The results from multilevel models and path models supported our hypotheses that OTL not only showed significant direct effects on student mathematics anxiety, problem-solving performance, and mathematics performance, but also presented indirect effects on student problem-solving performance and mathematics performance via mathematics anxiety in both Shanghai-China and United States, controlling for student gender, grade, and socioeconomic status. The practical implications of the current results were also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siwen Guo
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Shanhui Liao
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
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13
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Korem N, Cohen LD, Rubinsten O. The link between math anxiety and performance does not depend on working memory: A network analysis study. Conscious Cogn 2022; 100:103298. [PMID: 35217396 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Math anxiety (MA) and working memory (WM) influence math performance. Yet the interplay between them is not fully understood. Inconsistent results possibly stem from the multicomponent structure of math performance and WM. Using network analysis approach, we investigated the drivers of the MA, WM and math performance edges, and the contribution of each node to the network. First, 116 women completed a battery of tests and questionnaires. Second, we explored the generalizability of our model by applying it to a new data-set (Skagerlund et al., 2019; conceptual replication). The results revealed: (1) the links between MA and WM depend on specific task properties, specifically, WM tasks that require manipulation of numbers; (2) WM and MA are independently linked to math performance; and (3) each WM task is associated with different math abilities. The study provides a strong and reliable model showing the direct effects of math anxiety on math performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nachshon Korem
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel.
| | - Lital Daches Cohen
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel; Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Orly Rubinsten
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel; Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Israel
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14
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Finell J, Sammallahti E, Korhonen J, Eklöf H, Jonsson B. Working Memory and Its Mediating Role on the Relationship of Math Anxiety and Math Performance: A Meta-Analysis. Front Psychol 2022; 12:798090. [PMID: 35126249 PMCID: PMC8811497 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.798090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that math anxiety has a negative relationship with math performance (MP). A few theories have provided explanations for this relationship. One of them, the Attentional Control Theory (ACT), suggests that anxiety can negatively impact the attentional control system and increase one's attention to threat-related stimuli. Within the ACT framework, the math anxiety (MA)-working memory (WM) relationship is argued to be critical for math performance. The present meta-analyses provides insights into the mechanisms of the MA-MP relation and the mediating role of WM. Through database searches with pre-determined search strings, 1,346 unique articles were identified. After excluding non-relevant studies, data from 57 studies and 150 effect sizes were used for investigating the MA-MP correlation using a random-effects model. This resulted in a mean correlation of r = -0.168. The database search of WM as a mediator for the MA-MP relation revealed 15 effects sizes leading to a descriptive rather than a generalizable statistic, with a mean indirect effect size of -0.092. Overall, the results confirm the ACT theory, WM does play a significant role in the MA-MP relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonatan Finell
- Department of Applied Educational Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ellen Sammallahti
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Johan Korhonen
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Hanna Eklöf
- Department of Applied Educational Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bert Jonsson
- Department of Applied Educational Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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15
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Mononen R, Niemivirta M, Korhonen J, Lindskog M, Tapola A. Developmental relations between mathematics anxiety, symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic skills from first to second grade. Cogn Emot 2021; 36:452-472. [PMID: 34915812 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2021.2015296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the levels of and changes in mathematics anxiety (MA), symbolic numerical magnitude processing (SNMP) and arithmetic skills, and how those changes are linked to each other. Children's (n = 264) MA, SNMP and arithmetic skills were measured in Grade 1, and again in Grade 2, also including a mathematics performance test. All three constructs correlated significantly within each time point, and the rank-order stability over time was high, particularly in SNMP and arithmetic skills. By means of latent change score modelling, we found overall increases in SNMP and arithmetic skills over time, but not in MA. Most interestingly, changes in arithmetic skills and MA were correlated (i.e. steeper increase in arithmetic skills was linked with less steep increase in MA), as were changes in SNMP and arithmetic skills (i.e. improvement in SNMP was associated with improvement in arithmetic skills). Only the initial level of arithmetic skills and change in it predicted mathematics performance. The only gender difference, in favour of boys, was found in SNMP skills. The differential effects associated with MA (developmentally only linked with arithmetic skills) and gender (predicting only changes in SNMP) call for further longitudinal research on the different domains of mathematical skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riikka Mononen
- Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Markku Niemivirta
- School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland.,Department of Education, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johan Korhonen
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Åbo, Finland
| | - Marcus Lindskog
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Education, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Tapola
- Department of Education, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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16
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Math Anxiety Is Related to Math Difficulties and Composed of Emotion Regulation and Anxiety Predisposition: A Network Analysis Study. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11121609. [PMID: 34942911 PMCID: PMC8699086 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11121609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Current evidence suggests emotion regulation is an important factor in both math anxiety and math performance, but the interplay between these constructs is unexamined. Given the multicomponent structure of math anxiety, emotion regulation, and math performance, here, we aimed to provide a comprehensive model of the underlying nature of the links between these latent variables. Using the innovative network analysis approach, the study visualized the underlying links between directly observable and measurable variables that might be masked by traditional statistical approaches. One hundred and seventeen adults completed a battery of tests and questionnaires on math anxiety, emotion regulation, and math performance. The results revealed: (1) state math anxiety (the emotional experience in math-related situations), rather than trait math anxiety, was linked to anxiety predisposition, subjective valence of math information, and difficulties in emotion regulation; (2) the link between state math anxiety and math performance partialed out the link between trait math anxiety and performance. The study innovatively demonstrates the need to differentiate between traits and tendencies to the actual emotional experience and emotion regulation used in math anxiety. The results have important implications for the theoretical understanding of math anxiety and future discussions and work in the field.
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17
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Di Lonardo Burr SM, LeFevre JA. The subject matters: relations among types of anxiety, ADHD symptoms, math performance, and literacy performance. Cogn Emot 2021; 35:1334-1349. [PMID: 34253140 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2021.1955243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we extended a model of the relations among ADHD symptoms, anxiety, and academic performance. Undergraduates (N = 515) completed self-report measures of anxiety (i.e. trait, test, math, and literacy) and ADHD symptoms. During the study, they completed math and literacy measures and reported their current (i.e. state) anxiety three times. There were significant correlations among ADHD symptoms and all measures of anxiety. However, neither ADHD symptoms nor trait anxiety were correlated with math or literacy performance. Test-anxious students reported increasing state anxiety as the study progressed. In contrast, math-anxious students reported increased state anxiety following the math tasks but not the literacy tasks and literacy-anxious students reported increased state anxiety following the literacy tasks but not the math tasks. With respect to performance, math-anxious students had worse math performance and literacy-anxious students had worse literacy performance whereas test anxiety was not directly related to performance on either math or literacy tasks. Patterns of relations did not differ for men and women, but, except for literacy anxiety, women reported higher levels of all types of anxiety. These results could help educators understand how affective responses are related to university students' academic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jo-Anne LeFevre
- Department of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
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18
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Williams KR, Wasson SR, Barrett A, Greenall RF, Jones SR, Bailey EG. Teaching Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium using Population-Level Punnett Squares: Facilitating Calculation for Students with Math Anxiety. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2021; 20:ar22. [PMID: 33856898 PMCID: PMC8734378 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.20-09-0219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Hardy-Weinberg (HW) equilibrium and its accompanying equations are widely taught in introductory biology courses, but high math anxiety and low math proficiency have been suggested as two barriers to student success. Population-level Punnett squares have been presented as a potential tool for HW equilibrium, but actual data from classrooms have not yet validated their use. We used a quasi-experimental design to test the effectiveness of Punnett squares over 2 days of instruction in an introductory biology course. After 1 day of instruction, students who used Punnett squares outperformed those who learned the equations. After learning both methods, high math anxiety was predictive of Punnett square use, but only for students who learned equations first. Using Punnett squares also predicted increased calculation proficiency for high-anxiety students. Thus, teaching population Punnett squares as a calculation aid is likely to trigger less math anxiety and help level the playing field for students with high math anxiety. Learning Punnett squares before the equations was predictive of correct derivation of equations for a three-allele system. Thus, regardless of math anxiety, using Punnett squares before learning the equations seems to increase student understanding of equation derivation, enabling them to derive more complex equations on their own.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. R. Williams
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602
| | - S. R. Wasson
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602
| | - A. Barrett
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602
| | - R. F. Greenall
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602
| | - S. R. Jones
- Department of Mathematics Education, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602
| | - E. G. Bailey
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602
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19
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Mohapatra B, Laures-Gore J. Moving Toward Accurate Assessment of Working Memory in Adults With Neurogenically Based Communication Disorders. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2021; 30:1292-1300. [PMID: 33970679 DOI: 10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This article presents a viewpoint highlighting concerns regarding currently available assessments of working memory in adults with neurogenic communication disorders. Additionally, we provide recommendations for improving working memory assessment in this population. Method This viewpoint includes a critique of clinical and experimental working memory tests relevant to speech-language pathologists. We consider the terminology used to describe memory, as well as discuss language demands and test construction. Results Clinical and experimental testing of working memory in adults with neurogenic communication disorders is challenged due to theoretical, methodological, and practical limitations. The major limitations are characterized as linguistic and task demands, presentation and response modality effects, test administration, and scoring parameters. Taking these limitations into consideration, several modifications to working memory testing and their relevance to neurogenic populations are discussed. Conclusions The recommendations provided in this article can better guide clinicians and researchers to advocate for improved tests of working memory in adults with neurogenic communication disorders. Future research should continue to address these concerns and consider our recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bijoyaa Mohapatra
- Department of Communication Disorders, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces
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20
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Szczygieł M. The relationship between math anxiety and math achievement in young children is mediated through working memory, not by number sense, and it is not direct. CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2021.101949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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21
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Pantoja N, Schaeffer MW, Rozek CS, Beilock SL, Levine SC. Children’s Math Anxiety Predicts Their Math Achievement Over and Above a Key Foundational Math Skill. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2020.1832098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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22
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Moustafa AA, Porter A, Megreya AM. Mathematics anxiety and cognition: an integrated neural network model. Rev Neurosci 2020; 31:287-296. [PMID: 31730536 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2019-0068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Many students suffer from anxiety when performing numerical calculations. Mathematics anxiety is a condition that has a negative effect on educational outcomes and future employment prospects. While there are a multitude of behavioral studies on mathematics anxiety, its underlying cognitive and neural mechanism remain unclear. This article provides a systematic review of cognitive studies that investigated mathematics anxiety. As there are no prior neural network models of mathematics anxiety, this article discusses how previous neural network models of mathematical cognition could be adapted to simulate the neural and behavioral studies of mathematics anxiety. In other words, here we provide a novel integrative network theory on the links between mathematics anxiety, cognition, and brain substrates. This theoretical framework may explain the impact of mathematics anxiety on a range of cognitive and neuropsychological tests. Therefore, it could improve our understanding of the cognitive and neurological mechanisms underlying mathematics anxiety and also has important applications. Indeed, a better understanding of mathematics anxiety could inform more effective therapeutic techniques that in turn could lead to significant improvements in educational outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A Moustafa
- School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, 2 Bullecourt Ave, Milperra, 2214 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Marcs Institute for Brain and Behaviour, Western Sydney University, 2 Bullecourt Ave, Milperra, 2214 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Angela Porter
- School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, 2 Bullecourt Ave, Milperra, 2214 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ahmed M Megreya
- College of Education, Qatar University, 1 Al Jamiaa St, 1021 Doha, Qatar
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23
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Di Lonardo Burr SM, LeFevre JA. Confidence is key: Unlocking the relations between ADHD symptoms and math performance. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2019.101808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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24
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Fan X, Hambleton RK, Zhang M. Profiles of Mathematics Anxiety Among 15-Year-Old Students: A Cross-Cultural Study Using Multi-Group Latent Profile Analysis. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1217. [PMID: 31191408 PMCID: PMC6546821 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Using PISA 2012 data, the present study explored profiles of mathematics anxiety (MA) among 15-year old students from Finland, Korea, and the United States to determine the similarities and differences of MA across the three national samples by applying a multi-group latent profile analysis (LPA). The major findings were that (a) three MA profiles were found in all three national samples, i.e., Low MA, Mid MA, and High MA profile, and (b) the percentages of students classified into each of the three MA profiles differed across the Finnish, Korean, and American samples, with United States having the highest prevalence of High MA, and Finland the lowest. Multi-group LPA also provided clear and useful latent profile separation. The High MA profile demonstrated significant poorer mathematics performance and lower mathematics interest, self-efficacy, and self-concept than the Mid and Low MA profiles. Same differences appeared between the Mid and Low MA profiles. The implications of the findings seem clear: (1) it is possible that there is some relative level of universality in MA among 15-year old students which is independent of cultural context; and (2) multi-group LPA could be a useful analytic tool for research on the study of classification and cultural differences of MA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xizhen Fan
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ronald K. Hambleton
- College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Minqiang Zhang
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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