Profiles of Mathematics Anxiety Among 15-Year-Old Students: A Cross-Cultural Study Using Multi-Group Latent Profile Analysis

Psychometric properties of AMAS and math anxiety prevalence among Chinese and Russian schoolchildren: a comparative study

The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of math anxiety in Russian and Chinese schoolchildren across genders and ages. The Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) was used as a measurement tool for assessing math anxiety. The factor structure of the AMAS and item invariance between Russian and Chinese schoolchildren were also examined. A total of 4,292 Russian (54% girls, M = 13.7, SD = 1.21) and 3,410 Chinese (48% girls, M = 12.7, SD = 1.21, Me = 13.0) schoolchildren participated in the study. The bi-factor model of the AMAS fits provided the best fit for the data in both countries. AMAS items demonstrated invariance between the two groups. Overall, Russian schoolchildren demonstrated higher math anxiety across all ages and math anxiety subscales, except at ages 14-15, where Chinese schoolchildren reported higher learning-related math anxiety. Among Chinese schoolchildren, both learning and evaluation math anxiety increased with age. Conversely, for Russian schoolchildren, math evaluation anxiety increased, while learning math anxiety decreased with age. Gender differences were observed in both countries, with the onset of gender-related differences appearing earlier in Chinese schoolchildren.

Applying Machine Learning and SHAP Method to Identify Key Influences on Middle-School Students' Mathematics Literacy Performance

The PISA 2022 literacy assessment highlights a significant decline in math performance among most OECD countries, with the magnitude of this decline being approximately three times that of the previous round. Remarkably, Hong Kong, Macao, Taipei, Singapore, Japan, and Korea ranked in the top six among all participating countries or economies, with Taipei, Singapore, Japan, and Korea also demonstrating improved performance. Given the widespread concern about the factors influencing secondary-school students' mathematical literacy, this paper adopts machine learning and the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method to analyze 34,968 samples and 151 features from six East Asian education systems within the PISA 2022 dataset, aiming to pinpoint the crucial factors that affect middle-school students' mathematical literacy. First, the XGBoost model has the highest prediction accuracy for math literacy performance. Second, 15 variables were identified as significant predictors of mathematical literacy across the student population, particularly variables such as mathematics self-efficacy (MATHEFF) and expected occupational status (BSMJ). Third, mathematics self-efficacy was determined to be the most influential factor. Fourth, the factors influencing mathematical literacy vary among individual students, including the key influencing factors, the direction (positive or negative) of their impact, and the extent of this influence. Finally, based on our findings, four recommendations are proffered to enhance the mathematical literacy performance of secondary-school students.

A large-scale study on the prevalence of math anxiety in Qatar

BACKGROUND

Math anxiety (MA) is a worldwide appearing academic anxiety that can affect student mental health and deter students from math and science-related career choices.

METHOD

Using the Arabic version of the Modified-Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (m-AMAS), the prevalence of MA was investigated in a very large sample of students (N = 10093) from grades 7 to 12 in Qatar.

RESULTS

The results showed a better fit to the original two-factor model of the m-AMAS (learning MA and Evaluation MA) than to a single-factor solution. This two-factor model was also confirmed in each grade. Notably, the distribution of MA scores was right-skewed, especially for learning MA. Using the inter-quartiles ranges, norms for MA were provided: A score of ≤16 indicates low MA whereas a score of ≥30 identifies high MA. Previous studies conducted in Western countries defined high math-anxious students as those who score above the 90th percentile corresponding to a score of 30 on the m-AMAS. Using this cut-off criterion, the current study found that one-fifth of students in Qatar were highly math-anxious, with a higher proportion of females than males. We also calculated the percentage of participants selecting each response category for each questionnaire item. Results showed that attending a long math class was the context that elicited the highest levels of learning MA. In contrast, having an unexpected math test was the situation that triggered the highest levels of evaluation MA.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of MA might vary across different cultures.

Advancing a cross-cultural understanding of teacher perceptions of school climate: A latent class analysis using 2018 TALIS data

In recent years, school climate has increasingly received research attention. Most studies have focused only on student perceptions of school climate, whereas little is known regarding teachers’ views, and cross-country comparisons are scarce. To advance cross-country understanding of teacher perceptions of school climate, this study used data from the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Study (TALIS) to explore latent classes of teacher perceptions and compared differences between American, Finnish, and Chinese teachers. Latent class analysis revealed that a four-class solution was the most appropriate for each teacher subsample: positive participation and teacher-student relation, positive teacher-student relation, moderate, and low participation for the U.S. and China datasets, while positive teacher-student relation, moderate, negative discipline, and low participation for the Finland dataset. However, measurement invariance across countries was violated. We further investigated the impact of predictors on latent classes of teacher perceptions of school climate. The results revealed varied patterns of cross-cultural differences across countries. Our findings implied that a more reliable and valid scale of teacher perceptions of school climate for cross-country comparison is needed. Tailored interventions are necessary as more than half of teachers perceived moderate and less desired school climate, and educators should consider cultural differences when drawing on experiences from other countries.

The Arabic version of the modified-abbreviated math anxiety scale: Psychometric properties, gender differences, and associations with different forms of anxiety and math achievement

Background

This study examined the psychometric properties (factor structure, measurement invariance, convergent and criterion validity, inter-correlations, and reliabilities) of an Arabic version of the modified-Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (m-AMAS) and gender differences in math anxiety in an Arabic speaking Middle Eastern country, Qatar.

Methods

A large sample of students in grade 7 to 10 (N = 731) completed the m-AMAS, three different scales to measure science anxiety, test anxiety, and general anxiety, as well as a scholastic math achievement test.

Results

The two-factor structure of the m-AMAS was confirmed, with good to adequate reliabilities, and its compositional measurement invariance was established across girls and boys in the four grades. In addition, math anxiety correlated positively with science anxiety, test anxiety, and general anxiety. Regression analyses showed that math anxiety was negatively associated with math achievement, even when test anxiety, science anxiety, and general anxiety were considered. Furthermore, girls showed higher math anxiety than boys.

Conclusion

These adequate psychometric properties of the Arabic m-AMAS suggest that the construct of math anxiety has a cross-cultural similarity.

Need strength, perceived need support, stress symptomatology, and performance in the context of oral exams: A typological approach

Introduction

Based on self-determination theory, we investigated whether examinees are classifiable into profiles based on basic need strength and perceived need support that differ in stress parameters and achievement in the context of a standardized oral exam.

Methods

92 students reported their basic need strength before and perceived need support provided by the examiner once after the exam. Students indicated their emotions and stress perception at four measurement points and we measured their saliva cortisol concurrently, analyzing stress-related changes over time.

Results

Latent class analyses revealed two higher-quality (low/high, high/high) and two lower-quality (low/low, high/low) need strength/need support classes. Physio-affective stress development was typical of exam situations. Higher-quality classes that met or exceeded the needs displayed more beneficial stress and emotion response patterns than lower-quality classes. Gain-related emotions mediated achievement in the higher-quality classes.

Discussion

Need-supportive examiners can promote student well-being and achievement when they succeed in providing high need satisfaction.

Working Memory and Its Mediating Role on the Relationship of Math Anxiety and Math Performance: A Meta-Analysis

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.

Mathematics anxiety and mathematical calculation in deaf children: A moderated mediation model of mathematics self-efficacy and intelligence

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown the relationship between mathematics anxiety and math performance in deaf students, but their inner influencing mechanism remains unclear.

AIM

To examine a moderated mediation model between mathematics anxiety and mathematical calculation, with intelligence as a moderator, and mathematics self-efficacy as a mediator.

METHODS

A sample of 247 deaf children from 2 special education schools and 247 hearing children (matched in intelligence) from one mainstream school in China completed computerized tests of intelligence and mathematical calculation and self-report questionnaires of mathematics anxiety and mathematics self-efficacy. Simple mediation analyses and moderated mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS, and a simple slopes method was employed to plot the conditional indirect effects.

RESULTS

There was a significant negative correlation between mathematics anxiety and mathematical calculation, and between mathematics anxiety and mathematics self-efficacy in deaf children and hearing children. However, mathematics self-efficacy was positively associated with mathematical calculation in deaf children but not in hearing children, and the significantly negative relationship between mathematics anxiety and intelligence was observed only in deaf children but not in hearing children. Mathematics self-efficacy partially mediated the association between mathematics anxiety and mathematical calculation in deaf children; and the indirect effect between mathematics anxiety and mathematical calculation via mathematics self-efficacy was moderated by intelligence in deaf children but not in hearing children.

CONCLUSIONS

The results were discussed to illuminate the mechanism in relation to the practical implication for the intervention and early development of mathematics performance in deaf children.

The Abbreviated Science Anxiety Scale: Psychometric properties, gender differences and associations with test anxiety, general anxiety and science achievement

Science anxiety refers to students’ negative emotions about learning science. Across two studies, we investigated the psychometric properties of the newly developed Abbreviated Science Anxiety Scale (ASAS), which was adapted from the modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (m-AMAS) (Carey E., 2017). Using a sample of students in grades 7 to 10 (N = 710), Study 1 reported a two-factor structure of the ASAS (learning science anxiety and science evaluation anxiety) and negative associations between the ASAS factors and science achievement. Study 2 replicated this two-factor model in students in grades 11 and 12 (N = 362) and found that students in the “Arts” track were more anxious about science than those in “Sciences” track. Both studies consistently reported positive inter-correlations between the ASAS factors, with good internal reliabilities and modest meaningful associations with test anxiety and general anxiety, suggesting that science anxiety might be a distinct construct. Further, female students had higher science anxiety (especially science evaluation anxiety) than male students, even when test anxiety and general anxiety were considered in models. In summary, the ASAS is a brief, valid, and reliable instrument that can be used to guide and improve science education.

Peer Tutoring Effects on Students' Mathematics Anxiety: A Middle School Experience

In this research the effects of reciprocal peer tutoring on students' mathematics anxiety levels were examined. A pretest posttest with control group design was used at a public middle school in Spain. A total of 420 students in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades participated in the study, of which 215 were female and 205 were male. Students were randomly assigned and equally distributed by course grade (140 in each course grade) and experimental condition (210 in the experimental group and 210 in the control group). Quantitative data were gathered using the Mathematics Anxiety Scale developed by Chiu and Henry (1990). Qualitative information was gathered during eight focus group sessions that were held with students. Two main factors were analyzed using the quantitative and qualitative information: mathematics learning anxiety and mathematics evaluation anxiety. Results were analyzed by gender and course grade. Statistically significant improvements were reported for both male and female students in the experimental group and for each course grade for both factors. No statistically significant differences were reported for students in the control group in any case. A moderate effect size was reported for mathematics evaluation anxiety (Hedge's g = 0.42), and a large effect size was reported for mathematics learning anxiety (Hedge's g = 0.84). Information obtained from the focus groups was consistent with the reported quantitative results. The main conclusion is that peer tutoring may be very beneficial for reducing middle school students' mathematics anxiety, regardless of their gender or grade.