Mathematics Anxiety in Young Children: An Exploratory Study

Harari, Rachel R.; Vukovic, Rose K.; Bailey, Sean P.

doi:10.1080/00220973.2012.727888

Cited by 132 publications

(138 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…It is also possible that mathematical anxiety is not yet pronounced at this age (Jameson, ). However, several previous studies, using different measures, have shown that MA was present in younger primary students (Harari, Vukovic, & Bailey, ; Krinzinger, Kaufmann, & Willmes, ; Ramirez, Gunderson, Levine, & Beilock, ). It is possible that the self‐report measure used in this study is not precise in measuring individual differences in mathematical anxiety in young children.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Cognition, emotion, and arithmetic in primary school: A cross‐cultural investigation

Rodic

Cui

Malykh

et al. 2018

British J of Dev Psycho

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The study investigated cross‐cultural differences in variability and average performance in arithmetic, mathematical reasoning, symbolic and non‐symbolic magnitude processing, intelligence, spatial ability, and mathematical anxiety in 890 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children from the United Kingdom, Russia, and China. Cross‐cultural differences explained 28% of the variance in arithmetic and 17.3% of the variance in mathematical reasoning, with Chinese children outperforming the other two groups. No cross‐cultural differences were observed for spatial ability and mathematical anxiety. In all samples, symbolic magnitude processing and mathematical reasoning were independently related to early arithmetic. Other factors, such as non‐symbolic magnitude processing, mental rotation, intelligence, and mathematical anxiety, produced differential patterns across the populations. The results are discussed in relation to potential influences of parental practice, school readiness, and linguistic factors on individual differences in early mathematics. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Cross‐cultural differences in mathematical ability are present in preschool children.Similar mechanisms of mathematical development operate in preschool children from the United Kingdom, Russia, and China.Tasks that require understanding of numbers are best predictors of arithmetic in preschool children. What does this study add? Cross‐cultural differences in mathematical ability become greater with age/years of formal education.Similar mechanisms of mathematical development operate in early primary school children from the United Kingdom, Russia, and China.Symbolic number magnitude and mathematical reasoning are the main predictors of arithmetic in all three populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Cognition, emotion, and arithmetic in primary school: A cross‐cultural investigation

Rodic

Cui

Malykh

et al. 2018

British J of Dev Psycho

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Fit statistics for the univariate model showed that the model did not meet any of the criteria for close fit [

χ_{(54)}^{2}

= 212.69, p < 0.001, RMSEA = 0.100 (90% CI = 0.086 − 0.114], CFI = 0.898, and TLI = 0.876). We then estimated the three-factor model proposed by Harari et al (2013). As seen in Table 2 and Figure 1, the first factor was negative reactions [items 1, 2, 3, (6, 11)], the second was numerical confidence [items 4, 5, (6), 7, 8], and the third was worry, [items 9, 10, (11), 12].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We began with parallel models to the original Harari et al (2013) models but with all 17 items. The univariate model did not meet criteria for close fit, but the three-factor solution did,

χ_{(116)}^{2} =

180.57, p < 0.001, RMSEA = 0.043 (90% CI = 0.031–0.055), CFI = 0.977, and TLI = 0.972.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Development and Validation of a Revised Version of the Math Anxiety Scale for Young Children

Ganley

McGraw

2016

Front. Psychol.

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Although there is an extensive amount of research that examines the relation between math anxiety and math performance in adolescents and adults, little work has focused on this relation in young children. Recently more attention has been paid to the early development of math anxiety, and new measures have been created for use with this age group. In the present study, we report on the development and validation of a revised version of the Math Anxiety Scale for Young Children (MASYC; Harari et al., 2013). We conducted cognitive interviews with the 12 MASYC items with nine children and then administered the MASYC and five newly-developed items to 296 first-, second- and third-grade children. Results from cognitive interviews show that three of the items from the original scale were being systematically misinterpreted by young children. We present a revised measure (the MASYC-R) consisting of 13 items (eight original, five newly-developed) that shows strong evidence for reliability and validity. Results also showed that a small, but meaningful, proportion of children at this age show signs of high math anxiety. Validity of the MASYC-R was supported through correlations with a number of other factors, including general anxiety, math performance, and math attitudes. In addition, results suggest that a substantial proportion of the variance in math anxiety can be explained from these other variables together. The findings suggest that the MASYC-R is appropriate for use with young children and can help researchers to answer important questions about the nature and development of math anxiety at this age.

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“…Previous studies have usually found no gender differences in math anxiety among young children (Dowker et al ., ; Erturan & Jansen, ; Harari, Vukovic, & Bailey, ; Wu, Willcutt, Escovar, & Menon, ), but at a later point during their school career, females seem to be more anxious about mathematics than males (e.g., Else‐Quest, Hyde, & Linn, ; Hembree, ; Kyttälä & Björn, ). It remains unclear, however, at which point during their development these differences appear.…”

Section: Math Anxiety Among Primary School Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, among primary school children, the relationship between math anxiety and math performance remains unclear. The findings from previous studies have been contradictory, with some studies suggesting that primary school children's math anxiety is not related to performance (Dowker et al ., ; Haase et al ., ; Krinzinger et al ., , ; Thomas & Dowker, ; Wood et al ., ), while others suggest that math anxiety is negatively correlated with performance even at that age (Harari et al ., ; Jameson, ; Vukovic, Kieffer, Bailey, & Harari, ; Wu et al ., , ).…”

Section: Math Anxiety and Its Relationship To Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Math anxiety and its relationship with basic arithmetic skills among primary school children

Sorvo

Koponen

Viholainen

et al. 2017

Brit J of Edu Psychol

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Background Children have been found to report and demonstrate math anxiety as early as the first grade. However, previous results concerning the relationship between math anxiety and performance are contradictory, with some studies establishing a correlation between them while others do not. These contradictory results might be related to varying operationalizations of math anxiety. Aims In this study, we aimed to examine the prevalence of math anxiety and its relationship with basic arithmetic skills in primary school children, with explicit focus on two aspects of math anxiety: anxiety about failure in mathematics and anxiety in math‐related situations. Sample The participants comprised 1,327 children at grades 2–5. Methods Math anxiety was assessed using six items, and basic arithmetic skills were assessed using three assessment tasks. Results Around one‐third of the participants reported anxiety about being unable to do math, one‐fifth about having to answer teachers’ questions, and one tenth about having to do math. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that anxiety about math‐related situations and anxiety about failure in mathematics are separable aspects of math anxiety. Structural equation modelling suggested that anxiety about math‐related situations was more strongly associated with arithmetic fluency than anxiety about failure. Anxiety about math‐related situations was most common among second graders and least common among fifth graders. Conclusions As math anxiety, particularly about math‐related situations, was related to arithmetic fluency even as early as the second grade, children's negative feelings and math anxiety should be identified and addressed from the early primary school years.

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Mathematics Anxiety in Young Children: An Exploratory Study

Cited by 132 publications

References 37 publications

Cognition, emotion, and arithmetic in primary school: A cross‐cultural investigation

Cognition, emotion, and arithmetic in primary school: A cross‐cultural investigation

The Development and Validation of a Revised Version of the Math Anxiety Scale for Young Children

Math anxiety and its relationship with basic arithmetic skills among primary school children

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