A factor-analytic study of mathematics anxiety

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate student attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics anxiety. In the past, mathematics anxiety has been measured by using different instruments and characterized as a unidimensional construct. However, prior studies concerning mathematics anxiety have not established construct validity of the scales used. This study was designed to establish the construct validity of the scales used to measure mathematics anxiety and to investigate the possibility that it may be a multidimensional construct.

A series of self-report questions and survey instruments was administered in 17 freshmen college mathematics classes containing 491 students. Eight instruments were selected, namely: (1) Usefulness of Mathematics, (2) Test Anxiety Inventory, (3) Mathematics Anxiety, (4) Adjective Check List, (5) Short-form Dogmatism, (6) Attitude Toward Success in Mathematics, (7) Effectance Motivation in Mathematics, (8) Confidence in Learning Mathematics.

Factor analysis techniques were used to treat the data: (1) To analyze the scores from the eight tests and reduce the responses to six principal factors which describe the nature of mathematics anxiety, (2) To determine the strength of the relationships of these attitudes to sex, socioeconomic status, college curriculum, high school mathematics background, college grade point level and achievement in current mathematics courses.

The results suggest that mathematics anxiety is a unidimensional construct related to students' attitude towards mathematics more than to their personality characteristics. A finding contrary to the literature was that females did not suffer mathematics anxiety more than males.

Recommendations arose from consideration of which attitudes in the mathematics anxiety complex were potentially modifiable by educators. It was recommended that schools actively seek to improve these attitudes. It was also recommended that females be encouraged to success in mathematics and that colleges seek to identify and help entering students who exhibit mathematics anxiety.