Math anxiety (MA) and math achievement are generally negatively associated.
This study investigated whether and how classroom engagement behaviors mediate the negative association between MA and math achievement.
Data were drawn from an ongoing longitudinal study that examines the roles of affective factors in math learning. Participants consisted of 207 students from 4th through 6th grade (50% female).
Math anxiety was measured by self‐report using the Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Children (Chiu & Henry, 1990,
Students with higher MA demonstrated less cognitive‐behavioral and emotional engagement compared to students with lower MA. Achievement differences among students with various levels of MA were partly accounted for by their cognitive‐behavioral engagement in the math classroom.
Overall, students with high MA exhibit avoidance patterns in everyday learning, which may act as a potential mechanism for explaining why high MA students underperform their low MA peers.
- Award ID(s):
- 1750025
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10445263
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- British Journal of Educational Psychology
- Volume:
- 92
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 0007-0998
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 955-973
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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