Does Mathematical Anxiety Differ Cross-Culturally?

Abstract

Mathematics constitutes a foundation in the training of engineering students because their competence in this reasoning will be utilised as a tool for the resolution of real problems when inserted in the productive sector and throughout their professional life. The purpose of this causal comparative research study was to determine the difference in learning math anxiety and math evaluation anxiety for engineering students at two universities with different cultural backgrounds. The sample included 20 engineering students from the south-eastern United States and 88 engineering students from Colombia. The English and Spanish version of the AMAS, which contained nine items was divided into two subscales, used to collect data. A series of two-way factorial ANOVAs were conducted to answer the research questions that are related to cultural background, gender and the interaction effect between cultural group and gender. The results indicated there was a statistically significant difference in learning maths anxiety when comparing the two cultures.

Test Anxiety in Adolescent Students: Different Responses According to the Components of Anxiety as a Function of Sociodemographic and Academic Variables

“…In addition to demonstrating academic knowledge, public speaking in the classroom requires the student to possess social and communication skills, which prevent the appearance of fear of negative social evaluation and its possible negative repercussion on performance during the oral test (Laurin-Barantke et al, 2016). The math test is another very feared modality (Carey et al, 2017;Kiliç and Çetin, 2018); it is worth noting, however, that it is associated more with high failure (Wu et al, 2012) than with difficulty in learning (Brown et al, 2020).…”

More Evidence that Math Anxiety is Specific to Math in Young Children: The Correlates of the Math Anxiety Questionnaire for Children (MAQC)

“…Finally, most of the studies on math anxiety in children, adolescents, and adults are conducted among English language samples. However, due to international differences in the organizational system of mathematical education, it is justified to follow the data obtained from cultural backgrounds other than the West (Browne, Ortiz-Padilla, & Soto-Varela, 2020). If subsequent studies provide further arguments on the specificity of math anxiety and its detrimental effect on math achievement in young children, more attention should be paid to the identification of its sources and the prevention of future math anxiety development.…”

Thematic Analysis of Studies on Mathematics Teaching Anxiety

“…Factors such as self-efficacy, anxiety, belief, and attitude are among the affective components that affect educational environments. Of these factors, mathematics anxiety is very significant (Brown, Ortiz-Padilla & Soto-Varela, 2020). Since there is a relationship between mathematical thinking and learning and an effective approach to mathematics (Hannula, 2005), one of the most common problems experienced in mathematics in the affective area is anxiety (Baloğlu & Koçak, 2006).…”