Children’s Mathematics Anxiety and Their Arithmetic Fluency: How Do Teachers and Parents Play A Role In Their Development?

Date
2019-08
Authors
Price, Jill Alexandra Beatrice
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Publisher
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina
Abstract

The acquisition of mathematical skills in elementary school has an important role in future academic and professional success. These skills depend not only on cognitive abilities but also on emotional factors, such as mathematics anxiety (MA). MA is defined as feelings of tension that “interfere with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematics problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations” (Richardson & Suinn, 1972). Once formed, MA is difficult to change and can persist well into adulthood. This is concerning as MA is negatively correlated with mathematics performance (MP). Aside from MA, little research explores the impact of other mathematics attitudes on arithmetic fluency; especially in elementary school children. To fill this gap, the primary study investigated how Grades 2, 4, and 6 children’s MA as well as their gender equality, confidence, motivation, and perceived usefulness of mathematics impacts their arithmetic fluency. It also examined the role that teachers and parents play in the development of children’s MA and arithmetic fluency. Furthermore, the primary study explored three emotion regulation interventions (i.e., relaxation breathing, expressive drawing, and cognitive reappraisal) and their ability to improve children’s mathematics attitudes and arithmetic fluency. Results showed that as children’s MA increased, their confidence, motivation, and perceived usefulness of mathematics decreased. Children’s mathematics attitudes were also related to their arithmetic fluency. Specifically, children with higher accuracy on single- and double-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems reported lower MA as well as higher confidence, motivation, and perceived usefulness of mathematics. Children’s endorsement of gender equality though was only linked to females’ arithmetic fluency not males. Moreover, teachers’ MA was related to their students’ arithmetic fluency but not their students’ MA while parents’ MA was not related to their children’s MA or arithmetic fluency. Short-term emotion regulation interventions were additionally not effective at improving children’s mathematics attitudes or arithmetic fluency. Overall, the primary study highlights that MA is not the only mathematics-related construct that impacts their arithmetic fluency. It also emphasizes the important role that teachers play in the development of their students’ understanding of arithmetic.

Description
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Experimental and Applied Psychology, University of Regina. xi, 132 p.
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