Mathematics really generates anxiety? Empirical Study in middle school students

Abstract

The goal of this study was to identify the anxiety factors perceived by students toward mathematics and determine if they are gender related. The study is of quantitative and transversal type. The sample was comprised of 155 students belonging to two middle schools from the Cárdenas municipality in San Luis Potosí and a non-probabilistic sampling was used. The 12 question instrument corresponds to the anxiety construct from the Fennema & Sherman scale. An ANOVA analysis and an exploratory factor analysis were applied to the data obtained. The results show that students present a high level of anxiety, furthermore, they also show there is no significant difference between men and women to anxiety toward mathematics and the anxiety factors perceived as the cause of said anxiety are insecurity and lack of self-confidence. And finally, it is concluded that middle school level students perceive a significant level of anxiety regardless of gender. They also manifest a feeling of nervousness and confusion toward the discipline and would not find it in the least agreeable to take even more math courses.