Analysis of the Relationship between Anxiety about Mathematics and Performance

Abstract

92 students in an upper level college statistics course were given a number of mathematics anxiety and performance measures. A canonical analysis resulted in one significant canonical factor, labeled Mathematics Efficiency, which explains the relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematics performance. Variables making the greatest contribution to this high math efficiency factor were mathematics anxiety and attitude toward mathematics. One major implication of these results is that psychologists need to focus on attitude change and anxiety reduction techniques in helping people improve their performance in mathematics. In addition, educators need to design curricula which emphasize the promotion of positive attitudes toward mathematics rather than content alone to facilitate mathematics efficiency.