The Affective and Cognitive Dimensions of Math Anxiety: A Cross-National Study

Abstract

In this study we focus on math anxiety, comparing its dimensions, levels, and relationship with mathematics achievement across samples of 6th-grade students from China, Taiwan, and the United States. The results of confirmatory factor analyses supported the theoretical distinction between affective and cognitive dimensions of math anxiety in all 3 national samples. The analyses of structural equation models provided evidence for the differential predictive validity of the 2 dimensions of math anxiety. Specifically, across the 3 national samples, the affective factor of math anxiety was significantly related to mathematics achievement in the negative direction. Gender by nation interactions were also found to be significant for both affective and cognitive math anxiety.