Factors Associated with Types of Mathematics Anxiety in College Students

Abstract

This article investigates the interrelatedness of various types of mathematics anxiety with attitudes toward mathematics, learning preferences, study motives, and strategies. An 80-item version of the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) was completed by 173 university students enrolled in one of three introductory statistics courses offered by the departments of mathematics, psychology, or sociology. Mathematics attitude scales were also administered in conjunction with the Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ), which depicts students' motivations to use study methods associated with contrasting learning approaches. Factor analysis of the MARS identified six factors labeled as General Evaluation Anxiety, Everyday Numerical Anxiety, Passive Observation Anxiety, Performance Anxiety, Mathematics Test Anxiety, and Problem-Solving Anxiety.