چکیده:
The purpose of this study was to validate the Mathematics Anxiety Scale among Iranian students. For this purpose, 701 first-year high school students (499 girls and 202 boys) with an average age of 15 years and 5 months were selected and participated in the study as subjects. The measurement tools were the Mathematics Anxiety Scale and the Attitude towards Mathematics Scale. Factor analysis of the Mathematics Anxiety Scale showed that this scale consists of four components: anxiety about mathematics lessons and numbers, anxiety about mathematics exams, negative feelings towards mathematics, and concern about mathematical performance. The eigenvalues for these components ranged from 2.33 to 6.43. The correlation pattern between the components of mathematics anxiety, attitude towards mathematics, and academic achievement in this lesson provided further evidence of the construct validity of the Mathematics Anxiety Scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the components of the Mathematics Anxiety Scale ranged from 0.70 to 0.89, and for the entire scale were equal to 0.92. Test-retest coefficients for the components fluctuated between 0.64 and 0.80, and for the entire scale were obtained at 0.80. These findings indicated that the Mathematics Anxiety Scale has acceptable validity and reliability in Iranian culture and can be used for research and counseling purposes.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Numerous research findings over the past few decades have shown that mastery of mathematical concepts and principles, proficiency in applying them during operations and problem-solving, especially when facing new situations, stems from adaptive motivational patterns composed of a positive attitude and a sense of competence and worthiness (Norwich5 & Rovoli6, 1991); low anxiety (Tobias7, 1991), and considering mathematics interesting, useful, and valuable (Tyler8, 1991).
Factor analysis of these scales shows the existence of different and more or less related dimensions; For example, the Mathematics Anxiety Questionnaire has two dimensions consisting of worry and negative emotional reactions (Wigfield & Meece, 1988).
Also, in a study conducted on 8352 high school students, the existence of two components of enjoyment and value in the mathematics attitude scale was confirmed (Adwere-Boamah11, Muller21, and Kahn31, 1986).
As can be seen from the information in this table, significant and positive correlation coefficients were obtained between each of the four components of mathematics anxiety and the total score on this scale.
The findings of this research showed a four-factor structure in the mentioned scale, consisting of anxiety about mathematics lessons and numbers, mathematics exam anxiety, negative feelings towards mathematics, and concern about mathematical performance.
The strongest relationship was obtained between negative feelings towards mathematics and anxiety about mathematics lessons and numbers, and positive and significant correlation coefficients were obtained between the scores of each component with the total scale.
In response to question number 3 of this research, the obtained results showed that except for the component of concern, the relationship of other components of mathematics anxiety and also its total score with attitude towards mathematics is negative.
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