Mathematics Anxiety: A Descriptive Study on Prevalence, Gender Dynamics and Performance Among Grade 7 Students in China

Abstrak

Mathematics anxiety, a negative emotional reaction to mathematical tasks, has significant impact on students' academic performance. Despite extensive research on this phenomenon in the Western countries, there is a significant gap in understanding its prevalence, gender dynamics, and effects on academic achievement in Eastern cultures, particularly among younger students. This study investigates this gap by examining mathematics anxiety among Grade 7 students at a Chinese international school in Suzhou, China. The research used a descriptive-correlational design, utilizing the Abbreviated Mathematics Anxiety Scale (AMAS) to measure anxiety levels and analyzing its relationship with students' mathematics test scores. A random sample of 80 students (40 in higher-performance group and 40 in lowerperformance group) was selected to ensure representation across different performance levels. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson’s correlation, were used to analyze the data. Researchers found that 55% of low-performance students experienced much higher levels of mathematics anxiety (22 out of 40) than high-performance students (20%, 8 out of 40). Girls also reported significantly higher anxiety (18 out of 38) than boys (8 out of 42). A negative correlation was found between anxiety and performance, especially for lowerperforming students. These findings have implications for educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers, suggesting that fostering supportive learning environments and reducing assessment-driven anxiety can improve students' mathematical engagement and achievement.