ABSTRACT
This descriptive-correlational study was conducted to assess the Grade 7 learners' mathematics anxiety and its relationship with their mathematics performance. It found that learners generally experience a moderate level of mathematics anxiety, with this trend being consistent across all demographic groups. In contrast, the overall academic performance was rated as ‘Very Satisfactory”, consistent across sex and age, and even reaching an “Outstanding level” in specific academic programs.
Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in mathematics anxiety based on sex or age, although differences were observed among academic programs. When it came to academic performance, significant differences were found based on sex and academic program, but age did not have a significant impact. The study also found no significant relationship between mathematics anxiety and academic performance, implying that students can maintain high academic achievement even with moderate anxiety levels. Based on these findings, it is recommended that academic institutions focus on program-specific interventions and emotional support strategies to sustain high performance while alleviating students' psychological stress.
Keywords: Math Anxiety, Relationship, Performance
INTRODUCTION
The 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) underscores the significant influence of math anxiety on academic performance, revealing that students with high anxiety scored approximately 60 points lower than their low- anxiety counterparts. However, students with a growth mindset—who believe that abilities can improve with effort— experienced lower anxiety levels and scored an average of 18 points higher than those with a fixed mindset (PISA, 2022). These global patterns emphasize the critical role of psychological and motivational factors in mathematics achievement (OECD, 2023).
The Philippines ranked among the countries with the highest levels of math anxiety among 15-year-old learners, according to an international assessment by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The assessment highlighted an increasing negative attitude toward mathematics from 2012 to 2022.
Mathematics is a key subject in education that helps develop logical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and analytical thinking. However, many learners, especially in junior high, feel a lot of anxiety when facing math tasks.
This issue, known as math anxiety, involves feelings of stress, worry, or fear that can disrupt math performance.
In Grade 7, learners encounter new and more complex math concepts compared to earlier grades, such as algebra, geometry, and data analysis. These challenges can trigger or worsen anxiety, particularly for learners who already find math difficult. Research shows that high levels of math anxiety can hurt students' academic performance by making it harder for them to focus, reducing their confidence, and affecting their working memory during problem-solving (Barroso et al., 2021).
Zivkovic et al. (2023) added that math anxiety tends to lower students’ beliefs in their own mathematical abilities. When students experience anxiety about math, they often feel less competent and less confident in their capacity to solve math problems. This reduced sense of competence is a core aspect of lower math performance.
Emotional experiences in math, such as anxiety, directly affect students’ motivation and their performance with Mathematics subject. When students feel anxious, they are less likely to believe in their ability to succeed, which can lead to avoidance of math-related activities and poorer performance.
Academic achievement is widely considered a key factor in learners' future career success and is often used to assess their cognitive abilities (Fandos-Herrera et al., 2023). In addition, mathematical knowledge serves as a valuable tool for enhancing learners' problem-solving abilities and sound judgment, skills developed through mathematics (Marquez, 2023; Baki & Kilicoglu, 2023).
By figuring out how math anxiety relates to Mathematics performance, educators can create targeted solutions, improve teaching methods, and build a supportive environment that boosts confidence and skills in math.
The researcher personally observed that there are still a lot of learners who are experiencing mathematics anxiety which could not be immediately determined its causes. Other learners have low performance with Mathematics subject.
According to some of the co-teachers of the researcher, most of the learners who have mathematics anxiety are also those who have low performance in Mathematics.
This study aimed to look at the levels of math anxiety among Grade 7 learners and see how it is connected with their performance in mathematics subject. The results may help recommend effective strategies to reduce anxiety and improve learners’ learning outcomes.
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