Research

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20 pages, 1589 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anxiety about Mathematics and Reading in Preadolescents Is Domain-Specific

by Delphine Sasanguie, Charlotte Larmuseau, Fien Depaepe and Brenda R. J. Jansen

J. Intell. 2024, 12(2), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12020014 - 29 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1363

It was investigated whether test anxiety (TA), mathematics anxiety (MA), and reading anxiety (RA) can be traced back to some type of general academic anxiety or whether these are separable. A total of 776 fifth graders (M_age = 10.9 years) completed [...] Read more.

It was investigated whether test anxiety (TA), mathematics anxiety (MA), and reading anxiety (RA) can be traced back to some type of general academic anxiety or whether these are separable. A total of 776 fifth graders (M_age = 10.9 years) completed questionnaires on TA, MA, and RA, as well as a mathematics test. Also, mathematics and reading performance results from the National Tracking System were requested. The sample was randomly split into two halves. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a three-factor model (factors: TA, MA, RA) had superior model fit compared with a one-factor model (factor: “Academic anxiety”), in both halves. The resulting anxiety factors were related to math performance measures using structural equation models. A scarcity of data on reading performance prevented the analysis of links between anxiety and reading performance. Anxiety–math performance relations were stronger for MA than for TA and MA. We concluded that TA, MA, and RA are separable constructs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Motivational, Affective Factors and Cognitive Factors in Learning)

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22 pages, 813 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Basic Symbolic Number Skills, but Not Formal Mathematics Performance, Longitudinally Predict Mathematics Anxiety in the First Years of Primary School

by Patrick A. O’Connor, Kinga Morsanyi and Teresa McCormack

J. Intell. 2023, 11(11), 211; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11110211 - 01 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2358

Abstract

Mathematical anxiety (MA) and mathematics performance typically correlate negatively in studies of adolescents and adults, but not always amongst young children, with some theorists questioning the relevance of MA to mathematics performance in this age group. Evidence is also limited in relation to [...] Read more.

Mathematical anxiety (MA) and mathematics performance typically correlate negatively in studies of adolescents and adults, but not always amongst young children, with some theorists questioning the relevance of MA to mathematics performance in this age group. Evidence is also limited in relation to the developmental origins of MA and whether MA in young children can be linked to their earlier mathematics performance. To address these questions, the current study investigated whether basic and formal mathematics skills around 4 and 5 years of age were predictive of MA around the age of 7–8. Additionally, we also examined the cross-sectional relationships between MA and mathematics performance in 7–8-year-old children. Specifically, children in our study were assessed in their first (T1; aged 4–5), second (T2; aged 5–6), and fourth years of school (T3; aged 7–8). At T1 and T2, children completed measures of basic numerical skills, IQ, and working memory, as well as curriculum-based mathematics tests. At T3, children completed two self-reported MA questionnaires, together with a curriculum-based mathematics test. The results showed that MA could be reliably measured in a sample of 7–8-year-olds and demonstrated the typical negative correlation between MA and mathematical performance (although the strength of this relationship was dependent on the specific content domain). Importantly, although early formal mathematical skills were unrelated to later MA, there was evidence of a longitudinal relationship between basic early symbolic number skills and later MA, supporting the idea that poorer basic numerical skills relate to the development of MA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Motivational, Affective Factors and Cognitive Factors in Learning)

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17 pages, 406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards an Integrative Model of Math Cognition: Interactions between Working Memory and Emotions in Explaining Children’s Math Performance

by Sanne H. G. Van der Ven, Emilie J. Prast and Eva Van de Weijer-Bergsma

J. Intell. 2023, 11(7), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11070136 - 07 Jul 2023

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Abstract

Individual variation in mathematical skills can be ascribed to differences in cognitive ability, but also to students’ emotional experiences of mathematics, such as enjoyment and anxiety. The current study investigated how the interplay of working memory with math anxiety and enjoyment explains mathematical [...] Read more.

Individual variation in mathematical skills can be ascribed to differences in cognitive ability, but also to students’ emotional experiences of mathematics, such as enjoyment and anxiety. The current study investigated how the interplay of working memory with math anxiety and enjoyment explains mathematical performance in primary school students. We also explored whether these relations differed with the type of math test and students’ age. Using mixed effect models, we reanalyzed data from 4471 Dutch primary school students (grades 2–6) who had completed two computerized working memory tasks, had filled out a questionnaire on math emotions, and had completed two math tests: story problems and speeded arithmetic. Findings showed that working memory, anxiety, and enjoyment were linear (but not curvilinear) predictors of performance on both tests, while some relations were stronger for the math (story)-problem-solving test. Higher math anxiety negatively impacted performance more strongly for students with stronger working memory skills, but only on the arithmetic test. No interaction between working memory and enjoyment was found. The relation between math anxiety and math performance increased with grade level, but no other age-related changes were found. Interpretations and recommendations focus on situated views on learning and emotion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Motivational, Affective Factors and Cognitive Factors in Learning)

22 pages, 3389 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Testing the Reciprocal Effect between Value of Education, Time Investment, and Academic Achievement in a Large Non-Western Sample

by Meimei Liu, TuongVan Vu, Nienke van Atteveldt and Martijn Meeter

J. Intell. 2023, 11(7), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11070133 - 04 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1178

Abstract

Many theories of motivation suggest that motivation and academic achievement reinforce each other over time, yet few longitudinal studies have examined behavioral pathways that may mediate interplay from motivation to achievement. Moreover, empirical studies so far have mostly focused on Western countries. In [...] Read more.

Many theories of motivation suggest that motivation and academic achievement reinforce each other over time, yet few longitudinal studies have examined behavioral pathways that may mediate interplay from motivation to achievement. Moreover, empirical studies so far have mostly focused on Western countries. In this study, we first examined whether students’ value of education, as a measure of motivation, is reciprocally related to achievement (class rank and self-rated performance) in a sample of junior high schoolers in an East-Asian country (N = 3445, Korean Youth Panel Study). We tested this reciprocity using different statistical models. Second, we investigated whether the relation between motivation and achievement was mediated by time invested in learning. Reciprocal effects between value of education and academic achievement were found in classic cross-lagged panel models, but only unilateral effects (from achievement to value of education) were found when we used random-intercept and random-curve cross-lagged panel models. Adding the time investment variable, the reciprocal effect between value of education, time investment, and academic achievement was found with the random intercept model. In conclusion, the reciprocity between of motivation and achievement are more elusive than previous research suggested; further studies should be dedicated to scrutinizing its existence with various statistical models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Motivational, Affective Factors and Cognitive Factors in Learning)

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17 pages, 1212 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Patterns of the Satisfaction and Frustration of Psychological Needs and Their Associations with Adolescent Students’ School Affect, Burnout, and Achievement

by Linjia Zhang and Yi Jiang

J. Intell. 2023, 11(6), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11060111 - 03 Jun 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1842

Abstract

Based on self-determination theory and adopting a person-oriented approach, we aimed to investigate the latent profiles of adolescent students’ basic psychological needs and their associations with personal characteristics (gender, socioeconomic status) as well as school functioning (school affect, burnout, academic achievement). Latent profile [...] Read more.

Based on self-determination theory and adopting a person-oriented approach, we aimed to investigate the latent profiles of adolescent students’ basic psychological needs and their associations with personal characteristics (gender, socioeconomic status) as well as school functioning (school affect, burnout, academic achievement). Latent profile analyses based on a group of 1521 Chinese high school students identified four need profiles: low satisfaction/moderate frustration, high satisfaction/low frustration, average all, and moderate satisfaction/high frustration. Furthermore, there were significant differences in students’ school functioning among the four latent profiles. Specifically, students with moderate to high levels of need frustration were most likely to experience maladaptive school functioning, regardless of their need satisfaction level. Additionally, gender and socioeconomic status were significant predictors of profile membership. The findings of this study can assist educators in gaining a better understanding of the diverse patterns of psychological needs among students and help them to implement targeted interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Motivational, Affective Factors and Cognitive Factors in Learning)

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22 pages, 459 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How to Continue? New Approaches to Investigating the Effects of Adaptive Math Learning Programs on Students’ Performance, Self-Concept, and Anxiety

by Anna Hilz, Karin Guill, Janina Roloff, Daniel Sommerhoff and Karen Aldrup

J. Intell. 2023, 11(6), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11060108 - 01 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1683

Abstract

Math learning programs were expected to revolutionize students’ learning, but their effects so far have mostly been disappointing. Following the debate about why to continue research on math learning programs, we aimed to reformulate this question into how to continue this research. Investigations [...] Read more.

Math learning programs were expected to revolutionize students’ learning, but their effects so far have mostly been disappointing. Following the debate about why to continue research on math learning programs, we aimed to reformulate this question into how to continue this research. Investigations to date have neither considered a sufficiently wide set of outcome variables nor differentiated between performance measures (e.g., measuring addition and subtraction performance separately) and affective-motivational variables. Moreover, as students can only benefit from a program if they use it, researchers need to take practice behavior into account. Thus, we investigated whether the adaptive arithmetic learning program Math Garden fostered students’ addition and subtraction performance, their math self-concept, and a reduction of their math anxiety. We also investigated how practice behavior (practiced tasks/weeks) affected these outcomes. We used a randomized pretest-posttest control group design with 376 fifth-grade students in Germany. Students in the experimental condition practiced with Math Garden for 20.7 weeks and had an increase in math self-concept. The more subtraction tasks the students practiced, the more they improved their subtraction performance. We found no effects on math anxiety. The results are discussed in terms of providing a starting point for new directions in future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Motivational, Affective Factors and Cognitive Factors in Learning)

Other

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8 pages, 426 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices for Adolescents: A Case for a Shortened Version

by Anne-Wil Kramer and Hilde M. Huizenga

J. Intell. 2023, 11(4), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11040072 - 13 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2458

Abstract

Cognitive ability of adolescents is often measured using the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM). However, the RSPM knows a long administration time which may be suboptimal, as time-on-task effects are known to increase fatigue, to lower motivation, and to worsen performance on cognitive [...] Read more.

Cognitive ability of adolescents is often measured using the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM). However, the RSPM knows a long administration time which may be suboptimal, as time-on-task effects are known to increase fatigue, to lower motivation, and to worsen performance on cognitive tasks. Therefore, a shortened version for adolescents was developed recently. In the current preregistered study we investigated this shortened version in a sample of adolescents (N = 99) of average educational backgrounds. We tested whether the shortened RSPM is a valid alternative to the original RSPM, which proved to be the case, as we observed a moderate to high correlation between the two versions. Moreover, we tested version effects on fatigue, motivation and performance. Fatigue was lower and motivation was higher after completing the short compared to the original version, and performance was better in the short compared to the original version. However, additional analyses suggested that beneficial version effects on performance were not due to reduced time-on-task, but due to the short version containing less difficult items than the original version. Moreover, version related differences in performance were not related to version related differences in fatigue and motivation. We conclude that the shortened version of the RSPM is a valid alternative to the original version, and that the shortened version is beneficial in terms of fatigue and motivation, but that these beneficial effects on fatigue and motivation do not carry over to performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Motivational, Affective Factors and Cognitive Factors in Learning)

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16 pages, 575 KiB

Open AccessConcept Paper

Academic Buoyancy: Overcoming Test Anxiety and Setbacks

by David William Putwain, Joost Jansen in de Wal and Thijmen van Alphen

J. Intell. 2023, 11(3), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11030042 - 21 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4175

Abstract

High levels of test anxiety can be damaging for academic achievement, wellbeing, and mental health. It is important, therefore, to consider those psychological attributes that may offer protection against the development of test anxiety and its negative consequences, thereby contributing to a potential [...] Read more.

High levels of test anxiety can be damaging for academic achievement, wellbeing, and mental health. It is important, therefore, to consider those psychological attributes that may offer protection against the development of test anxiety and its negative consequences, thereby contributing to a potential positive future life trajectory. Academic buoyancy, the ability to respond effectively to academic pressures and setbacks, is one such attribute that offers protection from high test anxiety. We begin by defining test anxiety and a brief review of the literature to consider the harmful nature of test anxiety. This is followed by a definition of academic buoyancy and brief review of the literature to consider the beneficial character of academic buoyancy. Next, we describe the Self-Regulatory Executive Function model of test anxiety and consider the mechanisms and processes by which academic buoyancy exerts beneficial effects on test anxiety. The paper concludes with a consideration of critical issues for the conceptualisation and measurement of academic buoyancy, arising from the synergies, connections, and relations, theorised with test anxiety, and how these may inform future studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Motivational, Affective Factors and Cognitive Factors in Learning)

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