ERIC Number: EJ1175904
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Apr
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0663
EISSN: N/A
Cognitive and Emotional Math Problems Largely Dissociate: Prevalence of Developmental Dyscalculia and Mathematics Anxiety
Devine, Amy; Hill, Francesca; Carey, Emma; Szucs, Dénes
Journal of Educational Psychology, v110 n3 p431-444 Apr 2018
A negative correlation between math anxiety and mathematics performance is frequently reported. Thus, some may assume that high levels of mathematics anxiety are associated with poor mathematical understanding. However, no previous research has clearly measured the association between mathematics anxiety and mathematical learning disability. To fill this gap, here we investigated the comorbidity of developmental dyscalculia (a selective, serious deficit in mathematical performance) and mathematics anxiety in a sample of 1,757 primary school (8- to 9-year-old) and secondary school (12- to 13-year-old) children. We found that children with developmental dyscalculia were twice as likely to have high mathematics anxiety as were children with typical mathematics performance. More girls had comorbid mathematics anxiety and developmental dyscalculia than did boys. However, 77% of children with high mathematics anxiety had typical or high mathematics performance. Our findings suggest that cognitive and emotional mathematics problems largely dissociate and call into question the assumption that high mathematics anxiety is exclusively linked to poor mathematics performance. Different intervention methods need to be developed to prevent and treat emotional and cognitive blocks of mathematical development.
Descriptors: Learning Disabilities, Mathematics Anxiety, Mathematics Instruction, Correlation, Comorbidity, Gender Differences, Mathematics Skills, Elementary School Students, Secondary School Students, Elementary School Mathematics, Secondary School Mathematics, Foreign Countries, Anxiety, Rating Scales, Statistical Analysis, Children, Adolescents, Mathematics Achievement
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A