Date of Award
1-17-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Amany Saleh
Second Advisor
Twila Patten
Committee Members
Hollie Goodson
Call Number
LD 251 .A566d 2024 D38
Abstract
Math anxiety is a fear of math-related activities. The problem addressed in this study is the lack of understanding of the link between math anxiety and math performance. Students and educators are affected by math anxiety. The fear of math can also affect individuals when completing real-world activities such as filing taxes, calculating sales discounts, or computing percentages. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to investigate how students who self-identify as having math anxiety perceive its effects on their mathematical performance. It also sought to identify types of events or academic experiences that contribute to math anxiety. The research study examines the link between math anxiety and math performance through the lens of a bidirectional relationship theory. A bidirectional relationship between math anxiety and math performance is the theory that contends that poor performance increases anxiety and math anxiety can cause poor performance. The researcher interviewed nine of her former students who self-identified as having math anxiety. The participants were asked questions about their experiences with math anxiety. The analysis of the data suggests that teacher behaviors and instructional methods have a significant impact on the confidence of math students. Keywords: Math anxiety, bidirectional relationship, math instruction, teacher behavior.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Davis, Wendy Elaine, "Investigating Student Experiences with Math Anxiety" (2025). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1034.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1034
