Subjective and Objective Assessment of Mathematics Anxiety Levels among College Students

Year 2008, Volume: 25 Issue: 1, 65 - 73, 02.09.2015

Mustafa Baloğlu

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between college students’ subjective and objective assessment of mathematics anxiety levels. Students rated their general and current mathematics anxiety levels, mathematical ability levels, and confidence in doing mathematics. The Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale was used as an objective measure of their mathematics anxiety levels. Participants were 559 students, 406 (72.6%) women and 151 (27.0%) men. Results showed that perceived general mathematics anxiety had a mean of 49.69 (SD = 29.87, Median = 50.00). Current mathematics anxiety had a mean of 47.74 (SD = 33.53, Median = 50.00). Positive correlations between the subjective and objective measures were found which indicates that students’ subjective judgments and ratings form the objective measure are in the same direction. Correlations varied from low to medium, which indicates the validity of the objective measure and the possibility that in the absence of an objective measure, subjective assessment might be a useful indicator.

Keywords

Mathematics anxiety, college students, objective assessment, subjective assessment

Subjective and Objective Assessment of Mathematics Anxiety Levels among College Students

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between college students’ subjective and objective assessment of
mathematics anxiety levels. Students rated their general and current mathematics anxiety levels, mathematical
ability levels, and confidence in doing mathematics. The Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale was used
as an objective measure of their mathematics anxiety levels. Participants were 559 students, 406 (72.6%)
women and 151 (27.0%) men. Results showed that perceived general mathematics anxiety had a mean of
49.69 (SD = 29.87, Median = 50.00). Current mathematics anxiety had a mean of 47.74 (SD = 33.53, Median
= 50.00). Positive correlations between the subjective and objective measures were found which indicates that
students’ subjective judgments and ratings form the objective measure are in the same direction. Correlations
varied from low to medium, which indicates the validity of the objective measure and the possibility that in the
absence of an objective measure, subjective assessment might be a useful indicator. 

Keywords

Mathematics anxiety, college students, objective assessment, subjective assessment

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