Relationship between Student Anxiety and Achievement in Mathematics among Secondary School Students in Ganze District Kilifi County Kenya
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Date
2023
Authors
Mweni, Nickson Tsofa
O’Connor, Marguerite M.
Kerich, Wilson
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
EANSO
Abstract
This article is based on a bigger study which sought to establish the relationship
between affective factors with students` achievement in mathematics. The article
shares findings from the study objective to establish the relationship between
student anxiety and achievement in mathematics. Descriptive Survey research
design on a sample size of 250 students used a mathematics anxiety rating scale
and mathematics achievement test to collect quantitative data. The computational
formula of Pearson`s product-moment correlation coefficient (𝑟𝑥𝑦) determined
the null hypothesis, “there is no statistically significant relationship between
student anxiety and achievement in mathematics”. The study found that there was
a statistically significant positive correlation coefficient of 𝑟𝑥𝑦 = 0.38 between
student anxiety and achievement in mathematics. This implies that student
anxiety is indirectly proportional to achievement in mathematics. However,
analysis based on gender differences contradicts the stereotype that females are
always of higher anxiety levels towards mathematics than males. Males in mixedboarding and mixed-day secondary schools indicated lower anxiety levels than
females, unlike in single-sex boarding secondary schools where both genders
indicated similar anxiety levels towards mathematics. The study recommends
mathematics teachers have to build up friendly situation that avoids anxiety in a
classroom environment for better achievement since student anxiety is indirectly
proportional to achievement in mathematics.
Description
Article
Keywords
Student Anxiety, Mathematics Achievement, Attribution, Affective Factors, Gender
Citation
Mweni, N. T.,O’Connor, M. M. & Kerich, W. (2023). Relationship between Student Anxiety and Achievement in Mathematics among Secondary School Students in Ganze District Kilifi County Kenya.International Journal of Advanced Research, 6(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.37284/ijar.6.1.1047