Some factors related to mathematics anxiety among Hispanic college undergraduates

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine factors which influence mathematics anxiety among Hispanic college undergraduates. The sample consisted of 749 Hispanic college undergraduates from a university in the state of Texas. The dependent variable for the study was mathematics anxiety. The independent variables fell into six categories: mathematics attitude, mathematics achievement, mathematics background, general ability, language background, and parents' socioeconomic status. The categorical variables were: sex, age, birthplace, major, parents' socioeconomic class, and mathematics course enrolled in. The study was designed to investigate relationships between mathematics anxiety and indicators of the independent variables; differences in mathematics anxiety when the students varied by sex, age, birthplace, major, parents' socioeconomic class, and mathematics course enrolled in; explained mathematics anxiety by the independent variables; and explained mathematics anxiety by the independent variables in subgroups formed as students varied by sex, age, major, parents' socioeconomic class, and mathematics course enrolled in. The findings of the study suggest that approximately 34 percent of Hispanic undergraduates experience "much" or "very much" mathematics anxiety. Reasons for their experienced mathematics anxiety appear to be related to other math-related factors such as mathematics attitude, mathematics achievement, and mathematics background. Furthermore, it was found that in this sample of Hispanic college undergraduates, the following groups experienced significantly more mathematics anxiety: females, students 30 years old or over, students pursuing low mathematics content majors, and prospective elementary teachers. Students born in various regions, and coming from various socioeconomic classes did not vary in their level of mathematics anxiety.