Poster #58 - Understanding Children's Math Anxiety With Parents' Attitude Toward Math, Control, and Value Constructs

• In Event: 64.090 - MTCC Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: 64.090-8 - Role of Teachers, Learning Environments, Parents, and Peers in Motivational Processes

Abstract

Guided by Pekrun’s (2006) control-value theory of achievement emotions, this study studied the relation of adolescents’ math anxiety with their parents’ attitude toward math, with a focus on the mediating effects of control (i.e., math self-concept) and value cognitions (i.e., math interest and math utility value). The study also explored cross-national similarities and differences in these relations, using samples of 15-year-old U.S. and South Korean adolescents. Results showed that for Korean and U.S sample, parents’ attitude toward math showed indirect relations with math anxiety: highly valuing math by parents reduced their children’ math anxiety by enhancing their math self-concept and math interest. For only Korean sample, parents’ attitude toward math is directly and positively related to math anxiety.

Authors

• Hyeyoung Hwang, Ewha Womans University

• Jaeyun Han, University of Kentucky