The Relation Between Mathematics Beliefs, Anxiety, and Problem Solving: The Mediation of Metacognition and Working Memory

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 11:40 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Memory and Executive Functioning Across Academic Subjects (Table 13)

Abstract

This study investigated the relation between mathematics beliefs, anxiety, and problem solving, along with the mediating role of working memory and objective metacognitive monitoring accuracy. Participants were 205 middle school students from the West Coast of the U.S. Via a structural equation model, results revealed that math beliefs and anxiety significantly predicted monitoring accuracy; only anxiety significantly predicted working memory, but not beliefs. Additionally, both anxiety and beliefs significantly predicted math problem solving accuracy. Metacognitive monitoring accuracy significantly predicted problem solving accuracy, but not working memory. Sobel Tests indicated that only monitoring accuracy significantly mediated the relation between math anxiety and beliefs, whereas working memory did not. We discuss the implications of these findings for learning, research, and practice.

Authors

• Sam Rhodes, Georgia Southern University

• Antonio P. Gutierrez de Blume, Georgia Southern University

• Rick L Bryck, Landmark College

• Caitlin Mills, University of Minnesota