Achievement in mathematics word problems correlates positively with five attitude dimensions and negatively with anxiety¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q2 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2014 · checked against its sources 2026-11-01 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i3 Achievement correlated positively with self-confidence, liking, usefulness, motivation and context (r=.80 to .88, p<.001) and negatively with anxiety (r=-.20); the male-domain correlation is reported inconsistently (r=.08, not significant, in Table 4; r=.57 in the text). These are correlations and cannot show cause. → Awofala 2014

Evidence¶

Awofala 2014¶

Awofala, A. O. A. (2014). Examining Personalisation of Instruction, Attitudes toward and Achievement in Mathematics Word Problems among Nigerian Senior Secondary School Students. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2(4), 273-288. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1059026

q2 · i3 · causal · r2

Pearson Product Moment correlations on the total sample (n=350) reported in Table 4 and the results text. The five attitude dimensions correlated positively with achievement at r=.80 to .88 (p<.001); anxiety correlated negatively, r=-.20 (p<.001). For male domain the article contradicts itself: Table 4 gives r=.08 with no significance marker, while the results text quoted below gives r=.57, p<.001, so the male-domain correlation cannot be taken as established. Treatment (personalised instruction) was positively related to achievement (r=.22, p<.001). The correlations show association only, not that attitudes cause achievement.

"results showed the existence of a positive correlation between achievement in mathematics word problem and self -confidence (r=.82, p<.001), liking (r=.80, p<.001), usefulness (r=.87, p<.001), motivation (r=.88, p<.001), context (r=.86, p<.001 ) and male domain (r=.57, p<.001). Anxiety toward mathematics word problem had a negative correlation with achievement in mathematics word problem (r= -.20, p<.001)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Academic Anxiety — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes
• Domain Context — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Self-confidence, liking, usefulness, motivation, context, anxiety, male domain and treatment jointly and significantly predict achievement in mathematics word problems — related
• Motivation is the most potent stepwise predictor of achievement in mathematics word problems, while anxiety and male domain make no relative contribution — related
• Personalised instruction students differed significantly from non-personalised students on every individual attitude subscale, including lower anxiety and higher perceived male domain — related
• Self-efficacy and gameplay interest are negatively associated with elementary students' competitive anxiety in one-on-one gameplay — related