Math anxiety correlates negatively with math performance at a pooled r = −.30 across 169 independent samples¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesisr3·q4·i2medium
Currency · newest study 2022 · checked against its sources 2026-10-22 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q4 i2 Across 169 independent samples within 121 studies, math anxiety shows a moderate negative pooled correlation with math performance (r = −.30). → Caviola 2022
Evidence¶
Caviola 2022¶
Caviola, S., Toffalini, E., Giofrè, D., Mercader Ruiz, J., Szűcs, D., & Mammarella, I. C. (2022). Math Performance and Academic Anxiety Forms, from Sociodemographic to Cognitive Aspects: a Meta-analysis on 906,311 Participants. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09618-5
q4 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r3
Random-effects meta-analysis of 169 independent samples from 121 studies on the math anxiety–math performance correlation. The pooled estimate was "r = − .30" with a 95% CI of [−.32, −.28], p < .001; heterogeneity was high (I2 = 98%).
"The overall correlation between math anxiety and math performance, calculated on 169 independent samples within 121 different studies, was r = − .30 [− .32, −.2 8 ; p <. 0 0 1 ] ."
Discussion¶
Learner Variables¶
- Academic Anxiety — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes
- Affect Regulation — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes
Related Claims¶
- Math anxiety has a small-to-moderate negative correlation with math achievement (r = −.28) in a meta-analysis of correlations from 223 studies — related
- MA correlates negatively with mathematics performance in the whole sample (rs = -.30) but not within the DD or DD+RD groups — related
- Enjoyment correlates positively (r = .31), and boredom, mathematics anxiety and test anxiety negatively (r = −.23 to −.28), with mathematics achievement — related
- Math anxiety correlates negatively with math achievement, grades, enjoyment, motivation, and amount of math taken — related
- Mathematics achievement correlates more strongly with learners' knowledge, skills and cognitive abilities than with their personality traits, goals or emotions — a broader claim this one bears on
- Test anxiety correlates negatively with math achievement at a pooled r = −.23, weaker than math anxiety's correlation — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
math-anxiety-negative-correlation-math-performance |
title |
Math anxiety correlates negatively with math performance at a pooled r = −.30 across 169 independent samples |
description |
Math anxiety correlates negatively with math performance at a pooled r = −.30 across 169 independent samples |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
strong |
newest_evidence |
2022 |
source_checked |
2026-10-22 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-22 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — caviola-2022 |
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