The Effects of Math Anxiety on Mathematical Academic Success During the Freshman Year

Math anxiety is a reoccurring problem for many students, and the effects of this anxiety on college students is increasing. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between pre-enrollment math anxiety, standardized test scores, math placement scores, and academic success during freshman math coursework (i.e., pre-algebra, college algebra, and math modeling). The researchers conducted an exploratory observational study using pre-existing data from the Freshman Orientation Survey, which contained the 9-item Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale, and institutional research data. The sample included 180 freshmen students at a university in the southeastern United States. A series of descriptive and frequency analyses and correlational analyses were conducted. The results suggest that standardized test scores and math anxiety had a moderate, negative relationship. In addition, there were predominately negative relationships between math anxiety and final course grades, particularly for pre-algebra. This research could assist instructors and advisors to understand the effects of math anxiety on future academic success and to assist students in their college math coursework