The relationships between mathematics attitude, self-concept, learning style, socioeconomic status, gender, and mathematics achievement among fourth and eighth-grade black students

This study was designed to: (1) compare groups of black students in terms of mathematics achievement and attitude, and (2) formulate a prediction equation to predict their mathematics achievement scores. Two hundred and fifty-one fourth and eighth grade black students were selected from schools with high black enrollments in a midwestern city. Instruments used in this study included: California Achievement Test, Group Embedded Figures Test, Piers-Harris Children\u27s Self-Concept Scale, and Mathematics Attitude Inventory. Descriptive analysis, analysis of group differences, and multiple regression analysis were conducted to answer research questions. Black fourth graders scored higher than their eighth grade counterparts on the instruments measuring mathematics attitude and mathematics achievement. Among all students in the sample, those who scored higher overall on the CAT, also scored higher on the mathematics portion of the test. The poorest attitudes toward mathematics were exhibited by the black eighth grade students who were in the upper quartile in overall academics. The learning styles of all students in the sample tended to be field-dependent, while field-independence was correlated with higher CAT mathematics scores. Students whose families belonged to the middle socioeconomic group generally scored higher than those students whose families were classified as low or low-middle. A predictive equation of blacks\u27 mathematics achievement was formulated using the MAI score, GEFT score, and gender identification. This equation accounted for only ten percent of the variance of the CAT mathematics score. Curriculum changes should be implemented which address the needs of the black students, and particularly target the fourth to eighth grade population to determine where the attitudes toward mathematics become negative. Once the attitude change has been identified, steps can be taken to prevent the change from occurring. Changes must be made to assist black students to succeed in mathematics and to pursue higher-level mathematics courses