Mathematics Anxiety and Test Anxiety: Separate Constructs?

Authors

Richard Kazelskis, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Carolyn Reeves, University of Southern MississippiFollow
M.E. Kersh, University of Southern Mississippi
Gahan Bailey, University of Southern Mississippi
Katherine Cole, University of Southern Mississippi
Marilyn Larmon, University of Southern Mississippi
Lew Hall, University of Southern Mississippi
D.C. Holliday, University of Southern Mississippi

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2000

Department

Educational Studies and Research

Abstract

The authors used correlational and confirmatory factor analytic techniques to examine the relationship between measures of the constructs of mathematics anxiety and test anxiety. The correlations found between measures of the 2 constructs were nearly as high as those found within measures of the 2 constructs, bringing into question the separateness of the constructs. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis provided some support for a distinction between the constructs; the correlation between the 2 factors, however, was relatively high. Those findings suggest that mathematics anxiety and test anxiety may be separate phenomena; the conceptual uniqueness of mathematics anxiety, however, needs to be further delineated and its measurement improved.

Publication Title

Journal of Experimental Education

Volume

68

Issue

2

First Page

137

Last Page

146

Recommended Citation

Kazelskis, R., Reeves, C., Kersh, M., Bailey, G., Cole, K., Larmon, M., Hall, L., Holliday, D. (2000). Mathematics Anxiety and Test Anxiety: Separate Constructs?. Journal of Experimental Education, 68(2), 137-146.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/4041