Meta-analysis of the Relationship between Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematics Achievement

Abstract

This meta-analysis study aims to synthesize the results of individual studies on respectively small samples investigating the correlations between Mathematics anxiety and Mathematics achievement. Meta-analysis included a total of 11 studies which investigated the association between Mathematics anxiety and Mathematics achievement on Turkish students which were published between 2005 and 2014. These studies were conducted totally on 8327 students from different educational stages. The results of the analysis for all eleven studies involved suggested negative and statistically significant correlations between mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement. The combined effect size was calculated for all studies according to both Fixed (r=-.39) and Random (r=-.44) Effect Models. Moderator analysis based on the school level revealed that the combined effect size for the studies conducted at middle school level was significant, negative and at moderate level. In addition, the effect size for the studies conducted at high school level was significant, negative and at moderate level. Moreover, the comparison between the combined effect sizes with regard to different school levels revealed a statistically significant difference in favor of middle school level.