Mathematics anxiety and working memory: Longitudinal associations with mathematical performance in Chinese children

The link between mathematics anxiety and mathematical performance in young children remains inconclusive. The present study examined the longitudinal associations between mathematics anxiety and mathematical performance (calculation and story problem solving) in 246 Chinese children followed from second to third grade. Multiple regression analyses showed that mathematics anxiety made independent contributions to mathematical performance beyond non-verbal intelligence, working memory, number skills, general and test anxieties. However, mathematics anxiety does not affect all children and all kinds of mathematical performance equally. Mathematics anxiety has a more pronounced impact on mathematical problems that require more processing resources, as opposed to simple arithmetic problems and straightforward story problems and children who are higher in working memory are more vulnerable to its deleterious impacts. (c) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.