Gender Differences and the Latent Structure of Questionnaires in Math Anxiety in Children

Background: Research on math anxiety (MA) in children has revealed inconsistencies, raising questions about the overlap and validity of commonly used MA questionnaires. In turn, this may also affect gender differences in level and relations. Methods: This study explored the latent relations among the trait-MAQ (worried/unhappy about failure in math), trait-MAQ (anxious about failure in math), mAMAS, state-MAQ, and math performance in 462fourth- and fifth-graders (54.3% girls). Results: The questionnaires are both distinguishable and interrelated. Associations with math fluency varied by questionnaire type, with state-MAQ and mAMAS showing the strongest links. Gender differences were evident, differing across questionnaire types, with a more pronounced inverse relationship between MA and math fluency among girls for state-MAQ and mAMAS. Discussion: These findings suggest that inconsistencies in MA research may stem from the characteristics of the instruments employed.