Mathematics Anxiety Among Secondary School Students in West Bengal

The paper focuses on math anxiety in the secondary school students in West Bengal trying to see the differences between genders, habitat (urban/rural) and type of schools (government/private). A stratified random sample of 270 students was chosen through classes IX and X and data were gathered using a standardized Mathematics Anxiety Scale and analyzed in terms of descriptive statistics, t-tests and correlation analysis. Results showed that there were large differences in gender on mathematics anxiety (boys had more anxiety) and no habitat-based differences and school type differences (government school students reported higher anxiety). The mathematics anxiety exhibited a significant negative relationship with mathematics performance (r = -0.87). The paper presents several implications on education intervention and recommends future research directions in terms of longitudinal studies and strategies that reduce anxiety.