Role of executive functions in the relations of state‐and trait‐math anxiety with math performance
Fecha
2024
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Editor
The New York Academy of Sciences
Resumen
The detrimental effect of math anxiety on math performance is thought to be mediated
by executive functions. Previous studies have primarily focused on trait-math anxiety
rather than state-math anxiety and have typically examined a single executive function
rather than comprehensively evaluating all of them. Here, we used a structural
equation modeling approach to concurrently determine the potential mediating roles
of different executive functions (i.e., inhibition, switching, and updating) in the relationships
between both state- and trait-math anxiety and math performance. A battery
of computer-based tasks and questionnaires were administered to 205 university students.
Two relevant results emerged. First, confirmatory factor analysis suggests that
math anxiety encompassed both trait and state dimensions and, although they share
substantial variance, trait-math anxiety predicted math performance over and above
state-math anxiety. Second, working memory updating was the only executive function
that mediated the relationship between math anxiety and math performance; neither
inhibition nor switching played mediating roles. This calls into question whether some
general proposals about the relationship between anxiety and executive functions can
be extended specifically to math anxiety. We also raise the possibility that working
memory updating or general cognitive difficulties might precede individual differences
in math anxiety.
Descripción
Palabras clave
executive functions, math anxiety, math performance, working memory updating
Citación
Pelegrina, S., Martín‐Puga, M. E., Lechuga, M. T., Justicia‐Galiano, M. J., & Linares, R. (2024). Role of executive functions in the relations of state‐and trait‐math anxiety with math performance. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1535(1), 76-91. DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15140