Gender differences in math anxiety : The role of self-concept and belief in gender stereotype

Abstract

Anxiety is negatively related to well-being and learning outcomes in students, with girls being particularly likely to suffer from anxiety in the domain of mathematics. The present diary study (N = 628) aimed to replicate and extend recent research (Goetz, Bieg, Ludtke, Pekrun, & Hall, 2013) in investigating whether gender differences in trait (habitual) versus state (momentary) mathematics anxiety were moderated by self-concept beliefs and gender stereotypes. As expected, female students reported higher trait math anxiety but no gender differences were found in state anxiety, with the discrepant findings for trait versus state anxiety accounted for by studentsí self-concept beliefs. Furthermore, endorsement of the gender stereotype that mathematics is a male domain explained additional variance in the trait-state discrepancy for female students. In summary, female students with a low self-concept in mathematics or who reported the gender stereotype tended to overestimate their trait mathematics anxiety as compared to their actual anxiety during mathematics instruction. Implications for future research and educational practice are discussed.