Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

International Handbook of Mathematical Learning Difficulties pp 457–467Cite as

Motivational and Math Anxiety Perspective for Mathematical Learning and Learning Difficulties

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Studies on the predictors of mathematical learning and learning difficulties have been receiving growing attention. It is well established in the literature that IQ is a powerful predictor of several psychosocial outcomes, including school achievement. Other well-consolidated literature shows that cognitive–motivational effects exist but are rather small. There seems to be a big interaction between interest and specific knowledge in a domain (expertise). Variance is confounded. In this chapter, motivation and math anxiety are described within the opportunity–propensity (O-P) model including antecedent, opportunity, and propensity indicators to predict mathematical accuracy and fluency. Analyses on secondary data using this O-P model revealed that motivation as a propensity factor accounted for 10% of unique variance in addition to other predictors. Motivation and engagement were stronger predictors from kindergarten till second grade than from third till sixth grade. In addition, math anxiety might be considered a moderator of the relationship between mathematical achievement and motivation. Aside from acute effects, math anxiety might cause long-term negative impairments in mathematical performance that are kept up by a negative approach to mathematics and resulting avoidance behavior.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Arkin, R. M., Kolditz, M., & Kolditz, K. K. (1983). Attributions of the test-anxious student: Self-assessments in the classroom. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 9(2), 271–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashcraft, M. H., & Krause, J. A. (2007). Working memory, math performance, and math anxiety. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 14, 243–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashcraft, M. H., & Moore, A. M. (2009). Mathematics anxiety and the affective drop in performance. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 27, 197–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baten, E., & Desoete, A. (2016). Motivation and well-being in (a)typical numerical skills. Poster (received the Jeannette Klingner award) at the 40th Annual IARLD Conference (28–30 June 2016), Austin: Texas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beilock, S. L., & Willingham, D. T. (2014). Math anxiety: Can teachers help students reduce it? American Educator, 38, 28–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brownlee, J., & Bertelsen, D. (2008). Developing relational epistemology through relational pedagogy. In M. S. Khine (Ed.), Knowing, knowledge and beliefs. Epistemological studies across diverse cultures (pp. 405–422). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Byrnes, J. P., & Miller, C. D. (2006). The relative importance of predictors of math and science achievement: An opportunity-propensity analysis. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 32, 599–629.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byrnes, J. P., & Miller, C. D. (2016). The growth of mathematics and reading skills in segregated and diverse schools: An opportunity-propensity analysis of a national database. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 46, 34–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ceulemans, A. (2014). Small numbers and numerical interaction: The building blocks of early numerical competencies. Unpublished PhD thesis, Gent, Belgium: Ghent University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ceulemans, A., Titeca, D., Loeys, T., Hoppenbrouwers, K., Rousseau, S., & Desoete, A. (2014). The sense of small number discrimination: The predictive value in infancy and toddlerhood for numerical competencies in kindergarten. Learning and Individual Differences, 39, 150–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.03.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, B., Vansteenkiste, M., Beyers, W., Boone, L., Deci, E. L., Van der Kaap-Deeder, J., et al. (2015). Basic psychological need satisfaction, need frustration, and need strength across four cultures. Motivation and Emotion, 39(2), 216–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-014-9450-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chinn, S. (2009). Mathematics anxiety in secondary students in England. Dyslexia, 15, 61–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claessens, A., & Engel, M. (2013). How important is where you start? Early mathematics knowledge and later school success. Teachers College Record, 115(6).

    Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Boston: Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Desoete, A. (2008). Co-morbidity in mathematical learning disabilities: Rule or exception? The Open Rehabilitation Journal, 1(1), 15–26. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874943700801010015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desoete, A. (2014). Cognitive predictors of mathematical abilities and disabilities. In R. Cohen Kadosh & A. Dowker (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of mathematical cognition (pp. 899–914). Oxford: Medicine UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desoete, A. (2015). Predictive indicators for mathematical learning disabilities/dyscalculia in kindergarten children. In S. Chinn (Ed.), The Routledge international handbook of dyscalculia and mathematical learning difficulties (pp. 90–100). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desoete, A., & Baten, E. (2017). Indicators for a specific learning disorder in mathematics or dyscalculia in toddlers and in kindergarten children. Belgian Journal of Paediatrics, 19(2), 117–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desoete, A., Praet, M., Titeca, D., & Ceulemans, A. (2013). Cognitive phenotype of mathematical learning disabilities: What can we learn from siblings? Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34, 404–412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2012.08.022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dowker, A. (2015). Individual differences in arithmetical abilities. The componential nature of arithmetic. In R. Cohen Kadosh & A. Dowker (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of mathematical cognition (pp. 862–878). Oxford: Medicine UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, G., & Magnuson, K. (2009). The nature and impact of early achievement skills, attention and behavior problems. Presented at the Russel Sage Foundation conference on Social Inequality and Educational Outcomes, November 19–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, G. J., Dowsett, C. J., Claessens, A., Magnuson, K., Huston, A. C., Klebanov, P., et al. (2007). School readiness and later achievement. Developmental Psychology, 43(6), 1428–1446. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.43.6.1428; https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.43.6.1428.supp (Supplemental).

  • Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self-determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(4), 331–362. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garon-Carrier, G., Boivin, M., Guay, F., Kovas, Y., Dionne, G., Lemelin, J. P., et al. (2016). Intrinsic motivation and achievement in mathematics in elementary school: A longitudinal investigation of their association. Child Development, 87(1), 165–175. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gifford, S., & Rockliffe, F. (2012). Mathematics difficulties: Does one approach fit all? Research in Mathematics Education, 14(1), 16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grolnick, W. S., Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (1991). Inner resources for school achievement: Motivational mediators of children’s perceptions of their parents. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83(4), 508–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jansen, B. R. J., Louwerse, J., Straatemeier, M., Van der Ven, S. H. G., Klinkenberg, S., & Van der Mass, H. L. J. (2013). The influence of experiencing success in math on math anxiety, perceived math competence, and math performance. Learning and Individual Differences, 24, 190–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Judge, T., & Robbins, S. (2013). Motivation concepts. In Organizational behavior (pp. 201–238). Boston: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, H. H. (1973). The process of causal attribution. American Psychologist, 28, 107–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kriegbaum, K., Jansen, M., & Spinath, B. (2015). Motivation: A predictor of PISA’s mathematical competence beyond intelligence and prior test achievement. Learning and Individual Differences, 43, 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.026

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krinzinger, H., Kaufmann, L., & Willmes, K. (2009). Math anxiety and math ability in early primary school years. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 27, 206–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lens, W., Vansteenkiste, M., & Matos, L. (2008). Motivation: Quantity and quality matter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, L., Weber, H. S., Spinath, F. M., & Shi, J. (2011). Predicting school achievement from cognitive and non-cognitive variables in a Chinese sample of elementary school children. Intelligence, 39(2–3), 130–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2011.02.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maloney, E. A., & Beilock, S. L. (2012). Math anxiety: Who has it, why it develops, and how to guard against it. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 16, 404–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Middleton, J. A., Jansen, A., & Goldin, G. A. (2017). Motivation. In G. A. Goldin, M. S. Hannula, E. Heyd-Metzuyanim, A. Jansen, R. Kaasila, S. Lutovac, P. Di Martino, F. Morselli, J. A. Middleton, M. Pantziara, & Q. Zhang, (Eds.), (2016). Attitudes, beliefs, motivation and identity in mathematics education. An overview of the field and future directions (pp. 17–23). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32811-9. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-319-32811-9.pdf

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Milyavskaya, M., & Koestner, R. (2011). Psychological needs, motivation, and well-being: A test of self-determination theory across multiple domains. Personality and Individual Differences, 50(3), 387–391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.10.029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, A. M., Rudig, N. O., & Ashcraft, M. H. (2015). Affect, motivation, working memory, and mathematics. (pp. 918–936). In R. Cohen Kadosh & A. Dowker (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of mathematical cognition (pp. 917–936). Oxford: Medicine UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreno, J. A., Gonzalez-Cutre, D., Sicilia, A., & Spray, C. M. (2010). Motivation in the exercise setting: Integrating constructs from the approach-avoidance achievement goal framework and self-determination theory. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 11(6), 542–550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2010.06.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ntoumanis, N. (2001). Empirical links between achievement goal theory and self-determination theory in sport. Journal of Sports Sciences, 19(6), 397–409. https://doi.org/10.1080/026404101300149357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pieters, S., Roeyers, H., Rosseel, Y., Van Waelvelde, H., & Desoete, A. (2015). Identifying subtypes among children with developmental coordination disorder and mathematical learning disabilities, using model-based clustering. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(1), 83–95. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219413491288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Praet, M., Titeca, D., Ceulemans, A., & Desoete, A. (2013). Language in the prediction of arithmetics in kindergarten and grade 1. Learning and Individual Differences, 27, 90–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2013.07.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shores, M. L., & Shannon, D. M. (2007). The effects of self-regulation, motivation, anxiety, and attributions on mathematics achievement for fifth and sixth grade students. School Science and Mathematics, 107, 225–236. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1949-8594.2007.tb18284.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spinath, B., Spinath, F. M., Harlaar, N., & Plomin, R. (2006). Predicting school achievement from general cognitive ability, self-perceived ability, and intrinsic value. Intelligence, 34(4), 363–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2005.11.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Standage, M., Duda, J. L., & Ntoumanis, N. (2003). A model of contextual motivation in physical education: Using constructs from self-determination and achievement goal theories to predict physical activity intentions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(1), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.95.1.97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stock, P., Desoete, A., & Roeyers, H. (2010). Detecting children with arithmetic disabilities from kindergarten: Evidence from a 3-year longitudinal study on the role of preparatory arithmetic abilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(3), 250–268. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219409345011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, G., Jungert, T., Mageau, G. A., Schattke, K., Dedic, H., Rosenfield, S., et al. (2014). A self-determination theory approach to predicting school achievement over time: The unique role of intrinsic motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 39(4), 342–358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2014.08.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Petegem, S., Soenens, B., Vansteenkiste, M., & Beyers, W. (2015). Rebels with a cause? Adolescent defiance from the perspective of reactance theory and self-determination theory. Child Development, 86(3), 903–918. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanbinst, K., Ghesquière, P., & De Smedt, B. (2015). Does numerical processing uniquely predict first graders’ future development of single-digit arithmetic? Learning and Individual Differences, 37, 153–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2014.12.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vansteenkiste, M., & Ryan, R. M. (2013). On psychological growth and vulnerability: Basic psychological need satisfaction and need frustration as a unifying principle. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 23(3), 263–280. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vansteenkiste, M., Sierens, E., Soenens, B., Luyckx, K., & Lens, W. (2009). Motivational profiles from a self-determination perspective: The quality of motivation matters. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(3), 671–688. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015083

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zakaria, E., & Nordin, N. M. (2008). The effects of math anxiety on matriculation students as related to motivation and achievement. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 4, 27–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, N., Valcke, M., Desoete, A., & Verhaeghe, J. P. (2012). The quadratic relationship between socioeconomic status and learning performance in China by multilevel analysis: Implications for policies to foster education equity. International Journal of Educational Development, 32, 412–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, N. N., Valcke, M., Desoete, A., Verhaeghe, J., & Xu, K. (2011). Multilevel analysis on predicting mathematics performance in Chinese primary schools: Implications for practice. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 20, 503–520.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium

    Elke Baten & Annemie Desoete

  2. Institut for Psychology, Department for Psychology and Medical Sciences, University for Health Sciences, Medical Information and Technique (UMIT), Hall in Tirol, Austria

    Silvia Pixner

  3. Artevelde University College, Ghent, Belgium

    Annemie Desoete

Authors
  1. Elke Baten
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Silvia Pixner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Annemie Desoete
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elke Baten .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany

    Annemarie Fritz

  2. Faculty of Education, Centre for Education Practice Research, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Annemarie Fritz

  3. Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Vitor Geraldi Haase

  4. Niilo Mäki Institute, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Pekka Räsänen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Baten, E., Pixner, S., Desoete, A. (2019). Motivational and Math Anxiety Perspective for Mathematical Learning and Learning Difficulties. In: Fritz, A., Haase, V.G., Räsänen, P. (eds) International Handbook of Mathematical Learning Difficulties. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97148-3_28

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97148-3_28

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-97147-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-97148-3

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation