PofoliaShared via Pofolia

Investigations in Mathematics Learning· 2026Q2

An Examination of the Influences of Mathematics Anxiety in Middle School Algebra 1 Students

Julia Keith, Sarah Bush, Juli Dixon, Lisa Brooks et al.

Short summary

Middle school Algebra 1 students with moderate math anxiety struggle to access metacognitive strategies when tasks become more demanding, leading to lower accuracy and increased calculator reliance.

AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.

Abstract

With an increase in the number of students enrolled in Algebra 1 during their middle school years, this explanatory sequential mixed-method study examined how mathematics anxiety influences middle-school Algebra 1 students’ cognitive and metacognitive processes as they complete cognitively demanding tasks duringa think-aloud. Findings from the study indicated that participants who identified as having moderate mathematics anxiety, struggled with accessing metacognitive strategies as the cognitive demand of the mathematical tasks increased. Low accuracy rates on the Algebra 1 tasks and overreliance on calculator usage to perform basic integer operations highlighted some participants’ challenges in completing the cognitively demanding mathematical tasks. This study also found that for some participants, preexisting levels of mathematics anxiety affected their mathematics performance on the assigned tasks. In addition, participants who identified as having low mathematics anxiety experienced task-dependent or content-specific mathematics anxiety affecting task accuracy and mathematical performance.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Investigations in Mathematics Learning, 2026 · DOI ↗

TakeawaysIn the app
Key pointsIn the app
Ask the paperIn the app

The rest is in the Pofolia app

Takeaways, key points and questions to the paper; new summaries every day for your field. Free.

Sign in on the web to open

Field: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Experimental and Cognitive PsychologyPsychology