Social Anxiety, Math Anxiety, and Problem-Solving in Fifth-Grade Students: A Correlational Study

Muhammad Feri Dimyati; Radeni Sukma Indra Dewi; Shirly Rizki Kusumaningrum

doi:10.31932/j-pimat.v8i2.7529

Social Anxiety, Math Anxiety, and Problem-Solving in Fifth-Grade Students: A Correlational Study

Muhammad Feri Dimyati, Radeni Sukma Indra Dewi, Shirly Rizki Kusumaningrum

Abstract

The ability to solve mathematical problems is an essential component of elementary mathematics learning, yet students’ performance may be associated with affective factors, including social anxiety and math anxiety. This study aimed to examine the relationships between social anxiety, math anxiety, and mathematical problem-solving ability among fifth-grade students in Gugus 1, Lowokwaru District, Malang City, Indonesia. The study employed a quantitative approach with a correlational design involving 178 fifth-grade students. Data were collected using questionnaires measuring social anxiety and math anxiety, along with a mathematical problem-solving test consisting of essay questions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, assumption testing, and multiple linear regression. The results showed that the regression model was statistically significant, F(2, 175) = 5.858, p = .003, with an R² of .063. Math anxiety was significantly negatively associated with mathematical problem-solving ability (? = ?.284, p = .001), whereas social anxiety was not significantly associated with mathematical problem-solving ability (? = .105, p = .209). These findings indicate that, in the present sample, mathematical problem-solving ability was more strongly associated with math anxiety than with social anxiety.

Keyword: mathematical problem-solving; math anxiety; social anxiety; elementary school students; mathematics learning

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References

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.31932/j-pimat.v8i2.7529