Assessment of Teachers' Awareness in Golestan Province about the Signs and Causes of Math Anxiety in Students

Abstract

The present study aimed to assess the level of awareness of teachers in Golestan province regarding the signs and causes of math anxiety in students. This research examines the impact of teachers' self-awareness on their understanding of the causes and factors of math anxiety in their students, as well as the influence of sociological variables, including gender, teaching experience, educational qualifications, teaching location, teacher status, and teaching level, on the extent of this awareness. The research method was descriptive, specifically a survey. The statistical population for this study consisted of all teachers in Golestan province who were in service during the academic year 2024-2025. A cluster sampling method was used to select a sample of 187 participants for the study. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts in the field of mathematics education, and its reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient: 0.86 for the 18 five-point scale questions and 0.79 for the 18 four-point scale questions. Data analysis was performed using SPSS26 software, with descriptive statistics (frequency percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics. The findings of the study revealed that the level of awareness of teachers in Golestan province regarding the signs and causes of math anxiety in students, with a mean score of 2.85 and a significance level of 0.000, was higher than the theoretical mean of the population (2.75). Additionally, significant differences were observed in the means of groups related to the variables of teaching experience, teaching level, and educational qualifications, with significance levels of 0.049, 0.000, and 0.003, respectively. According to the teachers, math anxiety exists in the classroom, and teachers' anxiety does not play a role in creating it in students. Moreover, parents' math anxiety has a significant impact on their children's math anxiety. Furthermore, there is a weak but significant correlation between the "teachers' self-awareness of math anxiety" scale and the "teachers' responses to their knowledge about the signs of anxiety in students" scale (p = 0.03, r = 0.151). However, no relationship was found between teachers' self-awareness and their observations of math anxiety or their responses to the causes of anxiety in students.