AN EXPLORATION OF THE EXPERIENCES OF GRADE 12 STEM STUDENTS

WHO ARE SUFFERING WITH MATH ANXIETY: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL

STUDY

A Qualitative Study Presented to the Faculty of Senior High

School Department of General De Jesus College, San Isidro

Presented to Ms. Aizel Marie Castro

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for Practical

Research 1

Submitted by:

Kim Arthur Cruz

Anthony Ullado

Angelica De Jesus

Coleen Torregrosa

Princess Faith Victorio

Allyssa Jhen Viesca

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 Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction

Anxiety disorders are some of the most widespread

mental health issues worldwide. For many, it is an ever-

present uninvited guest that hides in the corners of the

collective minds of the people. Moreover, it is defined as a

physiological or psychological state that can affect

behavior, emotions, and cognitive processes. In educational

settings, individuals may suffer from specific forms of test

and performance anxiety that are connected to a knowledge

domain. Unquestionably, the most prominent of these is math

anxiety.

Mathematics anxiety, also known as math phobia, is

first detected in the late 1950s. It is known as the feeling

of tension and anxiety that deals with one's ability to do

mathematics. Learners having this kind of anxiety tend to

feel defeated before they even begin to analyze and solve

math problems.

According to Bower (2019), a professor at Landmark

College in Vermont, United States, "Your child may tell you

about any of the following types of symptoms: panic, fear,

uneasiness, heart palpitations, nausea, sweaty hands or

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feet, muscle tension, shortness of breath, and inability to

be still and calm. For some students, this anxiety can feel

like a heart attack.” This statement of Bower shows how math

anxiety manifests itself to students and also proves that it

is happening in every student from different countries.

Truth to be told, it is said that mathematics is one of

the most difficult subject you ever had when you were still

in elementary. From counting one to ten, to reciting the

multiplication table, to knowing how to add, subtract,

multiply, and divide integers, and to analyze math problems,

it is very evident that students can already have fear of

math in their early age.

Mathematics is also one of the major subjects in

school. As a result, students strive harder to have a good

mathematical skills in order to achieve high grades in math.

Unfortunately, some students feel really stressed and

anxious when they have to do math which affects them later

on during adulthood. According to Sokolowski and Ansari

(2017), this math anxiety interacts with self-efficacy or

motivation in math, which can deepen the definition of math

anxiety or counteract it. Concerns regarding math anxiety

are not only math-related performances of students because

it may also deal with long-term effects that involve

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efficient or not-so-efficient learning and circumstances on

how it will affect the study and the future choices of the

students (Sokolowski & Ansari, 2017).

In relation, one of the academic tracks that is offered

by the K-12 curriculum in the Philippines is the strand

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics or STEM.

Students from this strand are more prone to math anxiety

because most of the major subjects, namely Calculus, General

Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, include math problems

which need a wide range of mathematical skills and

abilities. If this problem continues to exist in the future,

every student will believe that mathematics is not for them.

With the above mentioned scenario, it is the main

objective of the researchers to determine the experiences of

the students who are suffering with math anxiety, and if

possible, to understand the impact of math anxiety on the

academic performance of the students.

Therefore, the research findings on that objective

become the basis of helping the students who are suffering

with math anxiety to improve their academic performance in

math. Furthermore, the study will efficiently contribute in

minimizing math anxiety among students and benefit the

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future researchers and other people who are interested to

gather more information about the topic.

Conceptual Framework

Math anxiety has always been extant among high school

students nowadays. There appear to be a negative cycle which

is involved in the development of mathematics anxiety

presented by Virginia Strawderman (2017). Furthermore, it is

the only concept adopted in this study. The Negative Cycle

of Math Anxiety is illustrated below and represented by

Figure 1.

Figure 1. The Negative Cycle of Math Anxiety

The Negative Cycle of Math Anxiety operates in a way

such that each domain reinforces the other two domains. For

the Avoidance Domain, math avoidance engenders failure

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because a person who has successfully avoided mathematical

situations for some time, may lack the skills and knowledge

needed when he or she is presented with a situation

requiring its use. Suchlike, the person who has avoided

mathematics and is suddenly confronted with a circumstance

necessitating it, is likely to be painfully aware of his or

her lack of preparation and become highly anxious about it

as a result. For the Anxiety Domain, math anxiety may

contribute to failure in mathematics. In fact, a person who

has high math anxiety may actually be unable to perform well

on test and incapable to learn in a mathematics classroom.

Math anxiety also directly bestows to math avoidance because

it is logical to avoid situations which bring on anxiety

reactions. For the Failure Domain, failure in mathematics is

hypothesized to be an antecedent to math anxiety. Since few

people seek opportunities for failure, it is rational that

avoiding mathematics would be a result of perceived or

actual failure.

The Negative Cycle of Math Anxiety is used as basis for

this study as it implies the significant relation between

math avoidance, math anxiety, and math performance. There

have been studies which suggest that if the level of math

anxiety is high, then the academic performance of the

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student in the subject is low. Moreover, if the level of

math anxiety is low, then the academic performance of the

student in the subject is high. Hence, the researchers

further assumed that the level of math anxiety is inversely

proportional to the academic performance of the students.

Besides, this study aims to determine its impact based on

the experiences of the respondents and improve the academic

performance of the students in mathematics subject.

Input
Profile of the respondents
Level of mathematics anxiety of the respondents
Recommendations to help the students who are suffering with
math anxiety

Process
Data gathering procedure in the form of virtual interview

Output
Improvement of the academic performance of the students who
are suffering with math anxiety

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 Figure 2. Research Paradigm

Statement of the Problem

This phenomenological study aims to determine the

experiences of selected Grade 12 STEM students of General De

Jesus College who are suffering with math anxiety.

Furthermore, this research seeks to find answers to the

following questions:

1. How may the profile of the respondents be described

according to:

1.1. Age,

1.2. Sex,

1.3. Level of Mathematics Anxiety?

2. What causes the respondents to develop mathematics

anxiety?

3. What is the impact of mathematics anxiety on the

respondent’s:

3.1. Academic Performance,

3.2. Personal Matters?

4. What recommendations can be suggested to help the

students who are suffering with mathematics anxiety?

Significance of the Study

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 This study is envisioned to be beneficial and may be

source of valuable information to the following:

Students. This study will be a great help in giving the

students the necessary information that they will be needing

in order to improve their academic performance in math. This

study will also help the students to purposefully discover

strategies to overcome math anxiety. Through the help of

this study, the students will be able to regain their

confidence back and prevent themselves from stressing out in

situations involving math.

Teachers. With the help of this study, it can help the

teachers to identify the different factors why their

students do not perform well in math. This study can also

amend the teachers to develop teaching strategies that will

make learning in math easier and enjoyable for everyone.

Moreover, this study will also lead to an understanding that

math anxiety affects the academic performance of their own

students.

Parents. This study will be a great part in raising

awareness among the parents regarding the level of

mathematics anxiety of their children and on how it affects

their child personally. With the fact that students who have

high math anxiety tend to be stressed out the most, this

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research can benefit the parents to talk about what's

happening to their children and motivate them calmly.

Future Researchers. This study will serve as a guide

and reference of accurate information that the future

researchers will need in conducting similar researches about

math anxiety. This study may be one of the basis that can

provide answers that might help the future researchers in

establishing new concepts.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study will be descriptive in nature and limits its

coverage only to Grade 12 STEM students of General De Jesus

College as they were already suffering with math anxiety way

back in Grade 11. The researchers preferred STEM students

because they are more likely to experience math anxiety due

to the presence of subjects which mainly involve math. The

target respondents will be composed of six (6) Grade 12 STEM

students, specifically three (3) male students and three (3)

female students. The main purpose of this study is to

determine the impact of math anxiety based on the

experiences of the respondents. This study will be conducted

to provide recommendations that can help the students who

are suffering with math anxiety to improve their academic

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performance. The researchers will use a process in the form

of virtual interview as the primary data gathering method.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined operationally or

conceptually to facilitate better understanding:

Academic Performance. The measurement of student

achievement across various academic subjects.

Anxiety. A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease,

typically about an upcoming event or something with an

uncertain outcome.

Avoidance. The action of keeping away from or not doing

something.

Confidence. A feeling of self-assurance arising from

one's appreciation of one's own abilities.

Difficulty. A situation that is hard to accomplish,

deal with, or understand.

Failure. An act or instance of being unsuccessful.

Impact. One thing that crashes into or have an effect

on another.

Improvement. The act or process of making something

better.

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 Phobia. The persistent fear of a situation, activity,

or thing that causes one to want to avoid it.

Self-esteem. Confidence or satisfaction in oneself.

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter is a compilation of literature and studies

similar to the current study that serves as preliminary data

for solving the research problem and its questions. The

chapter is either a review of foreign and local literature

and studies, and their relevance to the present study.

Related Literature

Math anxiety has been a matter of concern in education

for a long time. According to Zhang et al. (2019), a range

of studies suggested that this phenomenon is a highly

prevalent problem among students from elementary schools to

universities. It is because math problems are diverse and

can range in complexity from simple arithmetic to upper

levels of calculus (Watson, 2017).

To give a better understanding, Joseph (2017) defined

math anxiety as the feeling of anxiety that one cannot

perform efficiently in situations that involve the use of

mathematics. He also said that it is characterized by

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intense nervousness before or during math examinations. This

interferes with a person's ability to optimally do math

problems, thus morphing into an intellectual difficulty in

the subject. Moreover, Sosnowski (2017) stated that math

anxiety is the paralysis and panic that some people face

when encountering situations requiring the use of math.

Meanwhile, Luttenberger et al. (2018) gave much deeper

meaning to describe math anxiety when they presented “math

anxiety” as the feeling of apprehension and increased

physiological reactivity when individuals deal with math,

such as when they have to manipulate numbers, solve

mathematical problems, or when they are exposed to an

evaluative situations connected to math. They also added

that math anxiety is an enduring, habitual type of anxiety

and can be understood as a trait which represents a fairly

stable characteristic of an individual on how he/she feels

in, perceives, and evaluates specific math situations.

In relation to that, several factors have been

associated on the development of math anxiety among many

students. Phillips (2016) expressed her observations that

the risk of public embarrassment creates tension among

several students. This is further elucidated by Sanchez

(2019) when he describes that if a student has been

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embarrassed or scolded because of a mathematical error in

the past, it might lead to a negative perspective towards

math. If it happened many times, they might not be able to

recall a positive outcome of math and will only look at math

with fear because of their “public” failure.

In addition, another factor affecting the level of

mathematics anxiety of the students is the teachers

themselves and their way of teaching. In an article from

Oxford Learning (2017), it is stressed that if a teacher is

excited and positive about math, the students will be as

well. But if educators are negative about it, it can have

the opposite effect. As stated by Dudin (2019): Rattan,

Good, and Dweck (2012) gave an example of a teaching

strategy that when teachers believe that some students are

“just not good at math", they often perpetuate the problem

by giving these students less challenging equations and

avoid asking them for the correct answers.

Nevertheless, Phillips (2016) explained that these

teaching methods must be re-examined and there should be

more emphasis on teaching strategies which include less

lectures but more student-directed classes and discussions.

Furthermore, according to an article from Oxford

Learning (2017), it is confirmed that the deadlines that

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timed tests impose among students is the major cause of

mathematics anxiety because it leads the students to forget

the concepts they have no problem remembering at home.

Ashman (2018) echoed the same observations that timed tests

are sometimes the source of pressure among students.

Likewise, both of them came up with a conclusion that timed

tests can have a negative impact on grades, therefore the

student’s fear of failure is confirmed and it will create a

vicious circle that is difficult to break.

As a result, it has been found out that students with

higher math anxiety tended to do worse on math exams

(Johnson, 2020). This is supported by Peña et al. (2013)

when they assert that math anxiety is the most influential

factor in explaining why students have low grades in math

exams because it is due to the fact that negative attitude

towards mathematics can directly influence students'

performance.

In conformity, an article from Oxford Learning (2017)

described that math anxiety can affect the working memory of

a student. The working memory is described as a "mental

scratchpad" and it is said that it can be blocked or

disrupted by math anxiety that can lead the students to not

perform well in math. This results to an advertence of

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Marshall et al. (2017) that the effects of math anxiety may

include frustration from trying, not being successful, begin

to shut down, and stop listening in class.

Therefore, Vahedi and Farrokhi (2011) expressed their

observations that math anxiety also causes a student to have

low confidence in their ability to tackle mathematical

problems, which results to them only taking the courses with

minimum required math subjects. This will cause them to

define math anxiety as negative cognition, avoidance

behavior, feeling of being pressured, and inadequate in

performance that interfere with solving math problems in

their personal lives and academic situations.

Moreover, Burdman (2019) showed that the effects of

math anxiety can linger long after the students finish

school, intruding with their ability to use quantitative

reasoning in their professional and civic lives. Marshall et

al. (2017) also enunciated that in academic settings, math

anxiety is a barrier to learning math-based subjects and

results to avoidance of optional math courses within

education or STEM-related careers that leads them to fewer

opportunities to practice and develop their mathematical

skills, causing worse performance later on and consequently

greater levels of math anxiety.

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 This is supported by Joseph (2017) when he acclaimed

that math anxiety extends beyond classroom and people could

be discouraged from applying to job opportunities that

substantively involve numbers.

Related Studies

The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of

Grade 12 STEM students as they suffer with math anxiety. It

has been noted that math anxiety can deal hostile effects on

students' performance and self-esteem.

The researchers have come across a number of studies

bearing resemblance to the present study. One particular

research is the study of Ayadi (2015) on the "Effect of

Anxiety on the Performance of Students in Mathematics".

Ayadi (2015) noted the following findings regarding the

causes of the effects of math anxiety:

1. Personality Factors. These include low self-esteem,

inability to handle frustration, shyness, and intimidation.

2. Environmental Factors. These consist of the overly

demanding parents, negative classroom experiences,

unintelligible textbooks, emphasis on drill without

understanding, and poor mathematics teacher.

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 3. Intellectual Factors. These are composed of the

inability to understand mathematical concepts, mental age,

and cognitive problem.

Based on these findings, Hamza and Helal (2013) offered

the following results that cultural and educational system

affect the development of math anxiety:

1. Being punished by the past or present teachers.

2. Has low grades in math.

3. Lack of encouragement from parents or teachers.

4. Lack of positive role models.

Moreover, a local study of Estonanto and Dio (2019) on

"Factors Causing the Mathematics Anxiety of Senior High

School Students in Calculus" came up with these salient

findings:

1. Difficulty of abstract mathematical concepts.

2. Teacher is a factor.

3. Poor comprehension and analytical skills of the

students.

In conclusion, the following studies revealed gave the

researchers useful ideas on the factors affecting math

anxiety.

Furthermore, several studies have also examined gender

differences in mathematical ability since 1980. The

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relationship between gender and math anxiety has also been

learned. From the results of the study of Smetackova (2014),

it was revealed that the stereotypical beliefs about math as

a masculine field can be a source of different individual

approach to mathematics. In fact, it can be the cause of

positive identity of boys while girls must work harder to

build their confidence and motivation. The study also

identified that gender dichotomy helps adolescent boys to

perform better. However, it may discourage girls from

improving their abilities in mathematics.

In relation, the study of Dowker et al. (2012) reported

that girls have higher math anxiety than boys. High levels

of math anxiety are related to poorer levels of math

performance. In the result of the research, the possible

explanations for the gender difference in math anxiety is

that females are more likely to express psychological

distress than males. Furthermore, the study showed that some

teachers promote the false idea that females cannot perform

as better as males in mathematics.

Likewise, Hart's (2019) study on "The Nature of Math

Anxiety in Adults: Prevalence and Correlates" noted that

women have higher math anxiety than men. This is supported

by Beilock et al. (2010) when they presented that young

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female students in classrooms with math anxious female

teachers were more likely to model themselves after their

teachers. Female students presumably observe their own

female teacher’s insecurities around math and come to

believe that women are not supposed to be good at math.

Regardless of how, academic anxiety has also been a

long topic of discussion among researchers. It was noticed

by Dobson (2012) that when students’ level of anxiety,

depression, and worry increases, their academic performance

decreases. This study also stated that there is a negative

correlation between anxiety and working memory. This means

that students with anxiety find difficulty in storing,

retrieving, and assessing information.

In accordance to that, Ahmed et al. (2012) determined

that self-efficacy and self-concept are very important in

the study of academic anxiety. Students with high levels of

self-efficacy and self-concept tend to have lower levels of

academic anxiety. Besides, students who are higher achievers

conduce to have higher levels of self-efficacy and self-

concept.

Meanwhile, in the study from Naval State University

(2016), it was revealed that students having high

achievement in math experience less anxiety levels than that

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of low achieving students. This is supported by a study

conducted at University of Waterloo (2013) which gave the

researchers an idea that students with high mathematical

anxiety are expected to obtain poorer grades in the exam,

felt unprepared, and showed a high level of state anxiety.

Furthermore, Bono et al. (2013) found out that in higher

education, math anxiety can affect the academic performance

of students. As a matter of fact, students who did not pass

their mathematical course show a higher level of

mathematical anxiety and a lower level of enjoyment,

motivation and self-confidence in mathematics than those who

passed it.

Likewise, the research findings of the study by

Laguador (2013) discovered that the underachievement of

Filipino learners in mathematics can be traced back to

difficulty in understanding math concepts, lack of

motivation, study habits, strict teachers, failed major

examinations, negative attitudes, and stereotypes of

Filipinos towards math.

As revealed by the findings in a study conducted at

Sorsogon State College (2017), majority of the senior high

school students, despite the fact that they are taking the

STEM strand, were diagnosed with high anxiety in the subject

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Pre-Calculus. Additionally, they concluded that students who

are suffering with math anxiety have a lack of confidence to

solve mathematical problems, habitual tardiness in the

subject, non-submission of projects, and intentionally

prioritizing other subjects, which can affect their overall

achievement in Pre-Calculus. This study further showed the

relationship between math anxiety and the academic

performance of STEM students.

Suchlike, it was also noted by Pellicioni et al. (2013)

that math anxiety may affect students' success in their

higher education as the outcome of their research implies

that math anxiety does not only have an impact on the

decisions and career choices of young people, but also on

the achievement of university students when they have to

take courses with high mathematical content.

Moreover, in a study conducted by Jalova et al. (2019)

at General De Jesus College, it was stated that mathematics

has been the foundation of many of our scientific and

technological discoveries. However, they also said that

according to many children and adults, "math" is a 4-letter

word that evokes emotions ranging from dislike and anxiety

to outright fear, which leads to having adverse effects on

students' personal and academic matters.

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 From the results of this study, the following coping

strategies to overcome math anxiety are provided:

1. Think Positively. In this 2019 study, 6 out of 10

respondents stated, "I will raise my self-confidence and

trust myself that I am capable of doing better." This is

supported by Willis (2017) which described that students

build resilience and coping strategies when they learn how

to use their academic strengths to enhance their math

skills. Moreover, it was also found out that negative

thinking results to negative effects on the performance,

while positive thinking raises one's confidence and an

effective way of overcoming an anxiety problem.

2. Ask for help. This study aforementioned that 3 out

of 10 respondents said that they will ask someone they know

who can help them to understand mathematics. This statement

is supported by a discovery that students naturally learn

with the help of others because working with others makes

learning enjoyable and they are able to clarify math

problems that they cannot understand before.

3. Self-study. It has been noted in the study of Jalova

et al. (2019) that one of the most effective ways to

overcome math anxiety is to force yourself to begin working

with math. It has also been shown that the more an

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individual do math problems, the more he/she will be

comfortable dealing with it.

Relationship of the Present Study to the Literature and

Studies Revealed

The reviewed readings provided the researchers with the

necessary information that is needed in their study.

There are several articles made about math anxiety that

described its definitions and explained how it works as a

problem for many students. The review also gave insights

regarding the factors affecting the development of math

anxiety and the effects it has to students.

The studies of Dobson (2012), Ahmed et al. (2012), Bono

et al. (2013), Pellicioni et al. (2013), and Laguador (2013)

are parallel to the present study since they revealed the

significant relationship between math anxiety and the

academic performance of the students.

Nonetheless, the present study is different in a sense

that this research is one of the latest studies which aims

to discover a broad-gauge understanding about the impact of

mathematics anxiety not only on the academic performance of

the students, but also on their personal matters. This study

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also seeks to provide ways in order to help improve the

academic performance of the students who are suffering with

math anxiety.

To conclude, the reviewed literature and studies about

math anxiety lead the researchers to a better and clearer

comprehension of the said phenomenon in education, since all

of them, both foreign and local, were found to be relevant

to the present study.

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 Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methods used in the current

study. It identifies the research design and discusses the

research method used. It describes the research locale,

population and sample, and sampling techniques. It also

includes the data gathering procedure and instruments that

are used in the study to gather information in order to

explore the experiences of Grade 12 STEM students who are

suffering with math anxiety.

Research Design

The researchers used the phenomenological method to

complete this study since the data they expected to gather

were more on descriptive in nature. The questions used in

this study were centered on "What", "Why", and "How" such

things happen. The researchers aimed to discover the

phenomenon regarding the level of mathematics anxiety of the

students and its impact to them. Through this study, the

researchers carefully examined the rejoinders of the

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respondents based on their own experiences towards math

anxiety.

The study used the Colaizzi's (1978) method of data

analysis wherein it provides rigorous and robust qualitative

method that is used to find, understand, describe, and

depict the experiences of the respondents. In this case, the

study explores the experiences of the respondents who are

suffering math anxiety, the factors affecting the

development of math anxiety, and the impact of mathematics

anxiety to students. Overall, phenomenological method is the

best option for this study in order to arrive with the most

precise answers.

Research Locale

The township of San Isidro is found at the southern

part of the province of Nueva Ecija. The municipality

consists of nine barangays and one of which is Poblacion

where General De Jesus College was located. The study was

conducted in the senior high school department of General De

Jesus College, which was named in honor of a hero in San

Isidro, Gen. Simeon De Jesus.

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 Figure 3. Map of San Isidro

Population and Samples

The respondents of this study were 6 selected Grade 12

STEM students of General De Jesus College during the school

year 2020-2021. Out of the 6 chosen respondents, there were

3 males and 3 females. The respondents are then asked a

series of questions regarding their personal experiences

with math anxiety. The 6 Grade 12 students from the

different sections of STEM strand were selected as the

respondents of the study because the researchers further

believe that STEM students were more likely to experience

math anxiety. As a matter of fact, Ambaranti & Retnowati

(2018) stated that Grade 12 students had higher levels of

math anxiety since they start to learn more advanced

mathematics unlike in junior high school. In addition, this

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is also the period wherein students' knowledge is being

enhanced in order to be prepared in the upcoming college

life.

Sampling Procedures

The type of sampling technique used in this study is

the purposive sampling. It represents a wide range of non-

probability sampling techniques for the researcher to draw

on. Also known as judgmental, selective sampling allows the

researchers to purposely handpick individuals from the

population that appears to be the representative of that

population based on their knowledge and judgment. There were

6 student-respondents who are engaged and asked privately

for the consent of the study. They were purposely selected

from the Grade 12 STEM students of General De Jesus College.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers looked for 6 Grade 12 STEM students in

General De Jesus College who are suffering with math

anxiety. The researchers then gave a letter stating what the

study is all about and that participation was voluntary.

From the responses that the researchers received, all of

them agreed to be part of the study.

In the study conducted, the researchers provided series

of questions that was corrected and verified by the research

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adviser. The questions were then used to interview the

respondents. The researchers and the respondents are

immersed in a one-on-one conversation in the form of video

call, to procure information about the experiences of the

person, wherein personal approach was implemented. In other

words, gathering information was accomplished through

personal interview. Moreover, the questions were deemed

enough to accumulate the necessary data to finalize the

study. The video call will also be recorded to avoid the

disturbance of note-taking.

Data Gathering Instrument

To the answers that the researchers expect to find from

the researcher’s study, a qualitative type of research,

specifically phenomenological in approach, was used to

gather information based on the personal experiences of the

respondents who are suffering with math anxiety. Therefore,

the researchers used various data gathering instruments that

can supplement the quest of obtaining accurate information.

The following are the instruments that the researchers

used in order to conduct the study:

 Interview Questions

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 The primary data gathering instrument was structured

interview. The researchers formulated questions about the

phenomenon to be discussed, but the presentation of these

questions are flexible and includes follow-up questions

depending on the interviewee's answers. The interview

questions are delivered in the form of virtual interview

since face-to-face interactions are still prohibited due to

the presence of a pandemic. The interview questions are all

aligned about determining the impact of mathematics anxiety

based on the experiences of the respondents and are

propitious enough to come up with sufficient information.

Interview Questions:

1. How old are you?

2. What is the level of your mathematics anxiety? Is it

high or low?

3. How does your negative experiences in situations

involving math affect your level of math anxiety?

4. What do you think are the main reasons why you

develop math anxiety?

5. What is the impact of mathematics anxiety on your

academic performance?

6. How does your grades in math affect you personally?

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 7. What recommendations can you suggest in order to

help improve the academic performance of students who are

suffering with mathematics anxiety?

 Screen Recorder

The interviews were recorded with use of screen

recorder in order to get the most accurate information. The

screen recorder allowed the researchers to continue the

momentum of the interview without the distraction of note-

taking. Making use of the recorded online interview made it

easy for the researchers to look back at the answers of the

respondents without asking them to repeat it.

Validation of the Instrument

A letter asking for consent was created and given to

the respondents in order to permit the researchers to

interview them for the conducted study. The construction and

validation of instruments were based on the experiences

about math anxiety. The first draft was submitted to the

research adviser for corrections which were used for further

comments and suggestions. The researchers were able to

revise and improve the interview questions through the

comments and suggestions given by the research adviser.

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After this, the said interview questions was carried out to

the 6 respondents from Grade 12 STEM strand.

Chapter 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter focuses in answering the research

questions by using the summarization of the data gathered

which had been carefully, systematically, and critically

analyzed and described. In this chapter, the results of the

conducted research will be explained and discussed in

details.

A total of six (6) respondents were interviewed

regarding their experiences towards mathematics anxiety and

on how it affects them personally and academically. The

researchers transcribed each recorded interview word by word

and translated it in English language.

1. Profile of the Respondents

In order to create a deeper understanding of the study

conducted, the respondents’ profiles will be first

discussed. This section demonstrates the demographic profile

of the respondents according to their age, sex, and as well

as their level of mathematics anxiety.

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 1.1. Age

This section presents the distribution of the

respondents in terms of age.

A total of six (6) students were selected from the

Grade 12 STEM strand of General De Jesus College as the

respondents of this study. Five (5) of the respondents are

17 years old while one (1) out of six (6) students is 18

years old.

1.2. Sex

Similarly, this part simply provides the sexuality of

the respondents, whether they are male or female.

The total number of the respondents is six (6),

consisting of three (3) male students and three (3) female

students.

1.3. Level of Mathematics Anxiety

This section pertains to the distribution of the

respondents according to their level of mathematics anxiety.

Three (3) out of six (6) respondents stated that they

have high level of math anxiety. Whilst, the remaining three

(3) respondents are those students who have low level of

math anxiety.

To sum up, based from the profile of the respondents,

students are in the range of age wherein all adolescents

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ages 13 to 18 years old are more prone to experience anxiety

connected to a knowledge domain. Meanwhile, the researchers

also figured out that two (2) out of three (3) female

respondents stated that they have high level of math

anxiety, while one (1) out of three (3) male respondents

said that he has a high level of math anxiety. It can be

concluded from the data gathered that female students are

more likely to experience math anxiety compared to men. This

is supported by Paquette (2016) when she pointed out that

women disengage themselves from practice of mathematical

concepts and procedures because neuroimaging studies like

math plague girls more than boys.

2. Causes of Math Anxiety

This section consists of the following causes why

students develop mathematics anxiety. Predominantly, the

respondents admitted that they are experiencing math anxiety

and specified in the interview that suffering this type of

phenomenon is affected by several factors. The following

causes of math anxiety stated by the respondents are

enumerated below:

2.1. Low Scores in Math Exams

This section discusses the factor "low scores in math

exams" as a cause of math anxiety.

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 Overall, six (6) out of six (6) respondents stated that

scoring low in math exams affects their level of math

anxiety. In this context, two (2) out of six (6)

interviewees confirmed that every time they score low in

math exams, the level of their math anxiety gets higher.

Similarly, another respondent explained that her level of

math anxiety keeps on piling up whenever she fails to

achieve high scores in math. This is supported by Jaschik

(2018) when he acclaimed that consistent low achievement in

math exams leaves many students in disbelief and

frustration, thus blasting greater levels of math anxiety.

Moreover, one student even added her insights by mentioning,

"I have lost my interest in math because I always fail my

math examinations.”

2.2. Time Limit

This section elucidates the factor "time limit" as a

cause of math anxiety.

Five (5) out of six (6) respondents believed that time

limit in math tests is one of the main reasons why they

develop math anxiety. One of the respondents acclaimed that

she always feel pressured when answering timed math exams

because it includes a lot of math problems that is needed to

be solved in a given amount of time. Similarly, another

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respondent stated that she is pressured not just in exams,

but every time and anytime that there is an involvement of

math. Truth to be told, because of time limit, students tend

to lose their focus, causing them to panic and forget the

lessons they have no problem studying at home, thus

resulting to mistakes or low scores in math exams.

Furthermore, one student even mentioned, "I feel anxious

because it’s almost time and I'm still answering the test".

This is supported by Boaler (2014) when she affirmed that

the tension that timed tests impose among students can lead

them to develop math anxiety and a long-term fear of the

subject.

2.3. Self-doubt

This section provides emphasis on "self-doubt" as a

cause of math anxiety.

In this study, there are four (4) out of six (6)

respondents who stated that having doubt on their

mathematical skills is one of the primary causes why they

develop math anxiety. As a matter of fact, two (2) among six

(6) respondents specified that they lack the confidence

needed in order to solve math problems. This is further

elaborated by the two (2) interviewees when they explained

that every time their classmates or friends get high scores

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in math, they start to question themselves, "Why am I not

good in math?" One respondent even added that he felt left

behind because his scores in math are always lower than his

classmates. Likewise, both of the respondents confirmed that

these experiences have caused them to lose confidence in

math and mistrust their capabilities, thus resulting to

higher levels of math anxiety.

Furthermore, one respondent also mentioned, "I have no

trust on my mathematical abilities since the subject math is

just very difficult in nature.” This is supported by Fleming

(2019) when she noted that mathematics is said to be the

most difficult subject, which leads to fear or negative

attitude towards math courses, therefore causing the

students to develop math anxiety. Suchlike, another

respondent asserted that she has anxiety during math exams

because she is not confident enough in solving math problems

and she always doubt her answers, whether it is right or

wrong.

2.4. Embarrassment

This section presents the factor "embarrassment" as a

cause of math anxiety.

In general, three (3) out of six (6) respondents

asserted that their past negative experiences in math

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influence their level of math anxiety. In fact, one of the

respondents stated that she is not participating during

class discussions because she does not want to be

embarrassed anymore. In addition, another respondent claimed

that being asked to write the answer on the board and solve

it wrong, give shame on him. Consequently, students

experience distress and embarrassment when they cannot

engage in recitations as well as when they are having a hard

time in understanding their math lessons. Moreover, one

student even uttered, "I have undergone many negative

experiences in math especially when I get low scores in

quizzes." The abovementioned situations are supported by

Dillon (2017) when he explained that many students' anxiety

comes from the idea of being wrong and the embarrassment of

doing badly. Furthermore, this embarrassment is likely to

lead to a massive loss of confidence.

2.5. Teacher and Teaching Strategies

This section describes "teacher and teaching

strategies" as a cause of math anxiety.

Based on the data gathered, half of the respondents

believed that teachers play an important role in the

development of math anxiety. One of the respondents uttered

that the understanding of the students in math depends on

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the strategies of the teachers. The same respondent further

acclaimed that there are teachers whose teaching strategies

make complex problems easier and simple problems more

complicated. Correspondingly, another respondent stated that

at some point in time, teachers opted to continue the

discussions without asking the students if the lessons are

clear in their minds or if all of them have already

understood the study. Consequently, one respondent even

mentioned, "I prefer my classmates teaching me in math

rather than my teacher because I am having a hard time to

get the lesson my teacher is explaining.”

3. Impact of Math Anxiety

This section determines the impact of math anxiety not

only on the academic performance of the students, but also

on their personal concerns. Generally speaking, individual

stories and experiences stated by the respondents will be

further expounded and discussed in this section.

3.1. Academic Performance

This part tackles the impact of mathematics anxiety in

terms of academic performance.

In the interview, majority of the respondents agreed

that there is a significant relationship between the level

of math anxiety and the academic performance of the

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students. Four (4) out of six (6) respondents stated that by

having a high level of math anxiety, students are expected

to gain low scores. Whereas, two (2) of these respondents

mentioned, "My scores in math have always been low, since I

refuse to try math problems because I doubt my mathematical

skills and I believe that I cannot do it."

Furthermore, one respondent voiced out his experiences

with math anxiety by sharing that his performance in other

subjects gets affected because he tends to put more effort

and prioritize math since his grades in that subject are

always low. In contrast, another respondent stated that her

level of math anxiety only affects her performance in math,

but when it comes to other subjects, it doesn't really

affect her because she can still excel in other aspects.

Meanwhile, there are two (2) respondents who are not

really bothered by their level of math anxiety since they

enunciated that despite having low level of math anxiety,

they are quite happy with their academic performance since

their scores in math are always high. These following

statements are supported by Wahid et al. (2018) when they

noted that anxiety itself has caused the students to have a

good or bad performance in the subject math.

3.2. Personal Matters

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 This part addresses the impact of mathematics anxiety

in terms of personal matters.

Two (2) among six (6) respondents stated that math

anxiety does not affect their equilibrium as a person

because they do not care about their grades in math whether

it is high or low. One of these respondents even added that

as much as possible, he avoids to be stressed out with his

grades in math because he ends up being disappointed of

himself whenever he fails to achieve those high

expectations.

On the other hand, four (4) out of six (6) interviewees

revealed that math anxiety has an impact on their state of

well-being. Two (2) respondents explained that because of

math anxiety, their self-esteem, trust, and confidence to

solve math problems become relatively low. This is supported

by Meek (2019) when he presented that people who are

suffering with anxiety often find themselves struggling with

low self-esteem. Moreover, another respondent shared that

every time she looks at her grades in math, she always feel

full of dismay. That being so, one respondent mentioned,

"Since my grades in math are low, I find it difficult to

apply on college courses because I lack the confidence

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needed in order to face situations involving the use of

math."

4. Recommendations to Improve the Academic Performance

This section pertains to the recommendations that the

respondents suggested in order to help improve the academic

performance of the students who are suffering with math

anxiety.

Two (2) of the respondents recommended that a helpful

way of overcoming math anxiety and improving the academic

performance of the students is to listen attentively to the

math teacher. Hence, one respondent even added, "If you

cannot really understand the lesson that your teacher is

discussing, try to ask some of your friends who are good in

math to help you, since you are more comfortable dealing

with them." This is supported by Futterman (2016) when she

discovered that one of the variables which influences

academic achievement is friendship, because students tend to

have better attitude towards school and learning when they

have good friends at their side.

Meanwhile, two (2) among six (6) respondents suggested

that encouraging oneself or self-efficacy is the another way

of boosting the academic performance of the students and

overcoming math anxiety. Accordingly, one respondent advised

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that students should start believing in themselves more and

avoid saying, "Math is really hard. It's not for me and I

can't do it." Moreover, another respondent even stated,

"They must avoid stressing themselves out on things they are

not really good at. Instead, use it as a motivation to put

more focus and effort to improve what they can already do."

In relation, one respondent is convinced that one of

the most effective ways to improve the academic performance

of students who are suffering with math anxiety is to

practice solving from easy to hard math equations so they

will be able to enhance their skills in math subject. This

is supported by Rosier (2020) when he acclaimed that

practicing student's math skills in everyday life and on

their own when there is no pressure, can help them to

overcome math anxiety. Furthermore, this will also lead them

to do math at school much easier.

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 Chapter 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary, major findings,

conclusions drawn, and recommendations yielded by the

thorough study and analysis of gathered data.

Summary

This research study serves the main purpose of further

determining the impact of math anxiety not only on the

academic performance of the students, but also on their

personal matters. The study’s outcome intends to improve the

academic performance of the students who are suffering with

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math anxiety. The descriptive and phenomenological method of

research was used for this study to gather data and

information. The main data gathering instrument, in the form

of virtual interview, was conducted in order to provide the

findings of the study. The respondents of this study are six

(6) Grade 12 STEM students of General De Jesus College.

Specifically, this research study sought to answer the

following questions:

1. How may the profile of the respondents be described

according to:

1.1. Age,

1.2. Sex,

1.3. Level of Mathematics Anxiety?

2. What causes the respondents to develop mathematics

anxiety?

3. What is the impact of mathematics anxiety on the

respondent’s:

3.1. Academic Performance,

3.2. Personal Matters?

4. What recommendations can be suggested to help the

students who are suffering with mathematics anxiety?

Major Findings

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 The findings of the study are summarized as follows:

1. Profile of the Respondents

This part presents the basic information about the

profile of the respondents in terms of age, sex, and their

level of math anxiety.

1.1. Age

Five (5) out of six (6) respondents are 17 years

old while the remaining one is 18 years old.

1.2. Sex

The six (6) respondents interviewed in this study

consist of three (3) male students and three (3) female

students.

1.3. Level of Math Anxiety

Three (3) among six (6) respondents have high

level of math anxiety while the remaining three (3) is

for those students who have low level of math anxiety.

2. Causes of Math Anxiety

Based on their individual stories, the respondents

confirmed that they are suffering with math anxiety and

specified in the interview that this type of phenomenon is

affected by several factors.

All of the respondents agreed that having low scores in

math exams is the primary reason why students develop math

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anxiety. Moreover, five (5) out of six (6) respondents

stated that time limit creates tension among many students

when they are answering their math exams. Suchlike, four (4)

of the respondents admitted that doubting the mathematical

skills of an individual may lead to higher levels of math

anxiety. Furthermore, three (3) respondents mentioned that

the development of math anxiety among students depends on

the teachers and their teaching strategies. Meanwhile, three

(3) among six (6) respondents also asserted that

embarrassment and past negative experiences towards math can

make the anxiety level of the students to increase much

further.

3. Impact of Math Anxiety

The respondents delineated their experiences regarding

math anxiety and disclosed that this kind of apprehension

has an impact on their academic performance and personal

matters.

3.1 Academic Performance

Four (4) of the respondents firmly believed that

having low scores is one of the impact of math anxiety

to them. Meanwhile, two (2) respondents who have low

level of math anxiety stated that their scores in the

subject are always high.

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 3.2 Personal Matters

A total of four (4) respondents acclaimed that

their state of equilibrium as a person is affected by

their level of math anxiety. On the other hand, two (2)

respondents revealed that math anxiety does not affect

their state of well-being.

4. Recommendations to Improve the Academic Performance

Six (6) out of six (6) respondents have specified

recommendations in order to help improve the academic

performance of the students who are suffering with math

anxiety. Two (2) respondents suggested that listening to the

math teacher attentively helps to boost the students'

academic performance. Likewise, one of the respondents is

convinced that another way to cope with math anxiety is to

ask friends who are good in math. Accordingly, two (2)

respondents advised that encouraging one’s self can improve

the performance of students in math. Furthermore, practicing

math problems is recommended by one of the respondents.

Conclusions

After the thorough investigation of the researchers,

interpretation of data gathered, and analysis of findings,

the following conclusions were drawn:

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1. Students-respondents, who are senior high school

students, are in the range of age wherein they are more

prone to suffer anxiety problems.

2. Female students are more likely to experience math

anxiety than males. The study revealed that majority of

the female respondents have high level of math anxiety

while majority of the male interviewees have low level

of math anxiety.

3. The main reason why math anxiety subsists is primarily

because of the students themselves. The study provided

emphasis on low scores, self-doubt, and embarrassment

as some of the causes of math anxiety, which discourage

students from trying math.

4. Math anxiety affects the academic performance of the

students. The study found out that there is an inverse

relationship between the level of math anxiety and

students' academic performance.

5. Math anxiety has molded the students to have low self-

esteem or confidence in their math abilities.

6. Listening attentively in class discussions, asking for

help, and practicing math problems are strategies that

a student, who is suffering from math anxiety, can do

in order to improve his/her academic performance.

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Recommendations

On the basis of the findings in the study and

conclusions drawn, the researchers present the following

recommendations:

For Students

1. Students should encourage themselves to practice math

because this will aid them to improve their

mathematical skills.

2. Students should boost their confidence and develop a

positive attitude towards math since negative

perspective results to poor performance.

For Teachers

1. Teachers should develop teaching strategies that will

make learning in math easier, enjoyable, and convenient

for everyone.

2. Teachers should uplift the spirit of the students to

engage in math activities because this will help them

to face their anxiety/fear towards math.

For Schools

1. Schools should implement campaigns or seminars that

will assist the students to see the beauty of math and

erase the stigma that "math is hard".

For Parents

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 1. Parents should motivate their children who are

suffering with math anxiety to take part in math

activities and ask them if they need help or tutor that

can make them understand their lessons in math.

For Future Researchers

1. The future researchers should conduct another study

that aims to discover teaching and learning strategies

that will make the teacher-student interaction in math

more effective. The study should also focus to lessen

the chances of developing math anxiety among learners.

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