Bandura’s (1978) self-efficacy theory provided the conceptual basis for two math-anxiety interventions: cognitive restructuring (CR) and modified progressive relaxation (MPR). These two palliative techniques were chosen since considerable evidence exists which indicates that both intrapsychic and symptom-directed methods are effective as therapeutic interventions for a wide range of stress-related problems. In addition to the treatment variable, there were two other independent variables: level of achievement in mathematics (SAT), and level of participation in mathematics (remedial, intermediate, or advanced). The sample consisted of sixty—two female subjects enrolled in a small private liberal arts college for women. Four research questions were investigated (1) When administered over a six-week treatment period, are CR and MPR equally effective in reducing mathematics anxiety among female college students? (2) Are any combinations of treatment and level of achievement in mathematics characterized by lower levels of anxiety than other combinations? (3) Are any combinations of treatment and level of participation in mathematics characterized by lower levels of anxiety than other combinations? (4) To what extent do physiological indicators of mathematics anxiety and paper-and-pencil assessments measure the same construct?
Data were collected in two stages. The first stage occurred at the end of a six-week treatment period, at which time Sandman’s (1973) Mathematics Attitude Inventory (MAI) and an electromyograph (EMG) were used to obtain self-report and physiological measures of mathematics anxiety, respectively. The second stage occurred eight weeks later, at which time the MAI was re-administered. Inferential methods revealed that: (1) when mathematics anxiety was measured with Sandman’s MAI, for both the immediate and delayed posttests, the difference between the mean levels of self-reported anxiety for CR and MPR subjects was not statistically discernible; (2) when anxiety was operationally defined as skeletal muscle tension and measured with an electromyograph, CR led to significantly greater reductions in anxiety than MPR (F=2.81, p=.036); (3) there was no interaction between type of intervention and level of achievement in mathematics; (4) when anxiety was operationally defined as skeletal muscle tension and measured with an electromyograph, a statistically discernible (F=3.925, p=.O27) synergistic effect was detected between type of intervention and level of participation in mathematics, indicating that CR is superior to MPR for subjects at advanced levels of participation in mathematics; (5) there was insufficient evidence to indicate that a linear relationship exists between paper-and-pencil (MAI) and physiological (EMG) measures of mathematics anxiety, implying that the two instruments may be tapping different dimensions of the mathematics anxiety construct. / Ed. D.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/53620 |
| Date | January 1986 |
| Creators | Gentry, W. Michael |
| Contributors | Curriculum and Instruction, Frary, Robert B., Todd, R.M., Wildman, Terry, Underhill, R.G., Weber, L.J. |
| Publisher | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation, Text |
| Format | ix, 123 leaves, application/pdf, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
| Relation | OCLC# 15725130 |
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