The Impact of Mathematics Anxiety on the Mathematical Value of Secondary School Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Mathematics education transcends the mere acquisition of numerical proficiency; it encompasses a holistic growth encompassing essential values such as rationality, control, and critical thinking. This study examined the impact of mathematics anxiety on the mathematical value of secondary school students in Nigeria, focusing on senior secondary schools in the West of Nigeria. To achieve the objective of this quantitative study, two thousand nine hundred thirty-nine senior secondary school students were selected using convenience and purposive sampling techniques. The primary data was collected using a questionnaire that was administered through Google Forms. Simple linear regression was used to analyse the four variables (Critical Thinking in Mathematics, Rationality in Mathematics, Control in Mathematics, and Mathematics Anxiety) identified through factor analysis. This study found that mathematics anxiety significantly negatively impacts the rationality of decision-making among secondary school students in the southwest of Nigeria; there is a significant relationship between mathematics anxiety and the critical thinking abilities of secondary school students in the southwest of Nigeria. Mathematics anxiety significantly negatively influences the ability to control mathematical concepts among senior secondary schools in the West of Nigeria. This study concludes that mathematics anxiety significantly and negatively impacts the mathematical value of secondary school students in Nigeria. The findings have practical implications for educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers, emphasising the need for a holistic approach to education that recognises the emotional well-being of students alongside their cognitive development.