Investigation of the relationship of cognitive learning styles and self-efficacy beliefs in mathematics anxiety among high school students

Abstract

The present study was aimed to investigation of the relationship of cognitive learning styles and self-efficacy beliefs in mathematics anxiety among high school students. The present study was a descriptive and correlational study. The study population consisted of all ninth-grade high school girls and boys of Tehran's 15 district education in 2011–2012. The number of 105 boys and 99 girls were selected using randomized multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected through the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT), the General Self-Efficacy scale (GSE) and the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). Also, according to the study's variables, data were analyzed by Correlation, Variance analysis and Regression Tests. Results showed that there is a correlation (0.555%) between cognitive style and self-efficacy with mathematics anxiety of students (both boys and girls), and the variation of mathematics anxiety can be explained by cognitive style and self-efficacy beliefs (30.8%).