Math anxiety and perfectionistic concerns in multiple-choice assessment

Abstract

We examined the relationships between math anxiety, perfectionism and academic achievement in undergraduates enrolled in a course with high mathematical content. Participants were 251 students who completed math anxiety and perfectionism questionnaires, and whose academic achievement was measured via a multiple-choice examination. The number of hits, errors and unanswered questions on this examination were analyzed to explore the possible influence of math anxiety and perfectionism on students’ performance. Results showed that highly math-anxious (HMA) students were more perfectionist than their low math-anxious (LMA) peers, insofar as they were more concerned about making mistakes and had more doubts about their own actions. The HMA group also obtained worse grades than did their LMA counterparts, although this was because they left more questions unanswered, not because they made more mistakes. Analysis of the relationship between math anxiety and the number of unanswered questions revealed that concern over errors and doubts about actions played a mediating role in this relationship. In conclusion, HMA students’ fear of making mistakes and doubts about their own actions are important factors influencing their performance in multiple-choice tests.