Cross-Cultural Validation of the Short Math Anxiety Scale Among Chinese High School Students

Yi Chen; Yun-Ruei Ku; Junfei Lu

doi:10.29333/ejecs/2108

Authors

Yi Chen The University of Alabama https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2216-5098
Yun-Ruei Ku National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0119-8827
Junfei Lu The University of Alabama https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7369-8417

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2108

Keywords:

assessment, cross-cultural validation, factor analysis, mathematical anxiety, psychometrics

Abstract

There is growing evidence that math anxiety is prevalent among Chinese high school students. The current study developed a Chinese version of the Short Math Anxiety Rating Scale (i.e., CH-sMARS) and examined its structural validity, construct validity, criterion validity, internal reliability, and 3-month-test-retest reliability. We recruited 696 and 329 high school students at Time 1 (April, 2020) and Time 2 (July, 2020), respectively, from two high schools in China. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a 16-item, three-factor structure. The factors were consistent with those in the original Short Math Anxiety Rating Scale (sMARS) – Mathematics Test Anxiety, Numerical Task Anxiety, and Mathematics Course Anxiety. Nine items were removed from the sMARS due to low factor loading across all three factors. The 16-item scale demonstrated good reliability and validity across all tests. The CH-sMARS offers a useful tool for measuring the multidimensional nature of math anxiety among Chinese high school students. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

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Author Biographies

Yi Chen, The University of Alabama

Dr. Yi Chen her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Alabama, United States, where she specialized with a certificate in Neuroscience and also completed a certificate in Quantitative Methods. Her diverse research interests encompass the complexities of math anxiety within educational contexts, the formation and development of moral judgment, and various aspects of mental well-being across different populations.

Yun-Ruei Ku, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

Dr. Yun-Ruei Ku is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at National Taichung University of Education, Taiwan. Her research focuses on cognitive psychology, language learning, and educational assessment. She examines English reading comprehension in young students using mixed-method research.

Junfei Lu, The University of Alabama

Dr. Junfei Lu is currently an associate professor and program coordinator of Counselor Education at the Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology and Counseling in the University of Alabama, United States. Dr. Lu earned his doctoral degree in Rehabilitation Counselor Education from the University of Iowa in 2014. His research interests include mindfulness and health, biases toward people from disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, and social determinants of health.

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