An Analysis of the Influence of Mathematics Anxiety and Learning Motivation on the Mathematics Learning Achievement in the Topic of Algebra
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58764/j.im.2026.7.223Keywords:
mathematics anxiety, learning motivation, algebra achievement, secondary mathematics, affective factors, Islamic junior secondary schoolAbstract
Aim: This study aimed to examine whether mathematics anxiety and learning motivation statistically predict algebra achievement, both individually and jointly, among Year 7 students at an integrated Islamic junior secondary school in Indonesia. Method: A quantitative ex post facto correlational design was employed, involving 64 Year 7 students from SMPIT Ar-Risalah Sukoharjo. Mathematics anxiety and learning motivation were measured using two separate 30-item questionnaires, while algebra achievement was assessed through an algebra test. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression following diagnostic assessments of residual normality, linearity, multicollinearity, and heteroscedasticity, with statistical significance set at 0.05. Results: Mathematics anxiety did not significantly predict algebra achievement (B = 0.046, ? = 0.152, p = 0.357). Similarly, learning motivation was not a statistically significant predictor (B = 0.063, ? = 0.227, p = 0.171). The overall regression model was not statistically significant, F(2, 61) = 0.961, p = 0.388, R² = 0.031. Achievement scores were concentrated within a narrow, high-performing range (82–95; M = 90.08, SD = 2.97). Novelty/Implication: This study provides context-specific empirical evidence regarding the limited predictive contribution of two affective factors to early secondary algebra achievement when observed performance exhibits restricted variability. The non-significant findings do not imply that mathematics anxiety and learning motivation are educationally irrelevant; instead, they highlight the importance of considering score distributions and measurement characteristics when interpreting predictive relationships. The findings underscore the need to integrate affective, cognitive, and instructional indicators into comprehensive models of mathematics achievement and to employ assessment instruments capable of capturing meaningful differences in students' mathematical performance.
Downloads
References
» click to expand references listAbín, A., Núñez, J. C., Rodríguez, C., Cueli, M., García, T., & Rosário, P. (2020). Predicting mathematics achievement in secondary education: The role of cognitive, motivational, and emotional variables. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 876. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00876
Afifah, I. E., Susilowati, D., & Exacta, A. P. (2019). Pengaruh Group Investigation terhadap prestasi belajar matematika ditinjau dari kemampuan awal siswa. Absis: Mathematics Education Journal, 1(1), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.32585/absis.v1i1.310
Afifi, A. A., Eliza, M., & Arifin, N. A. (2024). One Roof Integrated Six-Year Secondary High School in Indonesia: A Proposal for Efficiency and Quality Improvement. Perwakilan: Journal of Good Governance, Diplomacy, Customary Institutionalization and Social Networks, 2(2), 105-118.
Apsari, R. A., Sariyasa, S., Putri, R. I. I., Gunawan, G., & Prayitno, S. (2020). Understanding students’ transition from arithmetic to algebraic thinking in the pre-algebraic lesson. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1471, 012056. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1471/1/012056
Barroso, C., Ganley, C. M., McGraw, A. L., Geer, E. A., Hart, S. A., & Daucourt, M. C. (2021). A meta-analysis of the relation between math anxiety and math achievement. Psychological Bulletin, 147(2), 134–168. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000307
Blanton, M., Stroud, R., Stephens, A., Gardiner, A. M., Stylianou, D. A., Knuth, E., Isler-Baykal, I., & Strachota, S. (2019). Does early algebra matter? The effectiveness of an early algebra intervention in Grades 3 to 5. American Educational Research Journal, 56(5), 1930–1972. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831219832301
Bureau, J. S., Howard, J. L., Chong, J. X. Y., & Guay, F. (2022). Pathways to student motivation: A meta-analysis of antecedents of autonomous and controlled motivations. Review of Educational Research, 92(1), 46–72. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543211042426
Carey, E., Hill, F., Devine, A., & Szücs, D. (2016). The chicken or the egg? The direction of the relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematics performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1987. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01987
Demedts, F., Reynvoet, B., Sasanguie, D., & Depaepe, F. (2022). Unraveling the role of math anxiety in students’ math performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 979113. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.979113
Dowker, A., Sarkar, A., & Looi, C. Y. (2016). Mathematics anxiety: What have we learned in 60 years? Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 508. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00508
Du, C., Qin, K., Wang, Y., & Xin, T. (2021). Mathematics interest, anxiety, self-efficacy and achievement: Examining reciprocal relations. Learning and Individual Differences, 91, 102060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2021.102060
Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2020). From expectancy-value theory to situated expectancy-value theory: A developmental, social cognitive, and sociocultural perspective on motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101859. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101859
Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics (5th ed.). SAGE.
Foley, A. E., Herts, J. B., Borgonovi, F., Guerriero, S., Levine, S. C., & Beilock, S. L. (2017). The math anxiety-performance link: A global phenomenon. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(1), 52–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721416672463
Furi, R., Afifi, A. A., & Eliza, M. (2025). Implementing the Merdeka Curriculum in Chemistry Learning Through Tutoring: A Qualitative Study at Madrasah Aliyah Darul Funun El Abbassiyyah. Journal of Regional Development and Technology Initiatives, 3(1), 189-195.
Hadiprasetyo, K., Exacta, A. P., & Susilowati, D. (2022). Tingkat kecemasan mahasiswa pada mata kuliah microteaching berbasis Lesson Study. Absis: Mathematics Education Journal, 4(2), 77–83. https://doi.org/10.32585/absis.v4i2.2510
Howard, J. L., Bureau, J., Guay, F., Chong, J. X. Y., & Ryan, R. M. (2021). Student motivation and associated outcomes: A meta-analysis from Self-Determination Theory. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 16(6), 1300–1323. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620966789
Iyamuremye, E., Ndayambaje, I., & Muwonge, C. M. (2023). Relationships of mathematics achievement with self-determined motivation and mathematics anxiety among senior two students in Northern Rwanda. Heliyon, 9(4), e15411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15411
Kieran, C., Pang, J., Schifter, D., & Ng, S. F. (2016). Early algebra: Research into its nature, its learning, its teaching. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32258-2
Lazowski, R. A., & Hulleman, C. S. (2016). Motivation interventions in education: A meta-analytic review. Review of Educational Research, 86(2), 602–640. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315617832
Li, D., Liew, J., Raymond, D., & Hammond, T. (2023). Math anxiety and math motivation in online learning during stress: The role of fearful and avoidance temperament and implications for STEM education. PLOS ONE, 18(12), e0292844. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292844
Luttenberger, S., Wimmer, S., & Paechter, M. (2018). Spotlight on math anxiety. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 11, 311–322. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S141421
Namkung, J. M., Goodrich, J. M., & Lee, K. (2023). The factor structure of mathematics anxiety and its relation to gender and mathematics performance. Psychology in the Schools, 60(11), 4740–4757. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23016
Namkung, J. M., Peng, P., & Lin, X. (2019). The relation between mathematics anxiety and mathematics performance among school-aged students: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 89(3), 459–496. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319843494
Ning, B. (2020). Discipline, motivation, and achievement in mathematics learning: An exploration in Shanghai. School Psychology International, 41(6), 595–611. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034320961465
Núñez-Peña, M. I., Bono, R., & Suárez-Pellicioni, M. (2015). Feedback on students’ performance: A possible way of reducing the negative effect of math anxiety in higher education. International Journal of Educational Research, 70, 80–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2015.02.005
OECD. (2023). PISA 2022 results (Volume I): The state of learning and equity in education. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/53f23881-en
Omar, S. H., Syed Aris, S. R., & Teoh, S. H. (2022). Mathematics anxiety and its relationship with mathematics achievement among secondary school students. Asian Journal of University Education, 18(4), 863–878. https://doi.org/10.24191/ajue.v18i4.19992
Pellizzoni, S., Cargnelutti, E., Cuder, A., & Passolunghi, M. C. (2022). The interplay between math anxiety and working memory on math performance: A longitudinal study. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1510(1), 132–144. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14722
Pincheira, N., & Alsina, Á. (2021). Teachers’ mathematics knowledge for teaching early algebra: A systematic review from the MKT perspective. Mathematics, 9(20), 2590. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9202590
Pizzie, R. G., & Kraemer, D. J. M. (2023). Strategies for remediating the impact of math anxiety on high school math performance. npj Science of Learning, 8, 44. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-023-00188-5
Pratama, D., Susanto, H. A., & Exacta, A. P. (2020). Model pembelajaran kooperatif Think Pair Share berbasis Lesson Study terhadap minat dan prestasi belajar. Absis: Mathematics Education Journal, 1(2), 65–71. https://doi.org/10.32585/absis.v1i2.571
Quintero, M., Hasty, L., Li, T., Song, S., & Wang, Z. (2022). A multidimensional examination of math anxiety and engagement on math achievement. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(3), 955–973. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12482
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a Self-Determination Theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860
Scherrer, V., & Preckel, F. (2019). Development of motivational variables and self-esteem during the school career: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Review of Educational Research, 89(2), 211–258. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654318819127
Sharpe, S. T. (2019). An algebraic translation task solved by Grade 7–9 students. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 21(1), 78–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/10986065.2019.1564970
Sorvo, R., Koponen, T., Viholainen, H., & Aro, T. (2019). Development of math anxiety and its longitudinal relationships with arithmetic achievement among primary school children. Learning and Individual Differences, 69, 173–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.12.005
St Omer, S. M., & Chen, S. (2023). Examining the dynamics of mathematics anxiety, perceived cost, and achievement: A control-value theory approach. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 73, 102169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2023.102169
Stylianou, D. A., Stroud, R., Cassidy, M., Knuth, E., Stephens, A., Gardiner, A., & Demers, L. (2019). Putting early algebra in the hands of elementary school teachers: Examining fidelity of implementation and its relation to student performance. Journal for the Study of Education and Development, 42(3), 523–569. https://doi.org/10.1080/02103702.2019.1604021
Wang, C., Cho, H. J., Wiles, B., Moss, J. D., Bonem, E. M., Li, Q., Lu, Y., & Levesque-Bristol, C. (2022). Competence and autonomous motivation as motivational predictors of college students’ mathematics achievement: From the perspective of Self-Determination Theory. International Journal of STEM Education, 9, 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-022-00359-7
Wang, Z., Rimfeld, K., Shakeshaft, N., Schofield, K., & Malanchini, M. (2020). The longitudinal role of mathematics anxiety in mathematics development: Issues of gender differences and domain-specificity. Journal of Adolescence, 80, 220–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.03.003
Widiyanto, A., Hadiprasetyo, K., & Exacta, A. P. (2023). Pengaruh media video pembelajaran integral dasar terhadap hasil belajar siswa kelas XI MIPA SMA Negeri 1 Polokarto Kabupaten Sukoharjo tahun ajaran 2022/2023. Absis: Mathematics Education Journal, 5(2), 69–75. https://doi.org/10.32585/absis.v5i2.4325
Zhang, J., Zhao, N., & Kong, Q. P. (2019). The relationship between math anxiety and math performance: A meta-analytic investigation. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1613. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01613
Živković, M., Pellizzoni, S., Doz, E., Cuder, A., Mammarella, I. C., & Passolunghi, M. C. (2023). Math self-efficacy or anxiety? The role of emotional and motivational contribution in math performance. Social Psychology of Education, 26, 579–601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-023-09760-8
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Yahya Sanuar Hidayatulloh Amri, Annisa Prima Exacta
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
