Understanding profiles related to math anxiety and statistical anxiety: Preliminary results from University students

Despite the increasing interest in studying math anxiety (MA), little attention has been focused in literature on a person-centered approach, especially with university students attending non-mathematical Schools that have to pass introductory stats courses. With this target, understanding possible typologies of individuals based on MA and statistical anxiety (SA), would be useful to better understand the phenomenology of domain-specific anxieties relevant for attending the course and implementing preventive actions to favor achievement. Participants were 240 students (76% females, Mage = 21.35,SD = 4.84) attending the School of Psychology at the University of Florence (Italy). MA and SA were respectively assessed with the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale and the Statistics Anxiety Scale. By entering the z-standardization of the AMAS and SAS subscale scores, a two-step clustering procedure was conducted. The resulting cluster distribution (Cluster 1 = 25%; Cluster 2 = 27%%; Cluster 3 = 48%) indicated that Cluster 1 was characterized by levels of Learning (MA) and Interpretation (SA) about 1.5 SD above the mean; Cluster 2 had all the dimensions below the mean; and Cluster 3 showed all the dimensions approximately at the mean value. Significant differences between the Clusters were found by considering mathematical ability, probabilistic reasoning ability, cognitive reflection, and attitude towards statistics. Although preliminary, data encourage a further understanding of different classifications of University students in terms of MA and SA and emphasize the differential characterization of profiles mostly in terms of anxiety in learning math concepts and anxiety in interpret statistical topics.