Measuring math anxiety in young children: The development and psychometric properties of a new scale

Although it has been recently suggested that math anxiety exists in children, not just in adolescents and adults, only a relatively small number of studies has focused on mathematics anxiety in young children. As a consequence, few are the assessment instruments to measure math anxiety in childhood. Moreover, although research has largely documented gender differences in math anxiety, there is no evidence about gender invariance of the existing instruments available for children. The aim of the present study was to develop a measurement tool designed to measure math anxiety in male and female children attending the first elementary school years. The scale, consisting of nine items, has been administered to 175 children (Mage=7.1, SD=0.6; Females=57%). Its psychometric properties have been analyzed by taking into account dimensionality, reliability, and criterion validity. Moreover, the gender invariance property of the new scale has been verified by showing the measurement equivalence of the scale when administered to male and female early elementary students. Overall, findings attested the validity and reliability of the new scale in relieving the early signs of math anxiety among children.