SEX AND MATHEMATICAL BACKGROUND AS PREDICTORS OF ANXIETY AND SELF-EFFICACY IN MATHEMATICS

Anxiety and self-efficacy in mathematics as a function of sex and math ematical background mere investigated. This study employed an ex post facto 2 x 2 factorial design in which sex and mathematical background were classification variables. It was predicted that men would report lower anxiety scores and higher self-efficacy scores than women and th at students with a high mathematical background mould report lower anx iety scores and higher self-efficacy scores than those with a low back ground in mathematics. An interaction between sex and mathematical bac kground mas also predicted. 51 subjects mere given the revised Mathema tics Anxiety Scale and the Mathematics Self-efficacy Scale. Results su pported the hypotheses with respect to background in mathematics for a nxiety in mathematics, and all of the hypotheses were supported for se lf-efficacy in mathematics.