The role of metacognitive states in predicting students' math anxiety

The purpose of this study was to predict math anxiety based on metacognitive state in female students.

In this descriptive correlational study, 100 female students of fifth and sixth grade elementary school in Amol city in the academic year 2013-2014 were selected by multistage cluster sampling and Abedi and O'Neill Metacognitive Questionnaires (1996). And completed the mathematical anxiety of Bai (2011). Data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software using Pearson correlation coefficient and logistic regression analysis. The mean age of participants was 11.65 ± 1.55 years.

The results showed that there is a significant negative relationship between metacognitive state and its components; knowledge, cognitive strategies, selfesteem, and planning with mathematical anxiety in female students (P <0.01). Regression analysis showed that overall score of metacognitive state (R2 = 0.17) and components of cognitive and self-esteem strategies (R2 = 0.24) were able to predict negative and significant mathematical anxiety in female students.

It can be concluded that the metacognitive state and the components of cognitive and selfassessment strategies play an important role in predicting mathematical anxiety in female students.