Profile of Mathematics Anxiety among Indonesian Islamic Elementary Students: Gender Differences and Links to Numeracy Skills Sri Rezeki (a), Sindi Amelia (b*), Fikri (c), Rozmi Ismail (d), Liza Puspita Yanti (e)
(a,b*) Mathematics Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Islam Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
*sindiamelia88[at]edu.uir.ac.id
(c) Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Islam Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
(d) Psychology and Human Wellbeing, Universitas Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
(e) Mathematics Education Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia
Abstract
Mathematics anxiety is a common emotional response that can influence students^ attitudes, confidence, and performance in mathematics. In Indonesian Islamic elementary schools, where learning integrates religious values with academic content, understanding the profile of mathematics anxiety is essential for supporting both cognitive and affective development. This study examines the level of mathematics anxiety among 59 fifth-grade Indonesian Islamic students, its variation by gender, and its relationship with numeracy skills. Mathematics anxiety was measured using an adapted version of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), while numeracy skills were assessed through a curriculum-based numeracy test. The results showed that students^ mathematics anxiety was generally low, with a mean score of 17.9. Independent samples t-test analysis revealed no significant difference in mathematics anxiety levels between boys and girls. Pearson correlation analysis indicated an almost negligible relationship between mathematics anxiety and numeracy skills. Furthermore, simple linear regression analysis showed that mathematics anxiety did not significantly predict numeracy performance. These findings suggest that, in this context, mathematics anxiety is relatively consistent across genders and has minimal association with students^ numeracy achievement. The generally low level of mathematics anxiety observed among students may be linked to teacher-led interventions that foster a relaxed, encouraging, and non-threatening learning environment.
