Who is afraid of math? Two sources of genetic variance for mathematical anxiety. (10th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Zhe; Hart, Sara Ann; Kovas, Yulia; Lukowski, Sarah; Soden, Brooke; Thompson, Lee A.; Plomin, Robert; McLoughlin, Grainne; Bartlett, Christopher W.; Lyons, Ian M.; Petrill, Stephen A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry and allied disciplines. Volume 55:Number 9(2014:Sep.)
• Page Start: 1056
• Page End: 1064
• Publication Date: 2014-03-10
• Subjects: Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child psychiatry -- Periodicals; 155.4
• DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12224
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9630

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jcpp12224-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jcpp12224-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Emerging work suggests that academic achievement may be influenced by the management of affect as well as through efficient information processing of task demands. In particular, mathematical anxiety has attracted recent attention because of its damaging psychological effects and potential associations with mathematical problem solving and achievement. This study investigated the genetic and environmental factors contributing to the observed differences in the anxiety people feel when confronted with mathematical tasks. In addition, the genetic and environmental mechanisms that link mathematical anxiety with math cognition and general anxiety were also explored.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12224-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Univariate and multivariate quantitative genetic models were conducted in a sample of 514 12‐year‐old twin siblings.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12224-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Genetic factors accounted for roughly 40% of the variation in mathematical anxiety, with the remaining being accounted for by child‐specific environmental factors. Multivariate genetic analyses suggested that mathematical anxiety was influenced by the genetic and nonfamilial environmental risk factors associated with general anxiety and additional independent genetic influences associated with math‐based problem solving.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12224-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The development of mathematical anxiety may involve not only exposure to negative experiences with mathematics, but also likely involves genetic risks related to both anxiety and math cognition. These results suggest that integrating cognitive and affective domains may be particularly important for mathematics and may extend to other areas of academic achievement.</p> </sec> </abstract>