Examining University Students’ Mathematics Anxiety Across Demographic and Academic Variables

Abstract

This study aimed to determine university students’ mathematics anxiety levels and examine whether they differed by gender, age group, grade level, faculty, high school field of study, taking mathematics-related courses at university, and preparation for the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS) and Academy Entrance Examination (AGS). The study was conducted within a quantitative framework using survey and causal-comparative designs. The participants were 1,573 undergraduate students enrolled in different faculties and programs at Selçuk University during the spring semester of the 2024–2025 academic year. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and the Brief Mathematics Anxiety Scale. The scale demonstrated high reliability in this sample, and its three-factor structure showed good model fit. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, and the Games-Howell post hoc test. The findings showed that university students’ overall mathematics anxiety was close to a moderate level, and mathematics test anxiety had the highest mean among the subdimensions. Overall mathematics anxiety differed significantly by gender, age, grade level, faculty, high school field of study, and whether students had taken mathematics-related courses at university. However, it did not differ significantly according to preparation for the KPSS/AGS. Female students, students aged 22 and above, fourth-year students and pedagogical formation students, those who graduated from verbal tracks, and those who had not taken mathematics-related courses at university reported higher mathematics anxiety. Based on these findings, several recommendations were offered for researchers and practitioners.