Predicting education science students’ statistics anxiety: The role of prior experiences within a framework of domain-specific motivation constructs

Abstract

Based on a cognitive–motivational modeling of construct relations, this study analyzed the role of prior statistics experiences within a framework of domain-specific self-concept and value variables to predict education science students’ statistics anxiety. Data were analyzed from two independent samples comprising 113 and 87 participants—using the passing of a statistics exam as the experience measure in each case. In both samples, the results of three-way analyses of variance demonstrated students’ statistics anxiety to be substantially explained by their negative utility value and self-concept but only to a minor extent by their prior statistics experiences. Students’ statistics anxiety appeared to be dependent on value and self-concept scores across all experience levels. Though producing somewhat varying effect patterns, the findings from both samples led to similar effects, indicating the crucial role of self-belief variables. Results are discussed in terms of conceptual, methodological, and instructional implications.