Psychology at Sweet Briar

The Effect of Optimism and State/Trait Anxiety on Mathematics Anxiety
Meg Fronk, Quinn Smith, & Chantal Yavari

    The current study measured the differences between state/trait and optimism/pessimism and their relation to mathematics anxiety were investigated. Three questionnaires were used to determine whether an interaction existed between state and trait anxiety and optimism and pessimism. The participant's outlook on life was measured; whether they were state anxious or trait anxious and whether they were optimistic or pessimistic. The participants completed questionnaires measuring these factors. These questionnaires were administered to 38 Sweet Briar College students between the ages of 18 and 23. Previous research has failed to examine the effect of optimism/pessimism and state/trait anxiety on mathematics anxiety. The results indicated that there was no significance found.