Concurrent and Longitudinal Predictions of Math Anxiety, Science Anxiety, and Enrollment in Science and Art Tracks in Secondary Education

The worldwide need for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) expertise highlights the critical importance of examining education-related emotions that shape students’ educational pathways and career decisions. Using a sample of tenth-grade students from Qatari schools (N = 391) and a follow-up sample in eleventh grade (N = 350), after their enrollment in either the art or science track, the present study examined the concurrent and longitudinal predictions of math anxiety, science anxiety, and track enrollments in secondary education. The science track attracted a larger number of male students, whereas the art track drew a higher proportion of female students. Partially supporting the debilitating theory, later math and science anxieties were predicted by early math and science achievements (respectively). However, concurrent analyses provided stronger support for the reciprocal interaction theory. Specifically, math and biology achievements – but not chemistry or physics achievements – were predicted by math and science anxieties. In turn, these two forms of academic anxiety were themselves predicted by math and biology achievements, respectively. Moreover, students’ track enrollments were predicted by math anxiety (but not science anxiety) in both the tenth and eleventh grades. Accordingly, early identification and intervention for math anxiety may be essential for supporting academic achievement and, consequently, for promoting greater engagement and success in STEM domains. Keywords: math anxiety, science anxiety, psycho-educational variables, art/science enrollment, secondary education