Validity of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale in Primary Education Students in Peru
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35763/aiem30.6946Keywords:
Math anxiety, Psychometrics, Elementary education, Mathematical educationAbstract
The psychometric properties of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) were evaluated in 379 children from a public primary school in Lima, Peru, aiming to determine its evidence of structural validity, criterion validity, and reliability. After retaining its 9 items, Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported a bidimensional model (learning anxiety and evaluation anxiety) with excellent fit indices (χ^2/df=0.79, p=.76; CFI=1.0; TLI=1.0; RMSEA=.00 [90 % CI .00, .02]; SRMR=.037), also demonstrating invariance across sex. Scores correlated significantly with general anxiety (r=.90; p<.01), providing validity evidence related to other variables. Internal consistency ranged between .68 and .84, with lower coefficients observed in the evaluation anxiety factor. It is concluded that the AMAS is a valid, invariant, and reliable instrument to measure this construct.
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