The Relationship Between Parent Praise, Math Anxiety, and Students’ Theories of Intelligence
Session Number
S10
Advisor(s)
Sian Beilock, University of Chicago Lori Petersen, University of Chicago Marjorie Schaeffer, University of Chicago
Location
A-131
Start Date
28-4-2016 1:10 PM
End Date
28-4-2016 1:35 PM
Abstract
Parents’ attitudes, behaviors and beliefs play an important role in the development of their children. Therefore, it is important to understand how parents can influence their children during early childhood, the time when children are the most susceptible to influence. In this study, I investigated how parents’ math anxiety and theories of intelligence can impact parental feedback and praise, and in turn, how these factors can impact children’s math anxiety and theories of intelligence. Forty-seven first-grade children and their parents were recorded working through math problems in an app called “Bedtime Math.” Fifteen videos were coded for a variety of variables based on parents’ feedback, praise, persistence, and motivation. The results suggest that parents who are more math anxious are less responsive to their children while working on math problems. There is also evidence to demonstrate that parent math anxiety is related to their children’s levels of math anxiety, and that a relationship exists between parents’ math anxiety and their theories of intelligence.
The Relationship Between Parent Praise, Math Anxiety, and Students’ Theories of Intelligence
A-131
Parents’ attitudes, behaviors and beliefs play an important role in the development of their children. Therefore, it is important to understand how parents can influence their children during early childhood, the time when children are the most susceptible to influence. In this study, I investigated how parents’ math anxiety and theories of intelligence can impact parental feedback and praise, and in turn, how these factors can impact children’s math anxiety and theories of intelligence. Forty-seven first-grade children and their parents were recorded working through math problems in an app called “Bedtime Math.” Fifteen videos were coded for a variety of variables based on parents’ feedback, praise, persistence, and motivation. The results suggest that parents who are more math anxious are less responsive to their children while working on math problems. There is also evidence to demonstrate that parent math anxiety is related to their children’s levels of math anxiety, and that a relationship exists between parents’ math anxiety and their theories of intelligence.